By DAVID NAGEL
CRANBOURNE Football Club’s coaching merry-go-round is once again in full swing after the shock sacking of 2014 incumbent Scott Sutherland on Saturday.
Sutherland was informed by president Shane Baker of the clubs’ decision exactly 10 weeks after leading the Eagles to a grand final appearance against Beaconsfield on 20 September.
The club – which has bowed to pressure from within its playing group – has now sacked two grand final coaches in succession after terminating its contract with 2011 premiership coach Doug Koop at the end of 2013.
Remarkably, a club that has played in the past four grand finals will now look for its third coach in just 15 months.
Sutherland’s assistant playing coach Curtis Barker and skipper Marc Holt will take over the reins until the club settles on a new leader for next season.
Sutherland said he was disheartened at the decision which he was told was due to a lack of core player support.
“Some really important players did not ‘buy in’ to my future plan for the club and I think that was obvious in our loss to Beaconsfield,” Sutherland said.
“I was brought in after the Koop era to lead the club in a new direction.
Not everyone supported or believed in my vision but I stuck to it throughout 2014, believing we could continue to be one of the most successful teams in our league.
“They have now decided I am not the right fit for the future and thus, I am out.
“I love football, I believe in my methods and will continue to coach but this leaves me with few options for next season.
“I did not want to leave the Cranbourne Football Club. I was fully committed for the two years of my contract and believed we had made significant changes that were going to lead to a premiership.”
Sutherland’s departure provides further proof that there is an intangible aspect of the playing group that – while exquisitely talented on field – has a growing reputation as being extremely hard to please off it.
Baker answered honestly when asked what the playing group and club needs in a coach after the experienced Koop, and the fresh face of Sutherland, had both been moved on in the space of 12 months.
“That’s the $64,000 question because we can’t just keep chewing up coaches and spitting them out like this,” Baker said.
“Having said that, it’s our obligation to provide the best resources for the playing group, they don’t want second anymore… and a different direction might be just what they need to take them further.”
Baker said removing Sutherland was a tough decision to make, considering the Eagles have no clear idea who his replacement will be and will have an extremely small talent pool to choose from considering the timing of their decision.
“The timing, absolutely that’s going to be a problem in finding a quality candidate, and that’s what we’re after, a quality candidate who can get the best out of this group,” he said.
“Making decisions like this is not a lot of fun, and we can never question Scott’s desire, but not having a readymade replacement is no excuse for not making the right decision, and that’s what we believe has been made.
“The players just weren’t enjoying their footy and we can’t allow that to go on.”
Baker said he understood that the perception from outside the club would be that the tail is wagging the dog and that the group was gaining a reputation as being un-coachable.
“That’s perfectly understandable and I had a talk to the players last night (Monday) and explained that to them,” he said.
“When this new coach comes in it was made clear that an effort needs to be made to embrace him. Whether this is the right decision or not, it’s not a good look for the club what’s happened over the last two years.”
Baker chaired a meeting yesterday (Tuesday) to discuss potential candidates for the position.
