Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
There are so many ways to answer this, so I’ll pick a few points
- the difference between successful pros and people with potential is the ability to perform consistently, day in and day out. Yes it is the job of the coach to find ways to motivate when things get stale, settled, etc.
- I noticed you did not touch on tactics. As teams establish their identity, they are better understood by their opponents.
- it is demotivating to implement a game plan and have it be unsuccessful, for whatever reason (ex. a garbage roster trying to out score leaky Jonas Hiller, or a stupid slow predictable Gulutzan offence built from breakouts coddling Mike Smith’s need to handle the puck)
- this is compounded when things are otherwise not fun (Hartley’s hardass approach, risk averse d-first Brent Sutter style play, whatever bug is up Johnny’s ass)
When the message is to sacrifice things that work, for the greater benefit of the team, and the results are way worse than they were prior to the coaching, yeah I think it’s on the coach to figure out how to add motivation.
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I'd still say that failure to work a game plan properly is on the players. When the Flames have been successful this season it's because they've done as they were told. When they are not successful, it's pretty obvious that certain players are sliding into old habits and ways of doing things.
Tactically, I don't see a whole lot of flaws in the approaches of various coaches. They are simply different styles, and each should have worked with this group. But yeah, my point was about motivation and that the guy you held up as an exemplar, Hartley, wore out his welcome, especially with guys who are still central to the team. At some point, like I said, the character of the team has to be questioned. Especially the team's star player.