Kevin Sheedy's spectre pressures Terry Wallace
Mark Robinson | October 22, 2008
THE threat to Terry Wallace, if one was to eventuate, was expected to come from a "wannabe" coach 25 years younger than Kevin Sheedy.
Not initially from the coaching icon who, despite his own misgivings about resurrecting one of the great coaching careers, is still yet to categorically rule out a return to the caper.
In countless appearances on stage, on TV and behind microphones – and in far-flung towns such as Tuggeranong, ACT, where Sheedy on Monday night addressed 150 sports coaches – he has avoided absolute closure.
Will you coach again?, he is often asked. "I would think not," he has often answered.
True, he is at Barbaricus-like odds. Probably longer. But Sheedy, like another discarded warrior in Denis Pagan, can never say never.
Telephoned on Monday, just hours after meeting with Richmond about a high-profile position off-field, which Sheedy is almost certain to agree to, he didn't want to discuss football, let alone a coaching role, or at the very least a football mentoring role.
"I'm in Blumfield territory," he said. "In the valley.
"Two AFL players have come from Tuggeranong. Blumfield and . . .?"
Hmmm.
"Went from Carlton to St Kilda. Looked like Superman. Come on . . ."
Never let it be said Sheedy has lost – or will ever lose – his zest for the game.
In all likelihood – arrived at by combining common sense with the direction of the game, particularly coaching and it being a younger man's domain – Sheedy won't coach again.
Certainly, Tigers president Gary March doesn't think so, and that is significant.
"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," he said.
So is Wallace nervous?
Probably not, but can't help wonder what he honestly thinks of the Sheedy appointment, remembering Sheedy famously once accused him of playing that "basketball crap".
Wallace is a realist.
Pressure drapes over him like a summer willow as he prepares for his fifth year at Tigerland and 12th year coaching overall.
If it wasn't Sheedy and the shadow that he casts, it would have been from someone or somewhere else.
For Wallace, it would appear finals are a necessity – and a surging finals spot at that – and if by Round 12 the season is stuttering, so will be the coach.
The AFL draw, to be released to the public on Friday, will be telling.
If Richmond is unlucky and faces, say, the Hawks twice, Geelong twice, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide away in the first 10 games, Wallace could have the sharks circling by mid-year, the time March has said the coach's future would be discussed.
On the flip side, if he is 9-3 then a lot of precious paper has been wasted on this debate. He will go around again and deservedly so.
Unquestionably, changes are engulfing the Tigers.
Wallace has lost loyal colleagues Greg Miller and Paul Armstrong, his support structure eroded by March's drive for fresh faces.
And with new assistant coach Wayne Campbell – who also has strong support from the president – and Sheedy in whatever capacity, it is foolish not to suggest a replacement is ready and willing if Wallace fails.
Then there's Nathan Buckley.
The Collingwood champ will decide midway through next year where his future lies and at which club.
Before Campbell's appointment – and perhaps even Sheedy's – Richmond and Buckley wasn't an entirely ridiculous union.
Buckley will be offered a position at Collingwood by Eddie McGuire – as senior or assistant coach – but several other coaches are also coming out of contract.
They are at the Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, maybe the Kangaroos, Port Adelaide and, of course, the Tigers.
He will go somewhere, Bucks, and if he rails against Collingwood in preference for a new frontier, pity the club that ignores him.
Wallace, Sheedy, Campbell, Buckley . . . there are certainly interesting times ahead at Punt Rd.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24531516-19742,00.html
