What is Sheens magic?

[Magpies Forever]

I dont want to open a thread full of vitriol and angst (lord knows, I'm as guilty as the next man here of throwing a bucket at Sheens) but what is his magic? How has he survived so long in the game?

As I see it, he fosters a good positive team and club spirit and he does seem to care for the players he regards. But, his results in terms of winning premierships and making the finals are not good for a coach of his longevity. I dont think his development of players is all that good as he really does play his favourites and ignore others with equal or more compelling claims for a shot.

I dont think he presents that well, (nor that badly either, eg Wanye Bennett is hopeless but his record saves him). What has he got? Sheens became Australian coach more due to others dropping out and their preferring to deal with their clubs than any great claim to prowess by Sheens.

What do others think?

 

[Tigers Tale]

Sheens may care for the players but he isn't able to get the best out of them as does Bennett or Hasler. I think they (Bennett and Hasler) also care for their players but they are true motivators. In some ways due to his own pigheadedness Sheens can demotivate players.

 

[madunit]

Sheens magic is best seen in his first 3-4 years at a club.

He creates good structures, brings a lot of good junior prospects up and makes some astute signings.

Problem is, he also gets successful quickly with that approach and then he changes everything he did that worked into something entirely different that doesn't work.

 

[Tiger05]

Sheens can create a great game plan and he brings along players really well. He also creates a great culture at a club.

His problem is team selections which at times can be atrocious. To be fair I think he learnt from the Johnny Cronk episode but that time was a blight on the club.

 

[innsaneink]

I think, to his credit...Sheens saw the unique problems we faced as a club when he first arrived, had an initial 5 year plan to win a comp which as we all know took three.
Theres also the baggage we have which is Wests Balmain, a somewhat fossilised divided board, Cambo/ Leichhardt and now the State cup drama which sees all excess players at BRET.
The latter is prectical but unpleasant for some, the grounds issue we have found a somewhat common ground with big games at ''marquee'' venues and gaining revenue.
The board - well they dunno what the hells going on it seems half the time, Im sure they probably realise and Sheens has more than likely let them know he is top dog at WTs, he is running this show, I doubt too many coaches would want to take on a role which is oh so much more than just coaching, even in todays standards, imo head coach at WTs is a unique position with no parrallel anywhere else in the game.

Overall he's done a very good job, an excellent job, but boy his results record sucks.

 

[Matchball]

Sheens is coaching like a man with 6 months to live.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

And comes up with this, like he may only have 2 weeks to coach:

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/be...coach-tim-sheens/story-fndujljl-1226456902957

WESTS Tigers coach Tim Sheens says fullback turned five-eighth Tim Moltzen has to be the one to help out Benji Marshall in the absence of injured skipper Robbie Farah.

Farah will miss Sunday's must-win NRL clash with Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium due to a broken hand, forcing Sheens to revert to plan A by moving Moltzen back to the halves to add some playmaking thrust.

Moltzen started the season at halfback before being moved to fullback following the season-ending injury to James Tedesco in the opening round.

He struggled early but has started to find some form in recent weeks, Sheens hoping his move closer to the action will help cover for the loss of Farah.

he struggled early but found form in recent weeks !! does that mean Sheens carried him between the early rounds and recent weeks? I'm confused.

"He's played more halves for me than he has fullback. He trained all pre-season as a halfback with Benji," Sheens said.

so why not leave him there and find a replacement fullback?

"(I had to) do what I could do to get another ball player in there without Robbie Farah.

"Tim fits that bill and Beau's (Ryan) done a really good job at the back.

again you have confused me coach, it Beau has done a really good job at the back and Tim trained all pre-season as a halfback and Benji was the 1st choice 5/8 why not play them in those positions and leave them in those positions earlier?

"Benji will still control the game. Obviously, he hasn't got Robbie there to support that so he needs Tim to support him, and everyone has got to step up, particularly the senior players this week."

:crazy::crazy::crazy:

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Sheens career -

Did well at Penrith, who were perennial battlers.

Got a champion team at Canberra. Let em play footy. In 94 he was the best coach in the game by results.

Left Canberra as they started to age.

Got sacked by Nth Qld.

Has made three finals in 10 years at Wests. Got a premiership 7 years ago. Never under pressure.


If he were coaching Saints, he'd be under the spotlight all the time.

I think its the vibe surrounding your club more than anything else. Majority are happy with the status quo.

 

[innsaneink]

So many of my gen bring up f**kin balmain of the 80s, wests of the 90's, how shit we were...theyre happy to stumble into 8th spot occasionally...as is the board
The 05 GF will keep many going for a 1/4 century or more...f**kwits

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

So may of my gen bring up f**kin balmain of the 80s, wests of the 90's, how shit we were...theyre happy to stumble into 8th spot occasionally...as is the board
The 05 GF will keep many going for a 1/4 century or more...f**kwits

Exactly.

Battlers mentality.

 

[Magpies Forever]

Alas, I think you're both right. Battlers mentality, happy with the scraps and not the 'do or die' mentality to go for the main prize.

The sad thing is Sheens has done good things for the club and took it to a solid foundation and I respect him for that but he reached his used by date at WestsTigers some time ago. New blood and thinking was needed ie a change. They should not have renewed his contract.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

The club is happy with mediocrity, it's as simple as that.

 

[Matchball]

Sheens magic is his ability to keep his job without accountability.