I was thinking about the recurring themes of "do we replace the coach" and "Parra are chokers" and it dawned on me how Parra´s current situation is very similar to the Perth Glory soccer club a few years ago.
Both a financially sound clubs with a large and demanding supporter base. Both had a highly respected coach, with a habit of buying bargain basement players and turning them into starts (Smith and Bernd Stange). Both coaches were credited with turning around their repective clubs from being at best average to being regular finals contenders. However, both coaches failed to bring home the ultimate prize.
The Glory, like Parra was making a habit of being the best team in the regular season, then falling at the final hurdle. In the 2000 Ericcson Cup final against Wollongong in Perth, they were up 3 - 0 at half time, only to lose in a penalty shootout. The Glory would then go on to contest and lose two more grand finals.
At that point, the club had decided that it would not resign coach Bernd Stange - a move that resulted in the fans protesting at the game and boycotting "Chicken Treat", the fast food franchise owned by the Glory´s owner. Stange was signed on for 1 more year, but that year the Glory failed to make the grand final.
The following year, Bernd Stange´s assistant coach, Mich D´Avery was appointed as head coach. Which he made changes, as all new coaches do, he didn´t initiate a mass cleanout of the club. He simply built on what Bern Stange had started and added his own ideas. That year, the Glory finally lost their "chokers" tag and when on to win the grand final. From that point on, the Glory simply didn´t know how to lose grand finals.
This is exactly where I see Parra at the moment. We have a coach who all recognise has turned the club around, but has not delivered the ultimate prize. All are in agreement that next year would be his last, but there are arguments as to whether his replacement must be new to the club or whether it should be someone who´s worked under him. Finally, when Brian Smith goes, do we need a mass cleanout of the club, releasing senior players "scarred by years of failure".
Based on what had happened at the Glory, I don´t believe that the incoming coach must come from outside the club and no I don´t believe there needs to be a cleanout. A hand full of players who played in the Glory´s first championship win had played in the 2000 loss. The rest had played in the subsequent grand final loses. Similarly, a hand full of players remain from 2001 and the rest are involved in this year´s debacle against the Cowboys.
I do believe that this years loss will spur the players on next year. If not next year, then the year after. When we finally win the grand final, whether it be next year or 2007, it will basically be on the back of a lot of hard work by Brian Smith, just as the Glory´s championship wins were on the back of Bernd Stange years in charge. Hopefully, like the Glory, when we finally break through to win one, more will follow.
Oh yeah, one final similarity - most of the fans HATE the Glory´s owner, Nick Tana just as most fans dislike Denis Fitzgerald.
Both a financially sound clubs with a large and demanding supporter base. Both had a highly respected coach, with a habit of buying bargain basement players and turning them into starts (Smith and Bernd Stange). Both coaches were credited with turning around their repective clubs from being at best average to being regular finals contenders. However, both coaches failed to bring home the ultimate prize.
The Glory, like Parra was making a habit of being the best team in the regular season, then falling at the final hurdle. In the 2000 Ericcson Cup final against Wollongong in Perth, they were up 3 - 0 at half time, only to lose in a penalty shootout. The Glory would then go on to contest and lose two more grand finals.
At that point, the club had decided that it would not resign coach Bernd Stange - a move that resulted in the fans protesting at the game and boycotting "Chicken Treat", the fast food franchise owned by the Glory´s owner. Stange was signed on for 1 more year, but that year the Glory failed to make the grand final.
The following year, Bernd Stange´s assistant coach, Mich D´Avery was appointed as head coach. Which he made changes, as all new coaches do, he didn´t initiate a mass cleanout of the club. He simply built on what Bern Stange had started and added his own ideas. That year, the Glory finally lost their "chokers" tag and when on to win the grand final. From that point on, the Glory simply didn´t know how to lose grand finals.
This is exactly where I see Parra at the moment. We have a coach who all recognise has turned the club around, but has not delivered the ultimate prize. All are in agreement that next year would be his last, but there are arguments as to whether his replacement must be new to the club or whether it should be someone who´s worked under him. Finally, when Brian Smith goes, do we need a mass cleanout of the club, releasing senior players "scarred by years of failure".
Based on what had happened at the Glory, I don´t believe that the incoming coach must come from outside the club and no I don´t believe there needs to be a cleanout. A hand full of players who played in the Glory´s first championship win had played in the 2000 loss. The rest had played in the subsequent grand final loses. Similarly, a hand full of players remain from 2001 and the rest are involved in this year´s debacle against the Cowboys.
I do believe that this years loss will spur the players on next year. If not next year, then the year after. When we finally win the grand final, whether it be next year or 2007, it will basically be on the back of a lot of hard work by Brian Smith, just as the Glory´s championship wins were on the back of Bernd Stange years in charge. Hopefully, like the Glory, when we finally break through to win one, more will follow.
Oh yeah, one final similarity - most of the fans HATE the Glory´s owner, Nick Tana just as most fans dislike Denis Fitzgerald.
