This should not happen to the West Coast Eagles.
They are one of Australia’s richest clubs, the second most successful team in the AFL era with four flags and a wealth of wealth on and off the park.
But with one win of the season, a rating of just 47.3 and a club-worst 171-point loss to the Sydney Swans on Saturday, the Eagles are now a laughingstock and the value of that title is plummeting.
The result was so bad that chairman Paul Fitzpatrick wrote to fans – never a good sign – calling the defeat “unacceptable” and “one of the darkest days” in the club’s history. club. We know our members and fans are suffering, as is everyone at the football club,” Fitzpatrick wrote.“We all accept some degree of responsibility for the current situation, and we are also all determined to navigate our way through this situation.
Captain Luke Shuey described Saturday’s result as “shocking” and said the look back on the match had been “a bit more brutal in recent weeks”. “As it should be, let a team get 200 points, not much good will come of it,” he said.
Right now the west coast resembles the deplorable areas of Melbourne ten years ago. Only worse.
So is this just another time for the club to sack the manager or CEO?The Eagles have seen dark days before, but they have never fired a coach mid-season.
