James Hird was in the same position as Richmond skipper
James Hird | May 28, 2009
RICHMOND captain Chris Newman is a traitor and the leader of a failed coup - if you believe the media last week.
He has been criticised for being disloyal to his coach and club, and for showing a lack of leadership.
I have another perspective.
Without knowing what was said in his meetings with coach Terry Wallace or behind closed doors with his players, my view is that Newman was courageous and has put the interests of his club and his players before his own.
Newman does not strike me as a selfish player. He was not made captain because he is the best player at Richmond, but because he is a good player who works for the team and has an uncompromising passion to make Richmond Football Club the best.
This is not the attitude of a bloke who wants to sack the coach out of self-interest.
Whether or not Wallace should be coach is beside the point. Most important is what compels a team man like Newman to put himself out on a limb.
Events in 1998 at Essendon, when I was in my first year as captain, might help explain Chris's actions, whatever they were.
The Essendon coaching position once again was put on the agenda at the end of the 1997 season.
That year we had significant turnover in our football department - coaches and administrators were either sick of Kevin Sheedy or he was sick of them.
The issue spilled into 1998 and midway through the season we had more factions than the Labor Party.
As captain I could not walk anywhere without a coach, trainer, player, board member or official pulling me aside to ask my view on whether Sheedy should have his contract renewed.
It reached the point where I did not know my own opinion. I was walking out of each meeting believing what had been said - and my opinion on Sheedy's position swung from day to day.
Everyone who says the players should not appoint or sack the coach is right.
But sometimes board members and administrators unwittingly, or deliberately, involve players in the decision.
Similar to Newman at Richmond, I was involved whether I liked it or not.
I was called into meetings and asked to canvass players' opinions and give my view on what I thought was right.
I did not enjoy being in that position, but I understood if I wanted the prestige and success that comes with being captain I also had to be able to make the hard decisions.
In the end, Sheeds' fate came down to one meeting that was held in the Essendon social club.
All the players were there and former club chairman Graeme McMahon asked to hear all opinions.
The room fell silent and all eyes fell on me. As the captain, I felt compelled to speak but did not know what to say.
I knew the room was divided and that some of my teammates wanted the coach gone.
I had been in discussions where it sounded like a good idea to get a new coach. I had also been in discussions where it made sense the other way.
Stunned, like a coward I remained tight-lipped until David Calthorpe stood up and said what I should have said.
He said something like: "Boys, you should be ashamed of yourselves. It is not our decision to sack or appoint the coach. We should shut up and let the club do what they think is right."
That comment set the tone for the rest of the meeting.
A few comments were made, but at the end of the meeting McMahon asked anyone who had any private comments to see him in his office.
That night the board met and Sheeds was retained as coach.
I received a call from football manager Matthew Drain about 9.30pm to inform me that Sheeds was still our coach for the 1999 season.
I then called all the players on the list.
By the end of the calls I felt decidedly dirty. I didn't think I had betrayed Sheeds, but I had certainly gone close to the line.
Part of my mistake was to act too honestly and talk too freely to everyone who asked my opinion. When someone asked what I liked and disliked about the coach, I gave straight answers for both.
The lesson I learnt was to never get involved in the potential sacking or appointment of a coach again.
As innocent as you think a comment may be, when you are captain and when you have power it can be used for other people's gain.
What I admired about Chris Newman last week was that he went to the coach to talk about the issues face to face.
He may or may not have asked for Wallace's resignation, but what he did say, he said one on one.
This was brave and should be commended.
Chris Newman made a decision that he thought was right for the footy club. However naive it may have been, he did it for the right reasons.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25547308-19742,00.html
