Anonymous
Years ago
Anstey's coaching ability
Hi All,
I'm a lurker here, I read some threads occasionally but generally don't post.
I noticed some comments lately stating that Anstey is a poor coach. Including some particularly critical ones from Mick, who is a highly respected poster around here (with good reason).
But I find these comments very odd. Why? If you wind the clock back 12 months, few people tipped the Tigers to make the 4. By season's end, they = had shown they were undoubtedly the 3rd best team going around. When most people tipped them outside the top 4, that's an achievement. They exceeded the expectations of most people. But Anstey's supposed to be a crap coach?
Tomlinson has gone from a straggler in the first half of his first season, to assist league leader in season 2. Goulding arrived in Melbourne with clear potential, but no one expected him to become the dominant super star he became. Walker has continued improving every single season. I'm not giving Anstey all the credit for this, but surely he deserves some credit given the huge development of players under his guidance?
I follow the Tigers closely and I give Anstey a definite pass so far. In fact a pass with flying colours. Given Dennis's injury last year on the eve of the season, then Ubaka's uninspiring cameo, it was a mighty fine effort to get the Tiges into the Semis and the push the 36ers to 3 games. The season before, they were literally one basket away from a finals birth without a particularly strong lineup. So I wanna hear why a few of you despise Anstey.
This discussion is all the more timely right now because for the first time it looks like Anstey has a team who should challenge for the Title. If anything they're clear favourites given the lineup they have assembled. So it is do or die for him this season. I'll concede that with the lineup he has, barring major injuries, anything but a grand final berth will be a dismal failure.