St Kilda chase Ayres

[blink]

Looks like Gary Ayres has firmed as the leading contender for the St Kilda coaching position:

Saints shooting for star

SOME of the biggest names in football are included on St Kilda's "shoot for the stars" coach hunting list to replace Grant Thomas.

While Sydney's John Longmire is seen as the leading assistant coach, it emerged last night that an experienced coach was St Kilda's preferred option.

Although they would be considered longshots, Collingwood's Mick Malthouse and Port Adelaide's Mark Williams will be approached, as will Western Bulldog Rodney Eade and three-time Brisbane premiership coach Leigh Matthews.

Malthouse, Williams, Matthews and Eade are all contracted next year, with Eade poised to commit to the Dogs for a further two years.

Carlton coach Denis Pagan is thought to have been ruled out.

Under the Saints' criteria, the new boss would need premiership history as a player or coach.

"We haven't ruled out an experienced coach, absolutely not," Saints president Rod Butterss said last night.

"We will put the most capable and able person in that gig.

"And we have an obligation to speak to any person that shows an interest in becoming involved in our football club.

"Having said that, some of these men are contracted and all of these men are honourable people in regards to their contracts."

On a day of more Saints drama yesterday:

NICK Riewoldt declared: "I'm pretty angry ... he (Thomas) has always had the full support of the playing group."

BUTTERSS admitted: "The playing group are clearly mixed, there is some disappointment, make no mistake."

PETER Everitt was not ruled out of making a return to Moorabbin.

SWANS premiership coach Paul Roos has endorsed his assistant Longmire. "I'm not sure what's ready, but I think he's ready," Roos said.

GARY Ayres has put up his hand to coach the Saints. "I still have a real hunger to coach at senior level," Ayres said.

FORMER Kangaroos great Wayne Carey, an assistant of Malthouse at Collingwood, has ruled himself out.

A day after Saints dispensed with Thomas, Butters said last night the club had money to pay, but not Malcolm Blight-type money. "There are market rates and we will be competitive, don't worry about that," Butterss said.

Butterss last night reiterated the club's desire to get the best person available.

"We want a coach who we believe can take us through the next era, the next five-years plus, and that means winning premierships, that means being across the latest trends in sports science and it means being across the latest trends in sports psychology and that means being a capable man manager."

Butterss said the lengthy interview process would ensure the club did not inherit another Blight scenario, who was sacked in 2001 after 15 rounds.

"The physical requirements on a coach are massive and the one thing a club needs to be certain of, and we made the mistake once before of putting the best-of-breed bloke in the job, and sadly the energy levels and the ability to work 24/7 under the media scrutiny and pressures of AFL football probably meant we separated. You've got to be very careful in that anybody you look at has got a full tank of petrol."

[Rik E Boy]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

regards,

REB

[mighty_tiger_79]

GARY AYRES, theres another bloke that cant coach, obviously GRANT THOMAS sat next to him at COACHING LESSONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

they are kidding themselves, he coaches to defensively and with the list they have they should be targeting a coach who attacks!!!!!!!! eg MALCOLM BLIGHT - oops i forgot THOMAS backstabbed him!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tony mcguiness should put his hand up, they wont understand what he is saying.

[Footy Chick]

Now thats just going from bad to worse

[Rik E Boy]

tony mcguiness should put his hand up, they wont understand what he is saying.

The Thurstans behaviour explained! No way would the Power puffs want to break up the exhilarating McGuiness-Thurstans bond. LMAO Top mileage out of that photo. Cheers Booney

regards,

REB

[ronburgandy]

i like the fact that gary has just come out and put his hand up for the job! i didn't htink the saints could have got any worse but with gary there they will go to a new low! why do you reckon the bombers are struggling?

[Blue Boy]

St Kilda surely would not !!!!

[blink]

I wonder what Malthouse, Choco, Lethal and Rocket will say to St Kilda and rednut Butterss???

Gary Ayres is a tool (who needs a haircut) and the worst thing that St K could do is employ him.

Looks like Ayres is desperately trying to land a head-coach job anywhere

[Booney]

tony mcguiness should put his hand up, they wont understand what he is saying.

The Thurstans behaviour explained! No way would the Power puffs want to break up the exhilarating McGuiness-Thurstans bond. LMAO Top mileage out of that photo. Cheers Booney

regards,

REB

[JK]

A day after Saints dispensed with Thomas, Butters said last night the club had money to pay, but not Malcolm Blight-type money. "There are market rates and we will be competitive, don't worry about that," Butterss said.

This would be the only reason the Saints would consider Ayres, who would be so desperate to get back into senior coaching and on his last chance, that he'd probably accept (relative) peanuts to do the job ... Next thing they will say their shortlist also includes Gerard Neesham, Robert Shaw and Damian Drum!

[Booney]

CP,I would take those three before Ayres,you'd get laughed at less...?

[JK]

CP,I would take those three before Ayres,you'd get laughed at less...?

I get laughed at regardless of who coaches the Saints mate

[sydney-dog]

The title on the thread is not entirely true, Ayres approached the saints.....

On another thread I predicted Pkye to get the job, my understanding he is the front runner, talk all you like about ex coaches the horse and harvey

Pyke will get the job

[heater31]

Pyke has late this afternoon declined to apply for the position after St Kilda approached him

[sydney-dog]

heater31

that is good news, my mail is he was #1 on the saints radar

I am a big fan of Pyke, if he got the job I might of developed a soft spot for the saints, NOT NO MORE!!!!

[heater31]

he was approached according to Ch 10 sports report but he said 'no thanks' felt the time wasn't right due to Adelaide's finals position he hasn't ruled out a senior position in the future and he may not even be at the crows when his current contract ends

[sydney-dog]

do you know when his current contract ends ?

[heater31]

The way ch 10 spoke it was next year as they said He might not even be there for the entire season

[MW]

yeah I from what I heard they said he might not be there next year so from that I would suggest his contract runs out at the end of the year.

[mal]

ITS BEEN AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME FOR ME
The concern all you people out have for my football club is touching.
Thank you all I appreciate it.