Off-Season Musings: Simpson Beats Burns; Becomes Eagles' 6th Coach

Adam Simpson has been announced as the new Eagles coach for the next 3 seasons. He beat out a field which, while not in anyone world's stellar, was fairly experienced and well-credentialed. Peter Sumich and Scott Burns are the two unlucky ones. Sumich has been overlooked for years as a head-coaching candidate, whilst Burns has been highly-touted over the past few years.  From the outside it appears that the club wanted someone completely removed from the organisation. It's an understandable position to hold. After the unmitigated disaster and disappointment of season 2013, culminating in 3 of the worst losses in out history, change was necessary. It turns out that it comes not in the form of reform, but revolution.

Sumich was understandably miffed at being overlooked once again, questioning whether the board was merely a bunch of witless suits with dollar signs in their eyes. Okay, okay, what he implied was that the Freo board actually has people who understand football, not just the more corporate types. It's a fair criticism, and I've pointed to my own distrust/dislike of the board, but Sumich is obviously just suffering from sour grapes.

As for Burns, Simpson stated he wanted him to continue as an assistant. The club has also offered him a new contract. It would be unusual for an assistant who fails at becoming head coach to continue in an assistant position. It would be especially unusual considering the antipathy between Simpson and Burns. Here I have exclusive footage of a chance meeting between the two in the erm...Chairman's Suite at Subiaco. Yes, that'll do.

 Simpson had his first press conference today, in which he appeared a very measured guy and very happy with the opportunity. He said all the customary things about 'admiring the club from afar'...blah blah blah. He didn't, however, really commit to saying anything definitive about what he thinks of the list. 

Is this a good appointment? Who knows. We'll see in 3 years. Although, really, we need to see improvement in effort next season. But for now, congratulations to Adam. It's a great honour to be a coach of this club. It's an honour and huge responsibility. Good luck to him.

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In other news;

 

- Kerr will reportedly make a firm decision regarding playing on after speaking to the new coach.

- Brisbane's Elliot Yeo will probably join the Eagles via trade next week. He could be okay, but it's not something I can get excited about.

- In other, less substantiated, more complete BS news, most sourced from AFL Trade Radio:

            - Hawthorn want Darling, Melbourne want Shuey and Sheppard wants out.