You wouldn't expect or realistically hope that a side which is redeveloping would preform in the first few years of the process. In fact I would argue that TW first years success was detremental to the club but this was largely due to our senior players at the time fighting for their careers rather than our first year recruits performing.
TW asked for a 5 year contract because he knew it would at least take that long before the redeveloped list would begin to perform. This has as more to do with their age and stage of development than it does with TW coaching ability.
TW is a great game day coach, strategist and media manipulator. Building up talented personal to support him and 'fill in the gaps' is what every successful club does. It has just taken us this long to gain a strong administration, coach, support staff and now (fingers crossed) playing list.
Ever single part of the club needs to be working if we have any hope of succeeding.
Stripes
i love the bit u say tw asked for a 5 year contract because he knew it would take that long.
absolute crap. he asked for that purely and simply for the money and security. i think he underestimated how bad this list is/was, hence why his comments last year about the rfc list being a "train wreck"
funny i never heard him call our list a train wreck when he took over......
Whether you believe it or not it was the reality. Who would even attempt to rebuild our club when we have the worst reputation in the league for 'eating our own' and sacking our coach at the first sign of failure.
As supporters, until recently (we at least most of us anyway
), we have been impatient and demanded instant success or we have called for blood. No Richmond coach has dared to try and rebuild because they knew unless they claimed instant success they were gone. As such they traded away draft picks, recruited reharshed players and played senior players over youth and who could blame them. With a short contract if they attempted to rebuild or play the youth, they were never going to see the rewards.
TW was an experienced coach. He knew the culture he was potentially placing himself at the mercy of, was volatile and if he was going to rebuild and possibly see any benefits from it, then he was going to need an extended contract.
We forget that TW was a much sought after coach at the time becuase everyone in the the Football world knows he can coach. He can not (as my Dad would say) 'make strawberry jam out of horse manure' and has had to work and wait for his young list to develop. We are now only just seeing the start of this development.
So when I say TW asked for a longer contract because he knew the redevelopment process would take a long time I am speaking with evidence. Did he also ask for a long contract for extra security and money - of course but that goes hand in hand with the risk and threat to his reputation.
Let TW see out his contract and then judge becasue at the very least he has given us
potential for sustained success and that is more than we have had at this ship-wreck of a club for generations.
Stripes