TonyK
CibbuanoI deserve to see out my contract: Wallace
August 12th 2008 05:56
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace believes he deserves to see out the fifth and final year of his contract next season despite the fact that the Tigers have not played finals football during his reign.
Wallace said this current team is capable of brighter things to come than the ageing team that won ten and 11 games in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
"We were a mature side when I first arrived here (in 2005 and 2006), we were the third oldest side in the competition and now we one of the youngest sides," he said.
"And while we are in about the same position on the ladder we are now doing it with much younger blokes."
The Tigers are set to miss out on September action again this season but Wallace said the club was heading in the right direction.
"Legitimate Richmond people who follow the club, I still believe are happy to now see the right young men playing for their footy club," he said.
"They just weren't around to be played earlier - we made 25 changes to the list in the first two years and you can't make 40 changes - and we had 17 and 18-year-olds then who are now 21 and 22 and it just takes time (to build a successful team) but I knew that when I took on the job."
"But if we continue to improve (next year) with young players then we are heading in the right direction but if we stagnate now that we have got young players playing or don't continue to improve then we are not heading in the right direction."
Wallace admitted the pressure will be on him to lead the Tigers into the finals.
"Absolutely that will be the case and after a five year period, why wouldn't that be the case," he said.
"I have said before that if I am not coaching Richmond (beyond next season) then I won't be coaching because I am not at the stage in my career where I want to take up another coaching job and another starting challenge that goes for a seven or eight year period."
"I would love to be here when (gun midfielders) Brett Deledio gets to 25 (years of age) and Trent Cotchin has 100 games under his belt and our backmen (Luke McGuane, Will Thursfield and Kelvin Moore) have played together for six years."
"That is my desire to achieve that and I will be working as hard as I can."
"And while we are not where we want to be at the moment, we believe our graph is heading in the right direction and with the right age bracket (of players)."
Wallace said this current team is capable of brighter things to come than the ageing team that won ten and 11 games in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
"We were a mature side when I first arrived here (in 2005 and 2006), we were the third oldest side in the competition and now we one of the youngest sides," he said.
"And while we are in about the same position on the ladder we are now doing it with much younger blokes."
The Tigers are set to miss out on September action again this season but Wallace said the club was heading in the right direction.
"Legitimate Richmond people who follow the club, I still believe are happy to now see the right young men playing for their footy club," he said.
"They just weren't around to be played earlier - we made 25 changes to the list in the first two years and you can't make 40 changes - and we had 17 and 18-year-olds then who are now 21 and 22 and it just takes time (to build a successful team) but I knew that when I took on the job."
"But if we continue to improve (next year) with young players then we are heading in the right direction but if we stagnate now that we have got young players playing or don't continue to improve then we are not heading in the right direction."
Wallace admitted the pressure will be on him to lead the Tigers into the finals.
"Absolutely that will be the case and after a five year period, why wouldn't that be the case," he said.
"I have said before that if I am not coaching Richmond (beyond next season) then I won't be coaching because I am not at the stage in my career where I want to take up another coaching job and another starting challenge that goes for a seven or eight year period."
"I would love to be here when (gun midfielders) Brett Deledio gets to 25 (years of age) and Trent Cotchin has 100 games under his belt and our backmen (Luke McGuane, Will Thursfield and Kelvin Moore) have played together for six years."
"That is my desire to achieve that and I will be working as hard as I can."
"And while we are not where we want to be at the moment, we believe our graph is heading in the right direction and with the right age bracket (of players)."
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