Stacksonthemill ,
FORMER Fremantle coach Mark Harvey has called for an end to ugly AFL coach sackings, revealing he is still in the dark on why he was dumped by the Dockers in 2011.
Harvey said no one should endure the blindside exit he suffered when replaced by Ross Lyon.
Harvey had represented the Dockers at a public function in the morning and was stunned to be axed that afternoon. He maintained his sacking had extinguished any desire for him to again become a senior coach.
“I never lost my love for the game, but there might have been some disbelief about how people make decisions,” Harvey said.
“Perhaps you should ask the people who were making the decisions what would they have done differently. I’d be interested to hear how and why that all happened like it did... sometimes maybe don’t hide behind the curtain.
“People who make the decisions need to have appreciation and consideration for how things are going to be portrayed and how they can best broker the decisions. It’s always best if the parties come to a compromise.
“I think there’s a moral obligation to that.”
Harvey said he was convinced his goal of having Fremantle at their prime in 2012 and 2013, when Lyon took the club to a grand final, had been on track when they beat Hawthorn in a 2010 elimination final.
“I left knowing the club was in a good space and they got to a grand final,” he said.
Harvey said spending a year away from the game in WA reinforced how much football meant to him and helping the Bombers to a 17th premiership would extinguish any negative feelings he had after his sacking.
“The only reason I got involved in coaching was to try and win a grand final,” he said.
“Hopefully we get to that final day again and we’re celebrating.
“I think that would bring a lot of closure to the coaching area for me.”
