Quote:
Originally Posted by 868904
I don't think "abandon the game plan" was a bad thing, as the game plan sucked under GG, but I think what you are getting at was the mental toughness to deal with adversity, which the team had none.
I don't think that's on the players. The mental toughness and will to overcome adversity was there in 2015 with pretty much the same core and an arguably weaker team. What happened? Mental toughness and character don't just disappear, it's part of someones make up and DNA.
To me, the problem was a lack of leadership at the coach level. GG did not make adjustments or settle the team down when things started to go off the rail. He would just tell the players to "stick to the game plan". Everyone mocks the GG haters about the time out thing, but it is a common tool that successful coaches use to disrupt the oppositions momentum. Keenan use to change goalies all the time just for the sake of disrupting the oppositions momentum and giving his team a chance to refocus.
Every time the Flames had a big lead under GG, it never felt safe. You just knew the opposition would get one, and then they would get another, and you would just sit there at home watching on tv screaming at GG to do something to stem the tide, and he does nothing. Next thing you know, the game is tied or the Flames are losing.
Someone has to be a leader. This isn't about Giordano. Giordano can't call timeouts or make goalie changes or have long talks with the officials. This is about GG with his hands in his pockets staring down at the ipad while the world burns around him.
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I agree completely and I've mentioned it many times.
Systems are all well and good, but they're all fairly similar, your coach needs to understand man-management and know how to play the games within the game to his own team's advantage.
We would constantly see other teams do this and we'd never do it ourselves so it would happen against us but never for us and when the margins between success and failure are slim that little competitive advantage adds up.
This team doesnt need a teacher, it needs a General.