The question isn't as simple as whether Lyon is doing a good or bad job. Because of the contract he's been given, the question for the Board becomes would the unquantifiable positives of installing a new coach outweigh the very quantifiable loss of around $2 million for each year remaining on Lyon's contract? More if we pay the new coach more than $1 million a year or he brings his own assistants and cans the rest.
Given our consolidated profit for the last five years averages less than a million dollars a year, that is a significant hit.
So, would Sumich be a better coach than Lyon? Maybe. Maybe not. Would he be so much better that it's worth putting the club in the red to make the change? That would be a pretty big call. I can probably guess what the WAFC's call would be.
The powers at be took a calculated bet on giving Lyon such a long deal. It didn't work out. Sometimes these things happen, but usually there are consequences. The boys club of Alcock, O'Reilly, Mann, Carter and Bell were all part of the 2016 Board that (presumably) voted to give Lyon that contract. So long as they are around, getting rid of Lyon imputes their faulty decision making, so don't expect to hear much noise from them about Lyon's failings.
Two of those five were member-elected. It would be wise to remember that if anyone ever runs against them. Can you believe those crazies in the MOB movement spent all that time just to ensure people like Bell and Mann got elected?
