Miscommunication, injuries, double standards

[qldmagpie67]

Firstly let me say this isn't an attack on the coach, selectors, players or any individual associated with the club it's a observation of a pies supporter who is and has tried to understand what has happened to the club and playing group.

Miscommunication. We have been fed a series of prophecies over the past few years from the CEO that the club had a list of finals caliber. Each and every year we have anticipated marked improvement from the previous season but alas we have failed to deliver.
Would it had been better to temper expectations and be more honest in the appraisal of the side and its actual goals ?
Wouldn't the CEO be better served leaving predictions to the outside world and if asked replied said we expect the group to go out each week and give everything they have and we will see what the results bring.
I think the constant high expectations placed on the group by the CEO,s statements especially with a younger group hasn't been fair and placed undue pressure to perform on them.
Buckley has admitted he had to change his style of communication and delivery to the players. Learning from mistakes and seeking to improve is a great thing for the club and the head coach but has it meant he has lost the edge to really get the message across. When was the last time you can remember Buckley bringing the same frustration to a break address to the players as you see him display in the coaches box ? End of term 1 against the Hawks is the last one for me. He should have torn shreds off them at least once a game in the last 3 games.

Injuries. Whilst we have had a reasonable run this year the injuries have been to players we couldn't afford to lose due to how it affects our style/structure. Wells, Varcoe, Elliott, Reid, Sinclair & players like Scharenberg, Ramsay & Langdon coming back from long term layoffs.
We don't have the depth to cover such losses and the players coming in are a shadow of those missing. Each year we seem to have injuries to key players wbich any team can get but some teams seem to be able to cover much better. I would like to see a comprehensive independent report into our rehab policies, training loads, medial department and all associated departments. At this elite level there shouldn't be any excuses especially for a club so wealthy as ours.

Double standards. I understand not every situation is the same but there is massive double standard shown at various levels inside the club.
Selections is the biggest drama.
As I understand it Scharenberg was told he needed to play a minimum of 6 VFL games and show form before getting selected for a senior game. That's fair enough but Ramsay hurt his knee at the same time and wasn't forced to show the same or play the VFL games to gain selection. If anything I think and I believe many would concur Ramsay has looked much slower and has struggled massively at times. It's not a knock on either player and I don't know how there respective rehab went or the extent of each knee but I would have thought that gaining confidence in the VFL would have been expected by both.
Same goes for Langdon. He played 3 VFL games and by all reports he didn't set the world on fire. Some believe his a automatic selection when available many more believe he's not and is a fringe player but he wasn't expected to play for a extended period of time and show good form before being considered for selection.
There's also the mixed messages sent through the dropping of a player and publicly saying he needs time in the VFL to regain form then being held as the carry over or emergency for the seniors then brought back in without playing any VFL games only to make the same errors he was making prior to being dropped.
Reid seemed to be made a scape goat for some poor outings by the team. He wasn't playing outstanding admitted but there were players who were playing equally as poorly and didn't feel the selection knife.
Some players seem to be given opportunities when there form is down and then dropped then recalled (yes injury can play a part as can who we are playing) whilst others get given a limited opportunity then discarded for extended periods or discharged for good.
Young Schade needed a break for sure he seemed a little out of his depth at times but early in the season he was more than handy. When Reid went down injured we decide to play Langdon as CHB who had just come into the side and his first game was in anyone's opinion a absolute shocker. We've wlso been struggling for talls but Whites name hasn't been mentioned. Yes we've seen White for a few years but in that time he's played poorly but also pretty good at times. When you have a young team sometimes it's better to go with experience you know versus gambling on a less suitable and often out of position player.

I just think all these above topics and examples leads a team to question what the actual message that's being sent is and means.
There's no consistency in anything we do on or off field. We seem to chop and change our approach our plans our core beliefs to form at a whim. Is it any wonder the playing group seems confused and devoid of any confidence.

I hope that with 7 games remaining we can at a minimum show the competitive nature we showed prior to the bye.
The clubs announcement today may take a little heat from the current questions surrounding the head coach but that will certainly restart again if we cop a flogging or 2

[Magpietothemax]

Great summary Qld, and the points you raise certainly strike a chord with me. Particularly your comments regarding our selection policies, and the mixed messages that they seem to be sending out. The disappearance of some players into apparent oblivion without explanation, the dropping of players who were by no means the worst on the day, the apparently inconsistent criteria for senior selection, appear baffling from the outside looking in. I think it has been very destabilizing for us that we still are really not sure of who our best 22 are as well. I sometimes think that we get confused with the myriad of possible combinations that are possible, because our list contains so many essentially unproven players. As you point out, injuries have added to this confusion as well. Other clubs, (the Swans come to mind) seem far more skilled in handling both injuries and the introduction of new players.

[Piesnchess]

I actually cannot recall a single time, in the last four seasons, whereby Bucks has had a fully fit, healthy list too chose from, with just one or two players injured. I cannot recall that once, not once, hes been shit out of luck on the injury front, for a very long time.

[RudeBoy]

Sorry QM67, but while I like your passion, I disagree with much of your post.

You, like many others, make all sorts of assumptions about what is said to players in house about their targets to be achieved before getting games. There has been no evidence of favouritism at all as far as I can see. Players have been picked on their merits. Remember also, that it's not just a matter of whether a player is ready, but also the needs of the team. Sometimes, however, supporters have to show patience and wait until new players are really ready for senior footy. Contrary to most Nicksters, I'm one who has never thought Scharenberg or Aish looked like senior players, yet I've backed the club's decision to give them games, even when I thought their selections made us weaker. At the end of the day, the coaching staff know more about the players than keyboard heroes like us on Nicks. FWIW, I've wanted Kirby to get a game all year, but I'm prepared to back the club to know when he is actually ready.

As for criticising Pert or anyone else for making optimistic predictions, I'm actually of the opinion that sometimes you have to aim high to achieve high. Remember also that the CEO is trying to get supporters and sponsors on board so that they all contribute to the club. At times that might involve a bit of hyperbole.

At the end of the day, I, like you mate, are very disappointed at our club's current predicament. I agree that mistakes by many associated with our club - coach, players, CEO, President, recruiters - have been made along the way, but to make no mistakes would mean to do nothing. Everyone involved has been doing their best for the club. Ultimately, however, we have to learn from our mistakes and make corrective decisions, wherever required. That's my rant anyway.

BTW, I haven't got FOX, so I'll be relying on your firsthand report of our efforts against cold toast this weekend.

[qldmagpie67]

Rude I get where your coming from mate and yeah I'm guessing/assuming a few things but th evidence at hand seems to suggest that IMO there are mixed messages being sent and a puesdo form of double standards.
I going to the game Saturday (convinced the power that be in my household it would be a nice weekend away and while we're there she could do some shopping whilst I ducked off to a football game)
I'll post from my phone what I'm seeing and hopefully it will be full of positive vibes and upbeat comments.
Mate I enjoy the diverse opinions on here and really enjoy the contrary views from many posters as I love w good debate. The one thing we all,have in common is want the club to be successful so we can really enjoy our winters