Football department the priority for Tigers
Jake Niall | July 2, 2009
RICHMOND will not spend heavily on its next senior coach to the detriment of other areas of its football department.
While the Tigers have sufficient financial strength to pay the next coach well, they are determined to ensure that whoever is appointed is given the necessary structure and staff to succeed, and making a well-resourced football department is the priority.
Richmond football operations manager Craig Cameron said last night the Tigers had no issue with paying the coach handsomely, but the club wanted to ensure that the football department was properly resourced.
"The most important thing is that we properly resource all areas of the department, and in doing that we give the next coach of the Richmond footy club the best chance of success," he said.
Cameron said the Tigers had not set a maximum figure they would be willing to pay a coach.
Unless there is a surprise candidate, the only possible candidates for the coaching position who might command hefty wages would be Nathan Buckley and his former coach Michael Malthouse. Malthouse, in any case, has made it clear that he wishes to continue at Collingwood in 2010.
Buckley is expected to go through Richmond's process in its search for a coach.
Richmond, which ranks about 12th in football department spending, expects a small rise in its football budget next year, and has identified strength and conditioning, medical and technology — including recruiting technology — as areas it will need further resources in next year and beyond.
The club has already bolstered the area of developing coaching and recruiting. Three years ago it had no full-time recruiter, now it has three full-time recruiting staff.
The club is mindful that, as former coach Terry Wallace pointed out, it was not well-resourced in the football department in the first couple of years after his appointment.
The major question mark, in terms of football spending, is player payments next year. The club ranks about ninth in the AFL for player payments, but has six players aged over 30. The extent to which it reduces player payments, relative to other clubs, will depend largely on how many of the over-30 brigade — Matthew Richardson, Joel Bowden, Ben Cousins, Troy Simmonds and Nathan Brown — play on next year.
Kane Johnson has retired, and Richardson is likely to continue. If a further three players retired, then the club would likely have a significant reduction in payments.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/footy-department-priority-for-tigers/2009/07/01/1246127579811.html
