or maybe it's because we have lost almost of the decent young players that adelaide should have kept.

My main compaint with Smyth is that the last 3 or 4 seasons have basically all been identical. Finish in the top 4 but not go any further.
Although I didnt want to see the likes of Oscar and Dusty go some changes need to happen. Whether its the sixers who make them or the players make them i dont care.
I see no reason why we still cant be up there this season as well but dont feed me crap that we are looking at a couple of has beens who we might find a spot on the bench for.

Personally, I wonder about his enthusiasm for the club sometimes, to put it in a short form.

Isaac, you are questioning Phil Smyth's commitment to the club? What makes you say that?

I think this is the reason Malcolm Blight left, leave while you're on top before people start expecting success year after year after year until you're dubbed a failure.

Honestly, the monotony of sport. You work so hard, pre-season, trainings, games, play-offs to achieve a team goal, you do it, you celebrate, then people ask "Going to do it again?". When does it end?

A lot of things but you know I can't be too specific.

You'd have to put money on him moving into media (commentary, opinion pieces in the paper a la Graham Cornes, etc). I think he is very well spoken on radio for example and can see him making that move.

Last year he had a significant personal distraction, before that there was having to deal with a fat pay cut and a prior CEO (to the point where you could just feel the issues in the air during public interviews), and so on. Maybe he'll move into 06/07 with fresh enthusiasm, but my feeling is that it wasn't there in 05/06 and might not be again.

This is an era when clubs need more for less. Smyth took a pay cut that hardly makes him want to contribute more you'd assume, and I envisage the media interest chewing more time. That doesn't point towards putting in time for individuals with young players, scouting future players, thinking beyond Brett Maher, etc. All in my personal opinion.

I'm not saying that a possible drop in committment is out of spite and unexplainable - if your employer was struggling financially, maybe you hated your boss, you'd taken a drop in pay, and then met someone special, who wouldn't have their interest wane?

A new boss, the government steadying the ship, some fresh players - maybe that will inspire him?

It would be interesting to compare the individual one on one improvement time a player receives under Goorjian compared to Smyth. Having spoken to ex Goorjian players they all say he is a hard task master but not one has said they disrespect or even dislike him. Can the smae be said for Smyth? As Smyth himself says....there is perception and then there is reality! You can't bullshit everyone forever......

i personally dont think smyth should be bagged, he has done a great job in my opinion as he always seems to exceed pre-season expectations, and i also believe if we had a stable organisation financially and plenty of cap space smyth wouldnt have too much trouble recruiting a team as there are many players who have said would love to play for smyth and are playing else where, such as cat, mee, dusty. Also look at his championships per seasons coached, i doubt many if any across nbl history would have a better ratio of 3 in 9 years, goorj has 5 i think but has been coaching for around 20 years, i reckon he'd be the only one 2 come close to phil in that regard so phil must know what he is doing, sure some may say he inherited a title team in 1998, but 2001/02 was his team, with plenty of new faces, a couple of young rookies, who werent meant to be even in the playoffs, so winning the title is extraordinary, and shows that phil can coach!! i for 1 am looking forward to seeing who is in next years team!!

Thanks Isaac, I wasn't disagreeing, just wanted to know your thoughts in more depth. I can understand Phil's position as you've explained. I haven't lived in SA for over 3 years now, but still read a lot, have a lot of contacts, mates still involved around the traps.

I like your idea about media position. Difference between basketball club and business is passion. You don't retire from a company and watch it win and lose on TV! Surely Phil's passion for basketball and Sixers would override pay cuts, disagreements with boss, struggling financially and he'd always want the best for the club. Surely Phil is not left wanting financially? Surely leaving a fledging club with no future would affect public's opinion, thus affecting media career?

All I'm saying, in my humble opinion, basketball, SA and the Sixers should be Phil's major concern, not pay disputes and personal interests and glory?

When you have 10 players per NBL team and 12 teams that means that its very difficult to be an NBL player.

Now consider that there are only 12 Head Coaches; that means there are huge pressures as there are hundreds of ex/coaches and players that want your job. Compounding this is a coach being at a club as long as Phil and you are under the microscope. Particularly in SA were it is one of the basketball strongholds in Australia.

I feel confident in saying he could have gone to a number of other NBL teams over the past number of years but from I have seen and heard he is loyal to SA. I also believe he would be man enough to know when it is time to move on. Let him make the choice as he has earnt it BUT if 6ers go bottom of the table (or there abouts) then I believe he will step aside.

TK - not all coaches are paid the same amount of money. Do you not remember the negotiation dramas that dragged on last time the coaches were out of contract?

Isaac, I have only become interested in B/Ball SA style since my son moved there a couple of weeks ago so I know bugger all about most things in SA. Very happy to learn and know more as there is a passion for the game in SA that isn't there in other states (have mentioned this on a number of other posts)

Anom 76040,

why do you say D. Mee wouldn't play for Smyth again?

If you tools ever talk to Darnel IN FACT Issac you should call him he will tell you straight up that he would love to play for Phil so whoerver is saying he wont is a liar or a bad gossip type cos i spoke to him and he had nothing but praise for him

I guess it isn't really relevant because Darnell is playing good ball in Cairns and Smyth has the Adelaide program to worry about, but I had also heard a similar story re Darnell not wanting to be a 36er.

Could be complete rumour and nothing to it but Darnell did leave 1 year into a 5 year deal and has never been close to returning as a 36er ever since his return.

Smyth went from talking up Darnell as best player in the league while he was a 36er to never really targetting him since despite Darnell coming off of contract numerous times.

Ie last year when Farley was off of contract and Darnell was available.

why dont we just revoke all of his descision making abilities towards the team, just have him as the coach and get someone else who knows what there doing in regards to players. get someone who isnt bias towards always good quility gaurds and having some space eater centre. i think we all agree that his recruituing/signing abilities are sub-par but his actuall coaching ability is one of the best in the league