Ex-Hawks coach tipped for Tigers
Greg Denham | August 11, 2008
FORMER Hawthorn coach Peter Schwab has emerged as the leading contender to move back to Richmond as the Tigers' general manager of football operations.
Schwab has been targeted by the recruiting firm hired by the Tigers to present a short list of candidates in the next few weeks to replace Greg Miller, who was axed from Punt Road last month.
Schwab worked at Richmond for three years as an assistant coach, in 1992 under Allan Jeans, and for the following two seasons under John Northey.
In less than five seasons as Hawthorn coach between 2000 and 2004, Schwab-coached teams played in five finals matches with a best finish of fourth in 2001 when the Hawks were beaten in a preliminary final by Essendon.
Schwab played 171 games with Hawthorn, including three premierships before retiring in 1991.
He was a premiership team-mate of Richmond coach Terry Wallace in 1983 and again in 1986. Wallace is contracted at Punt Road until the end of next season.
For the past few years Schwab, 47, has worked in administration for the AFL, with the past 16 months as chief executive of AFL Victoria, which runs the VFL and TAC Cup competitions.
He is a cousin of Cameron Schwab, the recently departed Fremantle chief executive who has also been linked to the Richmond position.
Cameron Schwab has firmed as Melbourne's next chief executive after the Demons were informed a week ago that Geelong chief operating officer Stuart Fox would not be applying for the job.
Peter Schwab yesterday declined to comment on his intentions, but confirmed he had been approached for the Richmond position and he fits the criteria recently listed by Tigers president Gary March.
March said last month that Miller's successor should be a "contemporary" person with the necessary experience to have an immediate input into decisions made about drafting, trading and possible further changes to the Tigers' football department.
Also fitting that bill is former Melbourne coach Neale Daniher, who has also been offered a similar role with West Coast.
Another former high-profile AFL administrator sure to be sounded out is current Athletics Australia chief executive Danny Corcoran. Corcoran held the position of general manager of football operations at both Essendon and Melbourne.
Speaking from Beijing yesterday, Corcoran said he had never ruled out a return to football at the elite level.
"But, I'll assess my options when I return to Australia, if there are any," he said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24158299-5012432,00.html
