Oh god no not Gaze

Why would they go there?

I think we all prefer Gaze commentating

It's JvG, so why are you surprised by Gaze?

I was a little bit concerned when I saw the pics from QLD of Derek Rucker hanging out with JVG and training King and Sotto. Given Rucker's history I would almost prefer Shane Heal at this point. I guess Rillie was the one that turned it down, Adam Caporn all over again.

^ FACTS

Imagine Rucker and Heal coaching. I liked Heal because he only cares about the guards like me lol.

What high level coaching experience does Rucker have? Was he ever considered a leader back in his playing days? I can't recall ever hearing much about that side of him.

Please no Rucker. Would rather have kept Henry than Rucker.

36ers are so hot and cold with their decisions.

They sign Joey to a stupidly long contract only to sack him early; they sign guys like Humphries but then make average import choices that look average from the get go.

They try to change things by clearing decks but fail in the culture stakes.

They start well by signing guy like McCarron but follow up with potentially committing to King to more court time then will be helpful for a finals run.

They sign Henry only to give him a flick a year later, way past end of season without, on all appearances, having a coach locked in.

Trying their best to be both competent and incompetent at the same time.

Enjoyed watching him play and rated his (individual) play but would not call Rucker a "leader" by any stretch.

He was one of the pioneer, shoot first and second type of scoring point guards.

Played with some amazing lineups and never won anything. Also was 'limelight' as well as ball dominant where ever he went.

In his Youtube podcast series recorded on either a Nokia N95 or a potato - he doesn't exude that "mateship, relationships matter" vibe like say the D-Macs or the Darnell Mee, the pass first PGs that you do associate with leadership.

In his chat with Ricky Grace, who he cites as his main rival (probably accurate), you can sense for him it was always an individual matchup, not a team vs team one.

Post playing days - unlike again a D-Mac who worked the system to try and get coaching gigs, or Mee who went back home to coach, Rucker focused on individual coaching. Which pays more, is more "flexible" etc. That's just the vibe I get off the dude observing him over time.

Back to his playing days, I also didn't really see that leadership vibe of elevating the play of others around him - more playing for himself than anything team oriented.

Wouldn't be one of my top selections for a Head Coach, especially unproven or without any real effort to put the time in Assisting, NBL1 etc.

I do not believe the rumours at all.

No one, not even the Sixers would go after Gaze after the 3 years Sydney experience.

Yeah they would.

That's exactly something they’d do

I highly doubt Rucker would be the coach....

On socials, Cal Bruton's been (for awhile now) been super vocal about lack of coaching opportunities for POC.

Rucker comments on it and does indicate his desire to coach but that he "can't even get a look in", and cites being a POC as the reason why.

I'm not sold on the Gaze rumour either. It's too obvious. Despite how close JVG is with Gaze it was proven in Sydney that Gaze was pretty much a disaster as coach ruining the one good year Bogut had left in him and Gaze was rewarded for arguably being the highest paid coach in NBL history. A disastrous situation.

JVG who is all about his mates and contacts wouldn't even be that myopic to turn to Gaze again. Copeland maybe but not a proven coaching disaster in Gaze.

Growth mindset - maybe Gaze has figured some stuff out. I will talk myself into it if it happens

There's no doubt that Andrew Gaze knows the game inside out but some people don't make great coaches. Maybe one day Gaze will be a good coach? I don't know. But it's not a bet I want to make on our best line up in a long time.

If 36ers get an import PF they won't be unbalanced IMO.

Lacking one extra shooter? Maybe

Otherwise it’s looking balanced

If the reason CH was let go was they had a better option, surely you don't release him until you have 100% locked in the replacement, not just had a coffee with them.

Rucker is another one with a link to JvG from when they were both at the Bullets.

It's all about dem ties with Jeff, he probably finds it easier to retain control over a familiar person as they are a known quantity to him.

Wasn't Rucker with CH working out with a player in Brisbane when he got fired? And now Rucker could be the replacement? Reeks of scandal by someone??

As seen on Twitter Rucker isn't going to be the coach. So whoever made that rumour lied lol.

Yep, JVG only appoints people that ensure his job is safe, that is until the inevitable point when an owner says enough failure is enough. Suggest that's in around 7 months time for Kelly.

Still no coach? What are the latest coaching rumors?

Rucker has replied to Boti and said he hasn't been spoken too.
I’d say it’s time for the club to do some PR on the coaching saga.
Even if it’s total spin.
They’re allowing people with agendas to write their own story.

What has become increasingly obvious is that they didn't have a 'better' coach lined up and sacking Conner Henry really was a spur of the moment type thing. With how quickly it happened up in QLD after he got out of quarantine no doubt he said something JVG didn't like to hear.

Zodiac maybe everyone is just reading into it too much or a combination of what people are saying. Throughout the season everyone kept saying how bad Henry was including boti who had him categorised as "bad", so maybe they knew he wasn't up for coaching and decided to take that risk?

As just said, maybe it's as simple as them not being convinced by CH closing out last season but continued regardless. Then at some point they decided that a late replacement wasn't going to be much worse. Only takes a mild disagreement or dis-ease to grow into larger resentment. They might've figured that there was an array of options out there and only one needed to come through for it to work out.

As also said, unless they talk about the search, speculation dominates. People are naturally curious about the prospects of a team they follow.

Just a fan, I'm in the Henry shouldn’t be the coach and don’t have an issue with what’s happened. But the club needs to say something. What’s the game plan out of this etc.

Anon do they.... Firstly they did come out and say it was a basketball decision and as seen on Henry Twitter there doesn't seem to be bad blood like the Joey saga. Sometimes it’s easier for both parties to walk away in all situations without the drama people are looking for? Just a thought.

Isaac you would think that a coach was lined up, however, for the options out there I think most would be better then Henry. I actually believe that the team thinks with the strong lineup we have, Henry wasn’t up for the job hence the lack of drama.

Absolutely they do. Like I said I'm in the clubs corner.
Haven’t heard a word about anything basketball related from them apart from the happy birthday Dusty post.
I’m not saying you have to go into details about the exit. But go into details about moving forward.
There’s actually lots to talk about.
New players
When’s training start
Coaching options
Etc etc.
All I see is negative comments about the club.

Throughout the season everyone kept saying how bad Henry was including boti who had him categorised as "bad", so maybe they knew he wasn't up for coaching and decided to take that risk?

Oh my bad anon, I was thinking they need to address if anything has happened with Henry which I don't think there has as nothing has got out, still reckon people are reading into it too much.

Yep I understand where u coming from zodiac, however, even if something did happened does it really matter that the public does find out? It would just put further negativity on both parties.

I was also thinking that maybe as there lineup is better then people predicted (on paper) and maybe even themselves, they understood that Connor isn't the guy, waited till he came to Australia and wanted to tell him in person rather then on a call or whatever. I understand the timing is definitely odd, however, it may be a coincidence, may not but personally and I think most people agree it was the right basketball move.

Henry wasn't a great fit last season but the way they fired him and the fact that weeks later they still haven't signed a replacement is a very bad look. What must Mitch McCarron be thinking now? Or Isaac Humphries?

We've seen how poorly the club has handled the Mitch Creek saga, the Joey Wright sacking and now the Conner Henry sacking not to mention the supposed Adam Caporn non-hiring that I personally feel quite embarrassed for everyone involved in the administration of the club.

"Henry wasn't a great fit last season but the way they fired him and the fact that weeks later they still haven't signed a replacement is a very bad look"

What would have been a better way to fire him? He came here, they had face to face discussions and they obviously had a disagreement. They paid him out and they went their own ways.

"What must Mitch McCarron be thinking now? Or Isaac Humphries?"

That they are happy they are getting huge money and now will get a better coach.

" What would have been a better way to fire him? "

Once the season was over, not wait months into the pre-season.

Obvious answer surely?

A good club will be decisive about their coach decisions and make them at the right time.

This wasn't the right time. It was either indecisive or there was some sort of disagreement which doesn’t make the club look good either way.

Although I understood the impacts of the injuries last season I still leaned towards CH being unsuitable for the job and should at the least be 'reviewed'.

Although I am thankful CH has left, the timing of all this is just awful.

I can only surmise that they wanted to keep CH since they developed a team presumably with CH's in mind.

I don't know what happened, but it is a risk to swap a coach when the squad is formed. Yes a good coach can work with whatever is given (eg Goorj taking the Hawks to an SF).

Now we have to scramble to find a decent coach, where no recognised Australians are immediately available.

I am sure the club wants to succeed, otherwise why spend all this money on IH, MM plus imports? But the way they go about it makes you wonder sometimes.

Also doing it this way probably doesn't endear future coaches to the organisation.

I was also thinking that maybe as there lineup is better then people predicted (on paper) and maybe even themselves, they understood that Connor isn't the guy, waited till he came to Australia and wanted to tell him in person rather then on a call or whatever.

"Once the season was over, not wait months into the pre-season.

Obvious answer surely?"

No not obvious at all because they obviously waited for the squad to be formed and then wanted to talk to him face to face about the direction he had for the team. They weren't satisfied with his direction so they all moved on.

" because they obviously waited for the squad to be formed and then wanted to talk to him face to face about the direction he had for the team"

That's not what you do.

You review > decide direction > find coach and ideally have the coach have a say in squad formation.

Not make decisions for squad > let months go by > chat to coach go “oh shit we don’t agree you’re fired” > rush to find a coach that inherits a full team not of his choosing.

You’re telling me that’s the obvious thing to do?

It’s the obvious stupid thing to do perhaps.

How do I know what I'm thinking, until I have read what I've written......
Gaze a great player (and commentator) caint seem to coach....
I played a few thousand games, but couldn't seem to ref...

CH might have stood up to JVG when directed that he had to be a starting 5 player. Once he was no longer a JVG yes-man, he was gawn