Upon re-admittance we were told we were re-building from the ground up. After two full seasons I feel its time for a report card on how the people we trust with the future of our club have performed in their self admitted task of re-building South Sydney.
Lets look at a definition of re-building;
rebuild (r -b ld )
tr.v. rebuilt, (-b lt ) rebuilding, rebuilds
1. To build again.
2. To make extensive structural repairs on.
3. To remodel or make extensive changes in: tried to rebuild society.
In 2002 we had a bad season. Paul Dunn appeared to be making efforts to drag Souths into the new century, but rumour stated his hands were being tied by George Piggins and his loyalists. I guess well never know the truth of the Dunn Reign. Suffice to say any efforts that were made did not work out, we stayed with our traditional mindset on conducting business, and Dunn vanished.
Piggins as usual couldnt keep quiet in the press and once again we were continually in the papers for all the wrong reasons. At the end of the season many were calling for the head of Craig Coleman due to the fact we were the de-facto winners of the wooden spoon and only had five wins in total. Instead of addressing the coaching situation at the end of the season, Souths in their usual unprofessional manner avoided the professional way at all costs.
We decided to go into season 2003 with a game target set on Colemans head. Not fair on Coleman or the Souths fans. We needed stability and confidence. We received instead the unknown and a weight over our coachs head.
We entered 2002 with the type of public support and goodwill that money alone could not buy, a heap of sponsorship and the position of being almost everyones second side.
By the end of 2002 that was gone, blown away and destroyed by our ineptitude.
Out of 5 Id have to give our teachers 0 for their efforts in 2002.
2003 has been far worse. We started the year off with Tugger as coach. After giving him reassurances regarding 2003, he was punted during the trials. He was understandably upset that Mr Piggins had gone back on his word of a 5 game test and Tugger was gone.
Coach #1 for 2003, terminated.
Phil Blake appointed as interim coach. But wait, theres more. In our usually highly professional manner someone forgot to ask Mr Blake IF he had a coaching certificate. He didnt.
Coach #2 for 2003, terminated.
Langmack was then installed as interim coach pending his early performances.
This was Coach #3 for 2003.
After stating Langmack would have to win 3 out of the first five to secure the position AND saying he would not give him the job until after the AGM as he did not want to lump the new board with a coach they didnt want, Mr Piggins then completely contradicted this and gave Langmack the job after 2 losses.
The rest is history. Our CEO making public blunder after public blunder. The Chris Walker fiasco, losing Merritt, lack of first grade signings for 2004 etc etc etc.
And the bottom line is we finished with three wins.
Not only have we not rebuilt a damn thing, but weve gone backwards. The people so far that have been in charge of our rebuilding have not taken one step forward, we are now in a far more precarious and unstable situation than we were at the start of season 2002.
Only at Souths could we take a fantastic opportunity of much goodwill and excitement and turn it into a disaster.
For 2003 the report card reads -2 out of 5.
Now, we hear the rumours of our great restructuring to be announced this Friday includes the retention of Langmack and Tapp.
Im predicting our report card for 2004 will be close to -5 if the retention of proven failures continues.
Did we learn even ONE thing from the ridiculous mistakes of 2002?
Apparently not.
We have a coach that has failed. Do we address this now? Of course not, that's what a professional club would do. We'll start the year with a guy that's proven he can't coach, then probably dump him a few weeks in to the comp.
How will things improve if we never seem to learn?
Lets look at a definition of re-building;
rebuild (r -b ld )
tr.v. rebuilt, (-b lt ) rebuilding, rebuilds
1. To build again.
2. To make extensive structural repairs on.
3. To remodel or make extensive changes in: tried to rebuild society.
In 2002 we had a bad season. Paul Dunn appeared to be making efforts to drag Souths into the new century, but rumour stated his hands were being tied by George Piggins and his loyalists. I guess well never know the truth of the Dunn Reign. Suffice to say any efforts that were made did not work out, we stayed with our traditional mindset on conducting business, and Dunn vanished.
Piggins as usual couldnt keep quiet in the press and once again we were continually in the papers for all the wrong reasons. At the end of the season many were calling for the head of Craig Coleman due to the fact we were the de-facto winners of the wooden spoon and only had five wins in total. Instead of addressing the coaching situation at the end of the season, Souths in their usual unprofessional manner avoided the professional way at all costs.
We decided to go into season 2003 with a game target set on Colemans head. Not fair on Coleman or the Souths fans. We needed stability and confidence. We received instead the unknown and a weight over our coachs head.
We entered 2002 with the type of public support and goodwill that money alone could not buy, a heap of sponsorship and the position of being almost everyones second side.
By the end of 2002 that was gone, blown away and destroyed by our ineptitude.
Out of 5 Id have to give our teachers 0 for their efforts in 2002.
2003 has been far worse. We started the year off with Tugger as coach. After giving him reassurances regarding 2003, he was punted during the trials. He was understandably upset that Mr Piggins had gone back on his word of a 5 game test and Tugger was gone.
Coach #1 for 2003, terminated.
Phil Blake appointed as interim coach. But wait, theres more. In our usually highly professional manner someone forgot to ask Mr Blake IF he had a coaching certificate. He didnt.
Coach #2 for 2003, terminated.
Langmack was then installed as interim coach pending his early performances.
This was Coach #3 for 2003.
After stating Langmack would have to win 3 out of the first five to secure the position AND saying he would not give him the job until after the AGM as he did not want to lump the new board with a coach they didnt want, Mr Piggins then completely contradicted this and gave Langmack the job after 2 losses.
The rest is history. Our CEO making public blunder after public blunder. The Chris Walker fiasco, losing Merritt, lack of first grade signings for 2004 etc etc etc.
And the bottom line is we finished with three wins.
Not only have we not rebuilt a damn thing, but weve gone backwards. The people so far that have been in charge of our rebuilding have not taken one step forward, we are now in a far more precarious and unstable situation than we were at the start of season 2002.
Only at Souths could we take a fantastic opportunity of much goodwill and excitement and turn it into a disaster.
For 2003 the report card reads -2 out of 5.
Now, we hear the rumours of our great restructuring to be announced this Friday includes the retention of Langmack and Tapp.
Im predicting our report card for 2004 will be close to -5 if the retention of proven failures continues.
Did we learn even ONE thing from the ridiculous mistakes of 2002?
Apparently not.
We have a coach that has failed. Do we address this now? Of course not, that's what a professional club would do. We'll start the year with a guy that's proven he can't coach, then probably dump him a few weeks in to the comp.
How will things improve if we never seem to learn?
