Kevin Sheedy threads [merged]

[one-eyed]

Sheedy set to sign deal with Richmond
Caroline Wilson | October 21, 2008

KEVIN SHEEDY is returning to Tigerland for the first time in almost three decades. The three-time Richmond premiership hero is on the verge of signing a deal with the club that will see him become a face of the club's 2009 membership drive.

President Gary March confirmed late yesterday that preliminary talks with the former Essendon coach had left both parties confident that Sheedy would rejoin the Tigers over the summer and undertake a variety of roles including mentoring young indigenous and international players. The move by Sheedy, 60, would indicate that the four-time Essendon premiership coach, who left the Bombers at the end of 2007 season, has accepted he will not coach again but appears keen to continue his ambassadorial role in football, albeit a more focused one with the club at which he played 251 games.

The move, which has the blessing of Tigers' coach Terry Wallace, will see Sheedy play a significant role in Richmond's soon-to-be developed indigenous learning centre, which has proved a key-funding target for the club's Punt Road facelift.

"We've spoken with Kevin a couple of times now and we are keen to get his signature," said March. "We want to get him involved in as many ways as we can and obviously he would be a terrific asset for our indigenous centre at Punt Road."

Sheedy, famous for his part in the creation of a number of home-and-away blockbusters including Anzac Day, will also help promote another brainchild "Dreamtime at the 'G" between Richmond and Essendon along with the second season of the Eureka game between Richmond and North Melbourne and the Jim Stynes-proposed youth game between the Tigers and Melbourne.

Sheedy could also play a casual role in mentoring Richmond's assistant coaches.

The move to lure back Sheedy in a consulting role after several failed attempts to bring him back in the past as coach is one of a series of moves by March and co to reshape the culture of the club. Long-serving player and former skipper Wayne Campbell has returned as an assistant coach, Tony Free, another former captain, has become a club director and Richmond is about to appoint a new player-welfare manager with ties to the club.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/sheedy-to-sign-with-tigers/2008/10/20/1224351156122.html

[one-eyed]

Kevin Sheedy back with Tigers
Mark Robinson | October 21, 2008

EXCLUSIVE: KEVIN Sheedy is set to live up to a 28-year promise and return to Punt Rd.

The AFL great and Richmond officials started discussions yesterday on a role in 2009, including Sheedy's involvement in membership, sponsorship, with coterie groups and most certainly in the recently announced indigenous academy.

A role in the expanding Tigers football department has been ruled out.

Sheedy, who flew to Canberra after yesterday's meeting, said last night: "I will be having discussions with Richmond over the next month . . . that's all I'll say."

Tigers president Gary March confirmed yesterday's meeting.

"He's still got a lot of things on the go, but we're trying to finalise a role where he can spend time with Richmond on key areas we need to work on," March said yesterday.

"We haven't finalised it yet. In fact, he was in at the club today trying to work out some details.

"But we are working to get Kevin back involved in the club."

The Tigers premiership player, who had a 251-game career at Punt Rd, will be a paid employee.

The move, which follows the acquisition of former captain Wayne Campbell as an assistant coach, seemingly does not pose a threat to coach Terry Wallace, who next season enters the final year of his five-year deal.

It's understood Sheedy told the Tigers a football role - such as being a mentor for young players -- was out of the question.

March said Wallace fully supported of the club's impending appointment.

"We spoke to Terry about it and he's pretty comfortable," March said.

"I think most people, including Kevin, realise he's not going to coach again, so I think any nervousness at clubs about Kevin coming back and being a coach is gone by the wayside."

"So someone like Kevin has got a fair bit to offer," March said.

Sheedy, an ambassador for the AFL's 150-year celebration this year, is a Richmond legend.

He played from 1967 to 1979, was captain in 1978, and played in the 1969, 1973 and 1974 premiership teams.

He was assistant coach in 1980 before winning the senior role at Essendon, where he coached for 27 years.

Throughout his time at Windy Hill, Sheedy vowed to return to Richmond to help in some capacity.

Many thought that would be as coach - former president Leon Daphne approached Sheedy several times - but this latest high-profile off-field position is seen as an ideal ambassadorial role.

"Not many clubs have that many icons at their club and Kevin is not only an icon of our club, he's also an icon of the AFL," March said.

"We want him around the place . . . it's very important to the footy club.

"It's like Kevin Bartlett coming back last year, it's been fantastic, and add to that we brought Wayne Campbell back . . . there's some good things happening at Tigerland."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24527430-19742,00.html

[Francois Jackson]

thank god and about time.

[Smokey]

thank god and about time.

Yep, and also thank God it's not in a football dept role.

[julzqld]

Could it be that Jackstar was right after all

[wayne]

Let's hope he can get the best from Tambling, Oakley-Nicholls and Collard if he's mentoring the indigenous boys. He always had a good record with indigenous players, maybe not so much Kickett.

[blaisee]

dont really like this appointment

Sheedy is a senile old man, keeping him away from the footbal department is going to be very tricky indeed.

Don't like this at all

[Ox]

"It's like Kevin Bartlett coming back last year, it's been fantastic, and add to that we brought Wayne Campbell back . . . there's some good things happening at Tigerland."

KB coming back did stuff all,really,as much of a champ as he is.
KB would be the first to tell you that.

Tony Free - Most over rated footballer to ever don the Y&B,has proven he's a dumb bastard
with an tendency to shoot his mouth off and live in a non existent culture of a bygone era.

Why would we want that guy at the club when he was responsible for such insipid leadership
at a time where the win/loss ration speaks volumes of his ability as a leader.

Wayne Campbell........whatever.............

[Moi]

Could it be that Jackstar was right after all

[tigersalive]

Jackstar suggested he would be the coach and the messiah didnt he?

Not an employee that mentors in the indigenous academy and might help out with membership sales.  Will be good simply for him being a Richmond face again in off-field promotions and the academy.

[Moi]

Jackstar was right all the time.
Doesn't make him a great Richmond person as him and his mates have been lobbying for Sheeds to come back.  The question is, what was the reason.  Was it personal reasons or for the benefit of the RFC.
Sheeds has never had the RFC uppermost on his agenda for the last 20 years, so why should we.
If he can sell memberships, great.
If he wants a coaching role and this is his way of backdooring a job, is very shifty seeing Jackstar has been saying this for the last two or three years.
He was bound to get it eventually right 

[the_boy_jake]

What happens if we are 2 & 5 after 7 rounds?

Does March sack Wallace and elevate Campbell with Sheedy in a mentoring role? Then Jack looks pretty right on the money, if 12 months late.

[Francois Jackson]

What happens if we are 2 & 5 after 7 rounds?

Does March sack Wallace and elevate Campbell with Sheedy in a mentoring role? Then Jack looks pretty right on the money, if 12 months late.

100% correct.

lose to the blues and its curtains for mr Solarium id say with cats to follow

[Chuck17]

From memory March is on the record for saying that Wallace's contract will be reviewed in June, which is about half way through the season.

However if we have a crap start to the season I am sure the pressure will be on to make a change.

[one-eyed]

March said today on KB's show that Sheeds experience in mentoring would be a help to our young players and our young assistant coaches like King and McRae who haven't been coaching for long.