Say what now?
A good majority of this forum was not happy by the decision and timing of appointing Knights.
Even the optimists (me being one of them) were surprised by the decision, considering Knights’ lack of experience.
Edit: and all the examples that you provided, none of them went through a process to get the best person for the job. They were all internal…. Except Worsfold, who didn’t have a process… as Campbell and the board just appointed him.
I think most were at least cautiously supportive. Even after the shitshow of the last 20y, many posters here don’t want to criticise the club, and back then it was a very clear majority.
I remember one poster was so impressed he wrote he " wanted to thank EFC because [he] always admired Matthew Nights".
A lot of the people who were over the top critical, were just p*ssed off Sheedy was sacked.
It didn’t matter who got the job…. Some people were going to hate them regardless.
I hoped your memory was better than that. I 100% was very vocal against Knights from day 1. I was clear that I didn’t rate Woosha highly even at WC. I wanted a complete restart post saga and wanted a rookie coach and to trade out Hooker and Hurley for a genuine rebuild. I was front and centre calling for Jackson to be sacked years before it became fashionable and I never ever thought X was qualified to be CEO. I have opposed every single internal promotion arguing there were no good EFC people left.
I am optimistic about Vozzo because he has a track record to believe he is a capable operator. He’s moved the fraud on from the club which was an absolute essential move. I unlike most, dont underestimate how difficult that was. I think he’s getting more focus on list management and player development, 2 areas that have been sub par for 20+ years because of poor senior management. I’m under no illusion that it will now be easy to just become a good club again but I at least have reason to believe we’re finally aware of where we are at.
Maybe some might have. I bet that Hardwick would have been a pretty popular choice though. Knights was never really likeable (and was never really given the support to succeed - poisoned chalice).
I agree, he’s not here to ■■■■ around. He knows whats needed and is actually trying to get things done
I appreciate that he finally turned his eyes onto the VFL. Goodness me that’s been a mess.
I couldn’t believe we appointed knights after the debacle of the vfl elimination final a few weeks earlier where we coughed up a decent lead half way through the third. Iirc we were in total control and Jason cloak was dominating in defense and knights swung him forward and the game turned
Oh yeah, I was at that game.
I think we gave up 8 or 9 goals in the last quarter.
ADD: Just checked - coughed up a 10 goal lead during the third quarter, conceding 17 of the next 19 goals.
Was that the one against North Ballarat?
Gees their supporters were quiet in the first half…… they were hiding in the background.
Then all of a sudden came out of the woodwork.
Anyway. The simple fact was, Knights didn’t have enough experience to become a senior coach at that stage. The ‘all out attack culture’ (with zero accountability) still haunts us to this day.
Especially when the game was changing regarding defensive set ups…. Ie. hawthorn and St. Kilda’s zone defence.
Hire this man! Just unbelievable really
I was one that wanted Hardwick but then our bone head club chose kinights who at the time was our vfl coach with a terrible coaching record
I went to the special meeting to vote on the retention of Jackson after Sheedy sacking. And 90% voted for Jackson. Can still see his smug face looking out at the audience saying “thank you”
Yeah spot on.
We had quite a few goal runs under kinghts it was horrible just to sit there watching oposistion goal after goal sail over our heads in the cheer sqaud section with the team not doing anything to stop it was wrapt when he got the arse.
I stood there and watched the Mark Lecras game.
That’s in the handful of worst games I’ve ever been to…… including the 2019 Western Bulldogs demolition.
Not much has changed over 20 years.
Good memory……was unbelievable. Just did nothing to stop him……
Henry Slattery played on him for the majority of the game…… and Knights refused to make a change.
That game was the end of Knights.
His final game was against the bulldogs when Jarryd “Spindleshanks microphone head” grant kicked a career high 6. How fitting
McGregor from Crows another hack who regaular kicked bags against us
He was the worst Knights