Edit 23/11: Added article to OP. Changed title to BB meme.
Australian Associated Press
Sunday 22 November 2015 03.56 GMT Last modified on Sunday 22 November 2015 04.00 GMT
Essendon champion Dustin Fletcher will sever ties with the Bombers after the AFL coaching aspirant wasn’t offered a job with the club. Fletcher, 40, retired at the end of the season after 400 games and two premierships.
The well-respected defender has coaching aspirations and was keen to remain with the Bombers in a coaching capacity but is looking elsewhere after no offer to join John Worsfold’s staff was forthcoming. “I would have liked to have helped out at Essendon a bit but that didn’t go down,” Fletcher told SEN after Australia was defeated by Ireland in the International Rules Series in Dublin. “I’ve got a few little things on the go … I’ll get back to Melbourne and get into it.”
Worsfold was appointed to replace sacked senior coach James Hird in October and completed his assistant coaching panel with the addition of former Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna.
Guy McKenna is probably a better coach than Dustin Fletcher, but more to the point, probably better suits our needs. That said, we should find a hot chiko roll for Dustin if he wants one. We can have lots of hot chiko rolls to go around.
Should add that it would ■■■■ me off to have him coaching another team’s backline, if he would prefer to start coaching at Essendon. What if that team beat us. That would be devvo.
I love Fletch. To death. But in a strange way this pleases me. It says there's no more jobs for the boys. And it says we are recruiting into our coaching department based on merit, not just name.
I’m hope Fletcher will one day be on the coaching panel at Essendon, but I’m comfortable with him developing his coaching skills first.
May be good for Fletch’s coaching development to get out of the Essendon bubble for a few years and learn another club’s, possibly a recently successful one, systems.
As sad it is to see him go, he could come back to the club in a few years time a well rounded and vastly experienced coach from what he learns elsewhere.
Woosha did it when he left the Eagles as a player when he joined Fark Carlton as an assistant. Didn’t hurt his coaching development when he returned to coach the Eagles. He probably sees this a great opportunity for Fletch just like it was in his experience.
Whatever Fletch does in the immediate future, I honestly hope that he makes it a great success for himself as it will only benefit the club on his eventual return.
I dont think I would ever want a club hero to be employed as the senior coach again. .But a line coach, development coach should be OK. So I think it might be an over-reaction,. Has Fletch done any of Clarkos coaching certificate courses? If not, maybe that would open us up to criticism from you know who.
I love Fletch. To death. But in a strange way this pleases me. It says there's no more jobs for the boys. And it says we are recruiting into our coaching department based on merit, not just name.
The club are finally taking sentiment out of their decision making and are making decisions with the intent of bringing the club back to its ruthless, uncompromising best. Xavier is in control and the club seems better placed for it. Too many Essendon people has done the club no favours.
I see the point for what you guys are saying but if ever there was going to be a time to do it, and we are talking about the last coach being added to the VFL group, it’s Dustin Fletcher
Has anyone asked Dustin whether he even wants to go straight into coaching after 100 years playing the game? I’d have thought he and his family might enjoy Dusty being somewhere other than a footy club for a season or two.
Sad to see he is not around. Might give us more chance of a ‘clean break’ and be best for us to get some “clear air”. I still think he would have been good to keep around at the club or the VFL club as a coach. Maybe he can come on board for spoiling coaching in a skill he would be proficient in like how Lloydy was doing goal kicking with Joe etc. It may not be a bad thing for him to get a taste of coaching away from Essendon then make a triumphant return to play a hand in our next flag.