MORE HEADS TO ROLL AT ST KILDA, SAYS KING
FORMER St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has backed the Saints’ decision to sack Brett Ratten, saying the club’s “model is broken and requires massive disruption”, while a former champion of the game believes the club will face more changes.
Less than 100 days after handing the coach a new two-year deal, the Saints made the shock decision to sack Ratten.
It comes after a review of St Kilda’s football department and its football program.
Thomas, who coached the Saints from 2001 to 2006, backed the ruthless decision on Twitter.
“I applaud any decision moving St Kilda from mediocrity to the Premiership business,” he posted.
“Our model is broken & requires massive disruption, overhaul & relaunch. List management should be next followed by elite recruiting people. Culture, leadership, standards & m’ment changes critical.”
Thomas said his former club needed to make decisions to get back “in the premiership business”.
“I think the realisation that we have been wallowing away in mediocrity for so long, and in our 150th year we have to take a stronger stance and be in the premiership business,” he said on radio station SEN.
“I don’t think we have been there for a long, long time.
“I applaud the club in making decisions to get us in the premiership business. I don’t know if this will (do it) or not but I definitely think we have to make some very strong decisions because where we are in all aspects of the club won’t get us to where we want to be.”
The Saints recently appointed Geoff Walsh as their director of football.
Former North Melbourne great David King said the Saints’ chiefs who had made key list decisions needed to take responsibility, and predicted more change for the club.
“For the last four years he (Ratten) has been taking a knife to a gun fight,” King said on SEN.
“They have not been stacked with the artillery that is required to win consistently.
“Their roster is full of mediocrity and I think that has even been a concession from James Gallagher (list boss) since the trade period finished.
“So what do you expect from your coach? They have said this is not a premiership-winning list.
“Geoff Walsh has been there five minutes and said things need to change here.
“I don’t expect this to be the last port of call for St Kilda.
“I would be surprised if it was only Brett Ratten (who left) and I would challenge those to put their hand up or head up, guys who have been there like Simon Lethlean, James Gallagher, and all of those guys who have made those decisions which have affected the list.”