St Kilda chase Ayres
Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:09 pmLooks like Gary Ayres has firmed as the leading contender for the St Kilda coaching position:
Saints shooting for star
SOME of the biggest names in football are included on St Kilda's "shoot for the stars" coach hunting list to replace Grant Thomas.
While Sydney's John Longmire is seen as the leading assistant coach, it emerged last night that an experienced coach was St Kilda's preferred option.
Although they would be considered longshots, Collingwood's Mick Malthouse and Port Adelaide's Mark Williams will be approached, as will Western Bulldog Rodney Eade and three-time Brisbane premiership coach Leigh Matthews.
Malthouse, Williams, Matthews and Eade are all contracted next year, with Eade poised to commit to the Dogs for a further two years.
Carlton coach Denis Pagan is thought to have been ruled out.
Under the Saints' criteria, the new boss would need premiership history as a player or coach.
"We haven't ruled out an experienced coach, absolutely not," Saints president Rod Butterss said last night.
"We will put the most capable and able person in that gig.
"And we have an obligation to speak to any person that shows an interest in becoming involved in our football club.
"Having said that, some of these men are contracted and all of these men are honourable people in regards to their contracts."
On a day of more Saints drama yesterday:
NICK Riewoldt declared: "I'm pretty angry ... he (Thomas) has always had the full support of the playing group."
BUTTERSS admitted: "The playing group are clearly mixed, there is some disappointment, make no mistake."
PETER Everitt was not ruled out of making a return to Moorabbin.
SWANS premiership coach Paul Roos has endorsed his assistant Longmire. "I'm not sure what's ready, but I think he's ready," Roos said.
GARY Ayres has put up his hand to coach the Saints. "I still have a real hunger to coach at senior level," Ayres said.
FORMER Kangaroos great Wayne Carey, an assistant of Malthouse at Collingwood, has ruled himself out.
A day after Saints dispensed with Thomas, Butters said last night the club had money to pay, but not Malcolm Blight-type money. "There are market rates and we will be competitive, don't worry about that," Butterss said.
Butterss last night reiterated the club's desire to get the best person available.
"We want a coach who we believe can take us through the next era, the next five-years plus, and that means winning premierships, that means being across the latest trends in sports science and it means being across the latest trends in sports psychology and that means being a capable man manager."
Butterss said the lengthy interview process would ensure the club did not inherit another Blight scenario, who was sacked in 2001 after 15 rounds.
"The physical requirements on a coach are massive and the one thing a club needs to be certain of, and we made the mistake once before of putting the best-of-breed bloke in the job, and sadly the energy levels and the ability to work 24/7 under the media scrutiny and pressures of AFL football probably meant we separated. You've got to be very careful in that anybody you look at has got a full tank of petrol."
Saints shooting for star
SOME of the biggest names in football are included on St Kilda's "shoot for the stars" coach hunting list to replace Grant Thomas.
While Sydney's John Longmire is seen as the leading assistant coach, it emerged last night that an experienced coach was St Kilda's preferred option.
Although they would be considered longshots, Collingwood's Mick Malthouse and Port Adelaide's Mark Williams will be approached, as will Western Bulldog Rodney Eade and three-time Brisbane premiership coach Leigh Matthews.
Malthouse, Williams, Matthews and Eade are all contracted next year, with Eade poised to commit to the Dogs for a further two years.
Carlton coach Denis Pagan is thought to have been ruled out.
Under the Saints' criteria, the new boss would need premiership history as a player or coach.
"We haven't ruled out an experienced coach, absolutely not," Saints president Rod Butterss said last night.
"We will put the most capable and able person in that gig.
"And we have an obligation to speak to any person that shows an interest in becoming involved in our football club.
"Having said that, some of these men are contracted and all of these men are honourable people in regards to their contracts."
On a day of more Saints drama yesterday:
NICK Riewoldt declared: "I'm pretty angry ... he (Thomas) has always had the full support of the playing group."
BUTTERSS admitted: "The playing group are clearly mixed, there is some disappointment, make no mistake."
PETER Everitt was not ruled out of making a return to Moorabbin.
SWANS premiership coach Paul Roos has endorsed his assistant Longmire. "I'm not sure what's ready, but I think he's ready," Roos said.
GARY Ayres has put up his hand to coach the Saints. "I still have a real hunger to coach at senior level," Ayres said.
FORMER Kangaroos great Wayne Carey, an assistant of Malthouse at Collingwood, has ruled himself out.
A day after Saints dispensed with Thomas, Butters said last night the club had money to pay, but not Malcolm Blight-type money. "There are market rates and we will be competitive, don't worry about that," Butterss said.
Butterss last night reiterated the club's desire to get the best person available.
"We want a coach who we believe can take us through the next era, the next five-years plus, and that means winning premierships, that means being across the latest trends in sports science and it means being across the latest trends in sports psychology and that means being a capable man manager."
Butterss said the lengthy interview process would ensure the club did not inherit another Blight scenario, who was sacked in 2001 after 15 rounds.
"The physical requirements on a coach are massive and the one thing a club needs to be certain of, and we made the mistake once before of putting the best-of-breed bloke in the job, and sadly the energy levels and the ability to work 24/7 under the media scrutiny and pressures of AFL football probably meant we separated. You've got to be very careful in that anybody you look at has got a full tank of petrol."
