FishyD
New Member
Acting on a tip-off from a CA source I set off to Wollongong to the beachside mansion of the controversial former manager Fishy, who is the newest appointee in the coaching ranks of the new CA. Sitting in his high-backed chair in front of a roaring fire, stoked up to ward off the cold of what has been a chilly off-season, it is hard to imagine the former SA boss back in the rough and tumble of a CA season. That is, until the conversation turns to cricket and the firelight catches the glint in his eyes as he enthusiastically expounds upon his plans for East Freemantle. In a wide-ranging interview we first covered his feelings at getting back into the management scene.
"Hey, it's a good gig, like being a rock-star, girls screaming at you wherever you go, throwing you their underwear. But seriously folks, it's a privilege and an honour to be back, facing off against some of the best ever managers in the game's history, as well of some of the best blokes in history. I was creating a dynasty at SA, a task I never quite realised, and so I'm very happy to be given a shot with the new boys on the block, the Panthers."
Q: But as you're no doubt aware, it's not an entirely new team, indeed there are a number of players you've managed in the past mixing it up with the new guys.
A: Yeah sure, they've sure changed a bit since in the season or two I was away from the game. I'm going to be checking birth certificates when I get into camp, I'm sure they were closer to retirement than that, I'll bet they're trying to get a few more years on a full contract before it comes time for me to make VETs decisions. But it's good to see the old boys back again. Billy (Reynolds) was a trade of mine back in my first or second trading period and Timmy Kitchin has been a stalwart of the bowling attack for almost as long.
Q: What are you initial impressions of the new infrastructure?
"I like it. Before there were a thousand and one organisations and levels of bureacracy you had to wade through to get to the information you wanted to obtain, I can see this new setup under the umbrella of the BIGC really working. And of course it'll give a whole new level of exposure to the game, which will bring new teams and fans to the game which is always great."
Q: Any plans for the squad?
A: If they're reading this, I'll tell them now, they should get ready for a tough training camp. I've looked over their stats from first-grade, but you really can't judge how a new side will measure up until you've made them jump through hoops, both in training and in the middle. My philosophy going into this new iteration of CA is to cut away the dead wood, being a new team we can afford to take stock of our strengths and god forbid weaknesses before we make a push for promotion and eventually a title. It'd be nice to do that in two seasons, but history shows us that it can be a long, ultimately fruitless battle if you get it wrong early on. Every player will get a chance to prove himself, but ultimately there will be cuts made.
My teams will always be competitive, I don't believe in sandbagging, it creates a losing culture, which ultimately is a much larger issue that which pick you get in the draft. So you cricket fans in East Fremantle, get out and give it your all for the boys in black, because we'll be giving our all every time we set foot on the field for you.
"Hey, it's a good gig, like being a rock-star, girls screaming at you wherever you go, throwing you their underwear. But seriously folks, it's a privilege and an honour to be back, facing off against some of the best ever managers in the game's history, as well of some of the best blokes in history. I was creating a dynasty at SA, a task I never quite realised, and so I'm very happy to be given a shot with the new boys on the block, the Panthers."
Q: But as you're no doubt aware, it's not an entirely new team, indeed there are a number of players you've managed in the past mixing it up with the new guys.
A: Yeah sure, they've sure changed a bit since in the season or two I was away from the game. I'm going to be checking birth certificates when I get into camp, I'm sure they were closer to retirement than that, I'll bet they're trying to get a few more years on a full contract before it comes time for me to make VETs decisions. But it's good to see the old boys back again. Billy (Reynolds) was a trade of mine back in my first or second trading period and Timmy Kitchin has been a stalwart of the bowling attack for almost as long.
Q: What are you initial impressions of the new infrastructure?
"I like it. Before there were a thousand and one organisations and levels of bureacracy you had to wade through to get to the information you wanted to obtain, I can see this new setup under the umbrella of the BIGC really working. And of course it'll give a whole new level of exposure to the game, which will bring new teams and fans to the game which is always great."
Q: Any plans for the squad?
A: If they're reading this, I'll tell them now, they should get ready for a tough training camp. I've looked over their stats from first-grade, but you really can't judge how a new side will measure up until you've made them jump through hoops, both in training and in the middle. My philosophy going into this new iteration of CA is to cut away the dead wood, being a new team we can afford to take stock of our strengths and god forbid weaknesses before we make a push for promotion and eventually a title. It'd be nice to do that in two seasons, but history shows us that it can be a long, ultimately fruitless battle if you get it wrong early on. Every player will get a chance to prove himself, but ultimately there will be cuts made.
My teams will always be competitive, I don't believe in sandbagging, it creates a losing culture, which ultimately is a much larger issue that which pick you get in the draft. So you cricket fans in East Fremantle, get out and give it your all for the boys in black, because we'll be giving our all every time we set foot on the field for you.
