A level of “disconnect” at the Melbourne Football Club has been brought to light after the shock sacking of club premiership coach Simon Goodwin on Tuesday morning.
After 193 games at the helm for the Demons and nearly nine full seasons, the two parties parted ways after a rollercoaster last few years which has seen the club exit finals in straight sets twice before failing to qualify for September twice more.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Melbourne great Garry Lyon lauded Goodwin’s tenure at the club which saw him break a 57-year flag drought.
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“I’ve been here (at Melbourne) since 1984. There was times where I didn’t know if our club was even going to exist, let alone win a premiership again,” Lyon began.
“Simon Goodwin delivered that, and he’ll be a hero forever, (but) it hasn’t finished in the manner he would have liked today.
“Simon was class; I thought he was a classy performer today (at the press conference).”
The Demons’ inability to reach the grand expectations of pundits in recent years has partly been put down to their lack of connect between the midfield and forward line; an issue Goodwin has spoken on publicly to AFL 360 this season.
Since the beginning of last season, the Demons have won just 18 of their 43 games with a list still showcasing the likes of Max Gawn, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver alongside a plethora of young talent aged 25 and under.
The former two star midfielders have each had their own off-field complications within that period, however have publicly stated their commitment to Melbourne to counter speculation they could move clubs.
“It was the sameness (on-field) for a long time — and that was a frustration of him … it’s sort of greater than that though,” Lyon continued.
“It’s a football club that’s confused at the moment (with) exactly where they are. It’s a football club that’s disconnected; I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. It has been for a long time.
“It was pertinent that he mentioned it four or five times today — you must have a strong, stable off-field support mechanism. I doubt he’s felt that over the past couple of years.”
Gaz’s heartfelt tribute to Goodwin | 01:58
AFL 360 host Gerard Whateley added: “It would have been a miracle if a coach had been successful in these circumstances … the next president is not in the job, and the chief executive was appointed in April and doesn’t start until September. There’s no elite program in the world that has those pillars absent, and achieves success.
“I think it undermined his capacity to do the job that he knew needed to be done.”
Melbourne’s off-field structure has also grabbed headlines in recent years, including tensions between former chief executive Gary Pert and key club personnel.
It strikes a stark contrast to their ultimate success in 2021, where Goodwin led them to their first premiership since 1964 during arguably the toughest of times with the Covid pandemic.
Candid Goodwin reacts to shock sacking | 21:46
“When they won the premiership, they were the most selfless team in the competition and it was trotted out everywhere. I don’t think they are now, and I’m not sure whether the board over the journey has been particularly selfless as well.” Lyon ended.
“They are screaming out for a figurehead. A strong, strong, decisive leader of this football club — apart from the coach.”
Foxfooty.com.au exclusively revealed on Tuesday evening that at time of writing, Sydney premiership coach John Longmire is at the top of Melbourne’s wishlist to replace Goodwin.
Beyond Longmire, there are over 20 other candidates in the frame who could also be genuinely considered for the top job.
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