TOPIC:

Do you guys think Harding is safe till the end of the year?....be ironic if Harding loses his gig and Malaxos takes over....especially since this time last year Malaxos lost his job mid season.

I understand that players have to accept the coach's authority. However, there also comes a time when the coach needs to understand that what was being attempted to do with a player and team is not working and be courageous enough to admit that the strategy was wrong.

Apart from the obvious loss of a player of the ilk of Elari, I sincerely hope that the current board has not decided to adopt the same strategy as we had in another period where players were played in the league team merely to enhance their chances of being drafted and there was absolutely no consideration to winning matches. Fundamentally, if that is the case then the crowd we had for the game against Claremont will be a high water mark that will never again be attained. Reading Harding's comments there doesn't seem to be much concern about the loss of Elari.

Some good posts on here about Harding, whom I questioned a little bit last year as some will remember. It will be interesting to see what happens as the season unfolds. Personally, whatever one's view, I would leave a decision until the end of the season.

There is no value for a club to replace a coach mid season. I think that East Fremantle proved that last year. I'm not sure if Greg is signed up after this season but if not I would expect the board to consider the teams progress at the end of 2016, taking into account the number of injuries that Swans have had this season prior to discussing a new contract for him.

Harding will have been at the helm for 6 years after this season and from my point of view there are times that he has coached very well with the highlight being 2014 where the young Swans made the finals against all odds. However , this year has been poor from the time he made that silly statement about Newman and Davis through to Elari's walkout.

It may be time for a new voice but I would not want to see Malaxos as the Senior Coach.

Wouldnt be surprised to see Coops up for the top job within a season or 2

mikeh wrote: Elari was named as one of the best players for Lancelin Ledge point against Cervantes last weekend, although he was upstaged by one Brent LeCras who kicked 7 goals. I keep hoping he was just having a run with them to keep his match fitness up during our bye but I realise that can't be true as I am sure that Harding would not allow this
I for one will miss his ferocious attack on the ball and Swans are poorer without him.

What an effort being in the best for Lancelin and if Brent Lecras is kicking 7 goals then no disrespect but that will tell you where that comp is at I suspect as he finished up 5 years ago..cmon some of you blokes are absolutely deluded!! I wonder if any of you have played in a team sport at a high level? This generation of players (in all sports) spitting the dumby when things aren't going the way they want is weak as water, and would spread like a cancer if Harding gave in to it, and then what? Elari has given his all most of the time and it was Swans that gave him another chance when others probably wouldn't and this is how he repays the club, his Perth traits have shone through so let him walk...next!!! Let the coach live and die by his own philosophies and coaching traits and then the board can make decisions on him not the players! That's my opinion anyway. And Harding has probably one of the best records in the development of young players in the comp and highly respected across it, so it would be very sad for him to get the arse over this rubbish to be honest and a backward step

Swandog wrote:

mikeh wrote: Elari was named as one of the best players for Lancelin Ledge point against Cervantes last weekend, although he was upstaged by one Brent LeCras who kicked 7 goals. I keep hoping he was just having a run with them to keep his match fitness up during our bye but I realise that can't be true as I am sure that Harding would not allow this
I for one will miss his ferocious attack on the ball and Swans are poorer without him.

What an effort being in the best for Lancelin and if Brent Lecras is kicking 7 goals then no disrespect but that will tell you where that comp is at I suspect as he finished up 5 years ago..cmon some of you blokes are absolutely deluded!! I wonder if any of you have played in a team sport at a high level? This generation of players (in all sports) spitting the dumby when things aren't going the way they want is weak as water, and would spread like a cancer if Harding gave in to it, and then what? Elari has given his all most of the time and it was Swans that gave him another chance when others probably wouldn't and this is how he repays the club, his Perth traits have shone through so let him walk...next!!! Let the coach live and die by his own philosophies and coaching traits and then the board can make decisions on him not the players! That's my opinion anyway. And Harding has probably one of the best records in the development of young players in the comp and highly respected across it, so it would be very sad for him to get the arse over this rubbish to be honest and a backward step

Agree with you SD...Harding has earned the right to live and die with his own method. Has he got the goods and the desire to re-ignite his team? That's what we are about to find out. My personal opinion is that he is a good coach but personal experience tells me there is only so long one can stay motivated doing the same job day in day out. If not I'm sure his brother in law will prove an adequate replacement.

I reckon Zucchini walking out on Perth after getting his 100 game is even worse. I don't even think he was unhappy. Just wanted the 100 so trained all summer holding out someone else and then - OK guys thats it for me. The only defence is that he has a long term injury that we supporters don't know about

Time For a Flag wrote: I reckon Zucchini walking out on Perth after getting his 100 game is even worse. I don't even think he was unhappy. Just wanted the 100 so trained all summer holding out someone else and then - OK guys thats it for me. The only defence is that he has a long term injury that we supporters don't know about

Yeh that is terrible, and I know for a fact the coaching staff think he is a right c##t for doing it

Swandog wrote:

mikeh wrote: Elari was named as one of the best players for Lancelin Ledge point against Cervantes last weekend, although he was upstaged by one Brent LeCras who kicked 7 goals. I keep hoping he was just having a run with them to keep his match fitness up during our bye but I realise that can't be true as I am sure that Harding would not allow this
I for one will miss his ferocious attack on the ball and Swans are poorer without him.

What an effort being in the best for Lancelin and if Brent Lecras is kicking 7 goals then no disrespect but that will tell you where that comp is at I suspect as he finished up 5 years ago..cmon some of you blokes are absolutely deluded!! I wonder if any of you have played in a team sport at a high level? This generation of players (in all sports) spitting the dumby when things aren't going the way they want is weak as water, and would spread like a cancer if Harding gave in to it, and then what? Elari has given his all most of the time and it was Swans that gave him another chance when others probably wouldn't and this is how he repays the club, his Perth traits have shone through so let him walk...next!!! Let the coach live and die by his own philosophies and coaching traits and then the board can make decisions on him not the players! That's my opinion anyway. And Harding has probably one of the best records in the development of young players in the comp and highly respected across it, so it would be very sad for him to get the arse over this rubbish to be honest and a backward step

Think you took my post out of context SD. I wrote that post when Elaris departure had not confirmed by the club and therefore still just a rumour. I agree with you that if Elari cannot abide by what the coach wants him to do, he should leave, just like in a workplace situation with your boss. I would also agree with you that Hardings coaching should not be defined by this issue. As I said on another post, Greg has at times coached very well, the highlight being the finals appearance in 2014.

However I would just point out that Elari's is just the latest in a number of players walking out of the club apparently dissatisfied with something under Hardings reign . It started with Spaanderman and Wolfenden in 2011, Steven Potente, Wes Lammie, Marcus Adams, Josh Pullman, Simon Donovan, Joel Houghton, Levi Ridley, Dave McKay, Dylan Nelson, Murray Newman, Aiden Anderson and now Elari.

I know that players move on and there is regular turnover in every club but most of the players I have mentioned were either regular league players at the time or were promising to break into the team like Nelson. Some are still playing footy in the WAFL and AFL.

I don't pretend to know any of the individual circumstances and I realise that many of these departures may have been due to the individual players temperament or losing interest or even money but there seems to be a bit of history here and there are two sides to every story.

I think you'd agree Swans would be much better off with some of these guys still playing. But of course we have to move on and support the guys who are out on the park.