Thứ Ba, 7 tháng 5, 2013

Should Eagles re-sign Worsfold?

John Worsfold

Stay or go ... is John Worsfold still the man for West Coast Eagles? Source: Daniel Wilkins / News Limited

West Coast coach John Worsfold takes his team to the Gabba on Saturday breathing easier after a 70-point drubbing of Western Bulldogs.

That was the club’s second win of the year, as tom toms were beating about Worsfold’s future in charge. It was his 265th game at the helm but a dire start to the season left the Eagles with plenty of work to do to better last season’s fifth place finish.

The coaching spotlight will burn brighter on Michael Voss this weekend, with Worsfold also having received backing from his club chairman Alan Cransberg.

Worsfold’s current contract expires at the end of the season but Cransberg has no doubt he will extend his reign into a 13th season. Cransberg says the club will wait until after the season to ink a new deal, although some fans believe they should move before then.

John Worsfold should be re-signed by West Coast Eagles

"We'll sit down at the end of the year and, providing John's got the passion and the desire to keep going, then that's exactly what he'll do," Cransberg said.

"You always look at the results, but I cannot imagine a scenario where he wouldn't be coaching us next year if he wanted to coach us.

"We haven't set John specific targets. I think John is the right guy to coach the club."

Worsfold, who narrowly avoided being sacked following the 2010 wooden spoon, received his last extension after leading the Eagles to a fairytale preliminary final in 2011, becoming the first VFL/AFL coach in 94 years to take his side to a wooden spoon and then into the finals the following year.

A West Coast Hall of Fame member who holds the records as the club's longest-serving captain and coach, Worsfold will coach the Eagles for the 265th time against the Western Bulldogs at Patersons Stadium today.

He faces one of his greatest challenges as he attempts to revive the Eagles' premiership hopes after just one win against struggling Melbourne in the opening five rounds.

Cransberg said he did not believe coaches necessarily became stale after a long stint at a club and praised Worsfold's willingness to change and innovate.

While Worsfold has said he will need to consider whether he still has the required drive and hunger to continue, Cransberg did not believe the 2006 premiership coach was at risk of burning out.

"He still has the enthusiasm and the energy," Cransberg said. "He not only says that, but I see that.

"Importantly, he's still got a good connection with the players, the executive and the board of the club.

"If somebody's performing and achieving the goals we set out for him, still has the personal passion and desire and is continually looking to change and innovate, then it can work for a longer period of time.''

Meanwhile, club captain Darren Glass says last year's shock loss to Brisbane will not be used as motivation ahead of Saturday's rematch.

The two-point defeat had huge ramifications for the Eagles, ultimately costing them a prized spot in the top four and the coveted double chance in September.

“That's last year, that's gone and there's not much we can do about that now,” Glass said.

“We might (watch the match) in terms of tactics, but not for motivation.

“A real focus (this week) will be on us playing the best footy that we can, so we'll see what happens from there.”

The Eagles rebounded from their 1-4 start to the season on Sunday with the 70-point win at Patersons Stadium.

Brisbane, meanwhile, continue to struggle despite having the same number of wins as West Coast, with Sunday’s heavy loss to Sydney only increasing the pressure on embattled coach Voss.


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