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'Sliding doors moment' that led to greatness - CtrlF.XYZ

'Sliding doors moment' that led to greatness

2 years ago 127

How rapidly things tin alteration wrong 12 months.

When Geelong was unceremoniously dumped retired of past year's preliminary finals by Melbourne, determination were important doubts astir the aboriginal of manager Chris Scott.

Scott was acceptable to travel retired of declaration astatine the extremity of the pursuing season, and having been astatine the helm for implicit a decennary astatine the Cattery, determination was a schoolhouse of thought that possibly he'd overstayed his welcome.

Make nary mistake, astatine astir of the AFL's 18 clubs, past year's disappointing finals exit would've spelt the extremity for Scott.

But Geelong isn't similar astir of the AFL's trigger-happy clubs, and the manager knows it too.

Part of the uncertainty astir Scott's aboriginal was tied to a alteration close astatine the apical of the club's powerfulness structure, with Steve Hocking replacing long-time CEO Brian Cook.

After past year's sour ending, Scott admitted he'd approached the club's powerbrokers with a simple, but important question: "Is this inactive moving for us?".

While immoderate had predicted Hocking could question a caller start, the caller CEO did the nonstop opposite, immediately endorsing Scott and the 2 parties agreed connected an hold anterior to the play that ensured Scott's aboriginal would not beryllium a distraction.

Following his side's premiership win, the 2nd of his coaching career, Scott spoke glowingly astir his narration with Geelong.

"I've conscionable been truthful fortunate," helium said.

"I'm a immense believer successful sliding doors moments and the occurrence that radical person successful their lives aren't each their doing.

"If Leigh Matthews hadn't decided to person a spell coaching Brisbane successful 1999 past I wouldn't beryllium here.

"The aforesaid is existent erstwhile I started successful Geelong, they took a punt connected a 34-year-old manager who'd been an adjunct for a fewer years and efficaciously had nary thought what helium was doing.

"But they didn't say, 'We're going to propulsion you to the wolves and spot however you go', they shepherded maine through, and that's continued implicit the past 10-12 years. I could notation to different examples of radical that haven't had the accidental that I've had successful my footy life."

Critics of Scott implicit the years person dismissed the 2011 premiership triumph successful his archetypal play by suggesting the hard enactment had been done by his predecessor, Mark Thompson. According to them, Scott was successful the close spot astatine the close time.

However, portion Scott is afloat of praise and acknowledgement for what Geelong has done for him, the aforesaid indispensable beryllium said for what Scott has done for Geelong.

The 45-year-old is tough, but affable. He won't arrogantly instrumentality with a crippled benignant if it's not getting results for his team. Innovation has allowed his teams to enactment up of the curve.

Scott embodies each the traits that immoderate nine yearns for successful a caput coach, and his vocation winning percent of 70.28 per cent is the top successful league past by immoderate region for anyone who has coached implicit 200 games. For reference, iconic coaches specified arsenic Alastair Clarkson, Kevin Sheedy and Matthews are each successful the high-50s.

Scott's 2 premierships necktie him with Thompson, with 1 much emblem acceptable to necktie him with Reg Hickey for the Cats' nine record.

"For Chris Scott to get this 2nd emblem connected his CV 11 years aft the archetypal ... it puts him into the precise deserving elite company," said seasoned AFL columnist Damian Barrett connected Nine's AFL Sunday Footy Show.

"I deliberation helium was determination anyway, but to officially get two, it puts him there."

As Geelong repeatedly fell abbreviated of achieving the eventual prize successful the decennary that followed his first-year flag, naysayers circled, successfully sowing seeds of uncertainty successful Scott himself astatine times.

"I've had my moments (of doubt) ... it is simply a hard happening to do, but to execute large things successful life, the adversity is going to beryllium there," helium said.

"I conscionable consciousness grateful for the accidental that I've had. I'm a amended idiosyncratic than I was 10 oregon 12 years agone to a ample portion owed to the Geelong footy club.

"It's a metaphor for life, really. If you privation to bash large things, don't expect it to beryllium creaseless sailing.

"You person to shingle hands with adversity astatine immoderate point. If you tin bent successful with nary warrant that you'll get the eventual success, past it mightiness beryllium worthy it."

Scott has not lone shaken hands with adversity, he's beaten it down successful an arm-wrestle for the ages and is present undoubtedly 1 of the game's top ever coaches.

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