Robbo: Despite conspiracy theories, St Kilda coach Alan Richardson needs to win to save his job
While there are some who believe under-fire St Kilda mentor Alan Richardson is on borrowed time, the reality is he is coaching for his future against Richmond in Maddie’s Match, Mark Robinson writes.
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Conspiracies abound about St Kilda and Alan Richardson.
Mainly that Richardson is gone as coach — regardless of what plays out in the next eight weeks — and that Brad Scott will replace him.
It is a cosy scenario, knowing that Saints football boss Simon Lethlean and Scott are great mates and old Ammos boys.
It extends further than that. Graeme “Gubby” Allan, the maestro veteran at the Saints, is also an old Ammos boy.
And James Gallagher, the list manager, is an old Ammos boy and great mates with Lethlean. Talk about the Ammos crew.
But there are conspiracies and there are facts.
The fact is Richardson is coaching for his future.
If his team defeats Richmond tomorrow at Marvel Stadium, it could be the best coaching performance of the year.
That’s because what he has had to deal with this week goes above and beyond his job description.
His players were effectively informed by Lethlean’s radio interview last Sunday that he might not be coaching next year.
That has to have a negative impact on individual players and the entire playing group.
Why Lethlean chose to go public last Sunday on 3AW would enthuse the conspirators.
While openness and honesty are always welcomed in football, it hardly helped Richardson.
Was it a political play by Lethlean or a naive one?
For Richo’s sake, let’s hope it was naivety.
Lethlean’s comments came two days after Wayne Carey wrote that Richardson was a contender for Coach of the Year and a day after Brisbane shamed the Saints with a nine-goal third term.
“Alan is our coach and if we keep improving, Alan will remain our coach,’’ Lethlean said.
If they don’t? Well, he didn’t have to answer that one.
“Wins and losses are what everyone is judged on in the end,’’ Lethlean continued.
“The scrutiny is fair enough and our response is what dictates where the scrutiny goes.’’
You could not have imagined Collingwood football boss Geoff Walsh turning up the heat in the same way on Nathan Buckley during the delicate 2017 season.
Or Chris Grant undermining Luke Beveridge when asked about the Dogs’ dip in form since the 2016 premiership.
Richardson already had headaches after the loss to the Lions, without Lethlean adding more.
Rodney Eade said he believed Richardson’s papers were stamped.
David King said he would be staggered if Scott wasn’t coaching St Kilda next year.
Terry Wallace spoke of the potential breakdown of trust and creeping doubts for the players.
When that happened, he said, the coach was dead in the water.
Grant Thomas simply demanded the Saints spend $2 million on a new coach.
The general consensus was that Lethlean’s comments were foreboding.
When he should have circled the wagons around Richardson and the club, he instead went General Custer and opened up Richardson to a media massacre.
It is not something you would expect from your loyal right-hand man.
This has been the backdrop to St Kilda’s preparations for tomorrow’s clash with Richmond.
Now Richardson has to get his players up for a game of football. And not just any game.
This is Maddie’s Match — a fundraiser in honour of Nick Riewoldt’s sister.
This is St Kilda’s biggest match of the year. It’s one for the soul as well as four points.
Richardson, like all coaches, uses imagery and messages to set the tone. This week’s message has to be about response.
He may reference Maddie, or indeed, he may not have to because the players are fully aware of the fight Maddie endured. The key word there is “fight”.
Against the Lions, the players raised the white flag. They absolutely can’t do the same tomorrow.
MORE RICHO:
St Kilda’s damning record against top-eight sides putting the pressure on coach Alan Richardson
Coach Alan Richardson takes responsibility for St Kilda’s poor loss to Brisbane Lions
Simon Lethlean says Saints must show improvement for Alan Richardson to keep his job
The next four weeks could determine Alan Richardson’s fate at St Kilda, writes Mark Robinson
They need to fight for themselves, each other, the coach, the club and the fans.
They’ve made a pretty good fist of fighting this year, so the exercise in front of them should not be too daunting.
Curiously, it’s the external observers who have rated Richardson’s coaching performance this year highly, certainly more so than internally.
The art of coaching has so many levels. There’s coaching a young, maturing team; there’s coaching a bottom team; there’s improving a mid-table team; there’s coaching a contender; coaching a premier; and, there’s a coaching a repeat premier.
Then there’s Richardson’s situation.
He’s coached an injury-ravaged team and they have still won six games.
People will argue two of them came against Gold Coast by one and four points, one against Hawthorn by five points and they beat Carlton by only 13 points.
Still, they are wins and as Lethlean noted: “Wins and losses are what everyone is judged on in the end.’’
This week has arguably been Richardson’s toughest.
He’s had to review a poor loss and then reinvigorate players who just might be looking at him differently. What level is that in the art of coaching?
If they win tomorrow, it should be worth 10 times the pats on the back, considering the backdrop.
The same has to be said of Essendon coach John Worsfold.
The win on Thursday night, against the odds, was by far the best performance by Essendon this season.
Still, it’s going to be difficult for the Saints.
They have brought in Nick Coffield, Ben Paton and Ben Long, and nine of the team — Coffield, Paton, Long, Nick Hind, Matt Parker, Callum Wilkie, Hunter Clark, Josh Battle and Rowan Marshall — have played fewer than 25 games.
Being competitive for four quarters will be a pass mark.
As for Richardson, his career is on a knife’s edge.
The Saints also play North Melbourne (Hobart), Geelong (GMHBA), Western Bulldogs (Marvel), Melbourne (Marvel), Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), Fremantle (Marvel), Carlton (MCG) and Sydney (SCG) coming home.
If the coach can find another five wins, that gives him 11 for the season and that would be quite remarkable.
Whether that satisfies the Ammos old boys remains to be seen.
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