- Joined
- Oct 1, 2013
- Messages
- 17,736
- Reaction score
- 31,795
The question I’ve been most frequently asked over the past few days is what I think the Canterbury Bulldogs will do about the future of their head coach Des Hasler?
I don’t think they will rush into doing anything just yet. If I know anything about the Bulldogs club, they won’t be rushed or bullied into a decision by fans or experts in the media.
Bulldogs are by character independent, resilient, and silent. The Bulldogs club that I know, will make this decision when they are ready. They will ignore the noise going on around them. They will give Des, his staff, and the players, every opportunity to turn this current situation around.
Bulldog fans have been barking for some time that perhaps Des has reached its “use by date” and the club needs a change of direction. Such calls have reached a crescendo following the 36-0 drubbing they took at the hands of Manly Sea Eagles last weekend.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler faces the music after his team was flogged 36-0 by Manly at Lottoland. (AAP)
We shall come back to this term “use by date” in a moment.
Last Saturday’s loss to Manly was probably one of the worst performances we’ve seen from a Bulldogs team in a very long time. Coach Des Hasler said this himself. He didn’t back away from responsibility. He did say he looks forward to backing up quickly in this week’s Thursday night football against the Brisbane Broncos, so they can put the Manly game behind them and show the fans their true colours.
I’m expecting a bounce back from the Bulldogs this week. This club, this coach and these players are always at their best when they feel challenged and their backs are against the wall.
Des Hasler has proven himself to be one of the greatest coaches of the modern era. His record is amongst the best ever, in this most unforgiving of roles.
Overall Des has coached 341 NRL matches for 201 victories, representing a 58.9% winning percentage. At the Bulldogs, he has coached 135 matches, and a winning percentage of 58.5%. His overall finals record is 25 matches for 14 wins and 11 losses.
These are tremendous figures.
In his previous five years at the Bulldogs, his teams played final footballs every year, twice making the Grand-final. There are plenty of clubs in the NRL who would give their right arm to have such a successful record.
Why then is Des Hasler under pressure to keep his position at the Bulldogs?
Those leading the chorus of criticism have pointed to 2 major factors. Firstly, the Bulldogs attacking game has struggled for some time. Secondly, they believe Des is responsible for putting together the current playing roster and should be held accountable for the style of football these players deliver.
Bulldogs halves Josh Reynolds (l) and Moses Mbye have come under scrutiny for the team's spluttering attack. (AAP)
These are valid criticisms. Sometimes such issues sneak up on a coach or a club and you find yourself in a rut before you know it. Perhaps Des didn’t see it coming. Maybe the people around Des saw it coming and were reluctant to interfere.
But it’s hardly the worst situation I’ve ever seen. If there are issues with the style of play or the make-up of the playing roster, I honestly believe these problems can be solved. I would also think Des’s experience and obvious coaching ability make him one of the best-credentialed coaches to get the Bulldogs back in their winning ways.
No one likes to be associated with losing. No one likes to be targeted with criticism from fans and media. However, I’ve always believed that tough times do not build character, they reveal it. This is the Bulldog way. This is what makes someone a Bulldog.
Only those close to the action at the Bulldogs will know the true mood and current working environment. If you’ve been around professional football long enough, you tend to realise the signs when one era may be grinding to a halt, and a new era should begin.
We should leave this decision to the experienced people within the Bulldogs organisation.
What I do know is that if Des Hasler is released by the Bulldogs, he will coach again in the NRL and he will continue his outstanding success record.
It leads us to the question about this term we call, “use by date” when referring to the tenure of our head coaches.
How long can one coach, be effective in one club, with one group of players?
It’s an interesting topic. We have often heard the terms “lost his aura”, or “lost the dressing room” to describe a situation where people no longer believe players are responding to the coach’s style of communication or methods.
An old comedian once told me, “I don’t change my jokes, I just change my audience”.
I think to have longevity in coaching you must be honest about the impact you have on the player you coach. You can feel if they are responding to your words or your actions. When players feel they are no longer learning from a coach, their eyes tend to glaze over when he speaks.
To have longevity in coaching, I believe you need regular turnover within your staff and playing roster. You must be willing to delegate and trust the staff around you. You should constantly be learning, improving your own knowledge and methods. You can’t lock yourself into one era or one style of play. Players need to be inspired and excited. So too, your staff
I’ve said many times that modern-day footballers are far more judgemental about their coaches than in previous eras. Older style players will tell you the coach was the boss, you did what you were told, and you played for the coach every time you took the field.
These days, if players feel the coach is going to wear all the blame for the team’s inadequate performances, the players will sometimes sit back and allow it to happen, until the point where the coach is removed. In such situations, the club is virtually left with no option but to look for a new mentor for their football program. The club feels the only way to get the players back on track, is to remove the excuses they are making for their poor performances. The head coach gets replaced.
Jack Gibson (r)has been hailed as the greatest rugby league coach of all time. (AAP)
Jack Gibson was hailed as the greatest coach of all time. He gave coaching its profile in this country. The great players who played for this man speak glowingly of the relationships they shared with him, the knowledge he gave them, the character and belief he instilled in them.
Yet Jack Gibson never coached in any one place for more than three years at the time. His coaching history looks as follows -
COACHING CAREER
Easts 1967-68
From last in 1966, Gibson took Easts to the semi-finals in '67, where they finished fourth. They were fourth again in 1968.
St George 1970-71
St George finished fourth in 1969, but under Gibson they improved to be third in 1970 and grand finalists in 1971.
Newtown 1973
Newtown finished fifth in the final year under the four-team semi-final system in 1972, but Gibson took them to the preliminary final in 1973. Newtown won the pre-season competition as well as their one and only club championship title in Gibson's only year at the helm.
Easts 1974-76
Easts were sixth in 1973, but Gibson took the Roosters to their first premiership in 29 years in 1974. They made it back-to-back titles in 1975. In '76 the Roosters were semi-finalists again, but finished fifth. Easts were club champions in 1974 and 1975, won the pre-season competition in 1974 and the Amco Cup in 1975.
Souths 1978-79
The Rabbitohs won only three games to finish 11th out of 12 teams in 1977. Gibson lifted Souths to seventh in 1978. They fell to ninth in 1979. Souths won the pre-season title in 1978.
Parramatta 1981-83
Parramatta missed the semi-finals in 1980, but Gibson took the club to its first title in 1981 and backed up with further premiership victories in 1982 and '83. Parramatta were club champions in 1981 and 1982.
Cronulla 1985-87
Cronulla were 10th in 1984, but under Gibson they rose to eighth in 1985, fell back to 10th in 1986 and finished eighth in 1987.
An abiding coaching principle of Jack Gibson was that he would leave a club in a better position than when he joined it.
As you can see Jack’s whole career was a series of one, two and three year stints. He would have a complete break from coaching before taking on his next job.
Jack’s philosophy was that after three years he had taught them everything he knows. It was time to move on. That was his “use by date”. Jack regularly changed clubs, and therefore his audience.
Compare this to the other great coaches in rugby league history like Wayne Bennett who did 21 years straight at the Brisbane Broncos, and Craig Bellamy who this year is in his 15th consecutive season at the Melbourne Storm.
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has been able to reinvent himself over 15 seasons at the Storm. (AAP)
Both Bennett and Bellamy regularly change their staff and have a healthy turnover within their playing ranks. Naturally both these men have been able to side with a core group of champion players who they have nurtured and developed over a long period. But in many ways, they have still been able to change their audience. Both men have adapted to change, new rules, new methods, modern sports science, and the changing landscape of media and social media commentary.
Back to Des Hasler.
Des had eight seasons at the Manly Sea Eagles guiding them to 7 consecutive final series from 2005 to 2011. He arrived at the Bulldogs in 2012 and has guided them to the final series in every year.
Obviously, the guy can coach. I wouldn’t be writing Des Hasler or the Bulldogs off just yet.
Whatever problems the Bulldogs are experiencing, I’m sure Des is working hard on a solution. I know he will fight to the death. It remains to be seen whether his current roster of players get into the fight with him.
http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/03/29/...-the-bulldogs?ocid=wwostw#eXEJ1BTIhwxdEoMe.99
I don’t think they will rush into doing anything just yet. If I know anything about the Bulldogs club, they won’t be rushed or bullied into a decision by fans or experts in the media.
Bulldogs are by character independent, resilient, and silent. The Bulldogs club that I know, will make this decision when they are ready. They will ignore the noise going on around them. They will give Des, his staff, and the players, every opportunity to turn this current situation around.
Bulldog fans have been barking for some time that perhaps Des has reached its “use by date” and the club needs a change of direction. Such calls have reached a crescendo following the 36-0 drubbing they took at the hands of Manly Sea Eagles last weekend.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler faces the music after his team was flogged 36-0 by Manly at Lottoland. (AAP)
We shall come back to this term “use by date” in a moment.
Last Saturday’s loss to Manly was probably one of the worst performances we’ve seen from a Bulldogs team in a very long time. Coach Des Hasler said this himself. He didn’t back away from responsibility. He did say he looks forward to backing up quickly in this week’s Thursday night football against the Brisbane Broncos, so they can put the Manly game behind them and show the fans their true colours.
I’m expecting a bounce back from the Bulldogs this week. This club, this coach and these players are always at their best when they feel challenged and their backs are against the wall.
Des Hasler has proven himself to be one of the greatest coaches of the modern era. His record is amongst the best ever, in this most unforgiving of roles.
Overall Des has coached 341 NRL matches for 201 victories, representing a 58.9% winning percentage. At the Bulldogs, he has coached 135 matches, and a winning percentage of 58.5%. His overall finals record is 25 matches for 14 wins and 11 losses.
These are tremendous figures.
In his previous five years at the Bulldogs, his teams played final footballs every year, twice making the Grand-final. There are plenty of clubs in the NRL who would give their right arm to have such a successful record.
Why then is Des Hasler under pressure to keep his position at the Bulldogs?
Those leading the chorus of criticism have pointed to 2 major factors. Firstly, the Bulldogs attacking game has struggled for some time. Secondly, they believe Des is responsible for putting together the current playing roster and should be held accountable for the style of football these players deliver.
Bulldogs halves Josh Reynolds (l) and Moses Mbye have come under scrutiny for the team's spluttering attack. (AAP)
These are valid criticisms. Sometimes such issues sneak up on a coach or a club and you find yourself in a rut before you know it. Perhaps Des didn’t see it coming. Maybe the people around Des saw it coming and were reluctant to interfere.
But it’s hardly the worst situation I’ve ever seen. If there are issues with the style of play or the make-up of the playing roster, I honestly believe these problems can be solved. I would also think Des’s experience and obvious coaching ability make him one of the best-credentialed coaches to get the Bulldogs back in their winning ways.
No one likes to be associated with losing. No one likes to be targeted with criticism from fans and media. However, I’ve always believed that tough times do not build character, they reveal it. This is the Bulldog way. This is what makes someone a Bulldog.
Only those close to the action at the Bulldogs will know the true mood and current working environment. If you’ve been around professional football long enough, you tend to realise the signs when one era may be grinding to a halt, and a new era should begin.
We should leave this decision to the experienced people within the Bulldogs organisation.
What I do know is that if Des Hasler is released by the Bulldogs, he will coach again in the NRL and he will continue his outstanding success record.
It leads us to the question about this term we call, “use by date” when referring to the tenure of our head coaches.
How long can one coach, be effective in one club, with one group of players?
It’s an interesting topic. We have often heard the terms “lost his aura”, or “lost the dressing room” to describe a situation where people no longer believe players are responding to the coach’s style of communication or methods.
An old comedian once told me, “I don’t change my jokes, I just change my audience”.
I think to have longevity in coaching you must be honest about the impact you have on the player you coach. You can feel if they are responding to your words or your actions. When players feel they are no longer learning from a coach, their eyes tend to glaze over when he speaks.
To have longevity in coaching, I believe you need regular turnover within your staff and playing roster. You must be willing to delegate and trust the staff around you. You should constantly be learning, improving your own knowledge and methods. You can’t lock yourself into one era or one style of play. Players need to be inspired and excited. So too, your staff
I’ve said many times that modern-day footballers are far more judgemental about their coaches than in previous eras. Older style players will tell you the coach was the boss, you did what you were told, and you played for the coach every time you took the field.
These days, if players feel the coach is going to wear all the blame for the team’s inadequate performances, the players will sometimes sit back and allow it to happen, until the point where the coach is removed. In such situations, the club is virtually left with no option but to look for a new mentor for their football program. The club feels the only way to get the players back on track, is to remove the excuses they are making for their poor performances. The head coach gets replaced.
Jack Gibson (r)has been hailed as the greatest rugby league coach of all time. (AAP)
Jack Gibson was hailed as the greatest coach of all time. He gave coaching its profile in this country. The great players who played for this man speak glowingly of the relationships they shared with him, the knowledge he gave them, the character and belief he instilled in them.
Yet Jack Gibson never coached in any one place for more than three years at the time. His coaching history looks as follows -
COACHING CAREER
Easts 1967-68
From last in 1966, Gibson took Easts to the semi-finals in '67, where they finished fourth. They were fourth again in 1968.
St George 1970-71
St George finished fourth in 1969, but under Gibson they improved to be third in 1970 and grand finalists in 1971.
Newtown 1973
Newtown finished fifth in the final year under the four-team semi-final system in 1972, but Gibson took them to the preliminary final in 1973. Newtown won the pre-season competition as well as their one and only club championship title in Gibson's only year at the helm.
Easts 1974-76
Easts were sixth in 1973, but Gibson took the Roosters to their first premiership in 29 years in 1974. They made it back-to-back titles in 1975. In '76 the Roosters were semi-finalists again, but finished fifth. Easts were club champions in 1974 and 1975, won the pre-season competition in 1974 and the Amco Cup in 1975.
Souths 1978-79
The Rabbitohs won only three games to finish 11th out of 12 teams in 1977. Gibson lifted Souths to seventh in 1978. They fell to ninth in 1979. Souths won the pre-season title in 1978.
Parramatta 1981-83
Parramatta missed the semi-finals in 1980, but Gibson took the club to its first title in 1981 and backed up with further premiership victories in 1982 and '83. Parramatta were club champions in 1981 and 1982.
Cronulla 1985-87
Cronulla were 10th in 1984, but under Gibson they rose to eighth in 1985, fell back to 10th in 1986 and finished eighth in 1987.
An abiding coaching principle of Jack Gibson was that he would leave a club in a better position than when he joined it.
As you can see Jack’s whole career was a series of one, two and three year stints. He would have a complete break from coaching before taking on his next job.
Jack’s philosophy was that after three years he had taught them everything he knows. It was time to move on. That was his “use by date”. Jack regularly changed clubs, and therefore his audience.
Compare this to the other great coaches in rugby league history like Wayne Bennett who did 21 years straight at the Brisbane Broncos, and Craig Bellamy who this year is in his 15th consecutive season at the Melbourne Storm.
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has been able to reinvent himself over 15 seasons at the Storm. (AAP)
Both Bennett and Bellamy regularly change their staff and have a healthy turnover within their playing ranks. Naturally both these men have been able to side with a core group of champion players who they have nurtured and developed over a long period. But in many ways, they have still been able to change their audience. Both men have adapted to change, new rules, new methods, modern sports science, and the changing landscape of media and social media commentary.
Back to Des Hasler.
Des had eight seasons at the Manly Sea Eagles guiding them to 7 consecutive final series from 2005 to 2011. He arrived at the Bulldogs in 2012 and has guided them to the final series in every year.
Obviously, the guy can coach. I wouldn’t be writing Des Hasler or the Bulldogs off just yet.
Whatever problems the Bulldogs are experiencing, I’m sure Des is working hard on a solution. I know he will fight to the death. It remains to be seen whether his current roster of players get into the fight with him.
http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/03/29/...-the-bulldogs?ocid=wwostw#eXEJ1BTIhwxdEoMe.99
