BuzzerBeater Forums

Sure the communal approach sounds swell. But when it comes down to it only the actual manager will be held accountable, so having 10 -15 managers with seperate roles is quite a precarious notion. These other managers often become inactive and the system breaks down. It has happened before and will likely happen again.The thing is all these assistants aren't bound by accountability to the team for 2 seasons so can slip away unseemingly, making the job that much harder for the elected manager to pick up the slack.

I like the idea of grabbing hold of new managers upon arrival into the game. But imo that is less of a U21 managers responsibility and more the Australian BB community. If there could be put into place a mentoring system for these newer managers who gain help from the experienced managers that could in turn like you said increase the talent pool.

I know there was a mentoring system in place on the offsite forum a fair few seasons back, and that was all well and good, I got a little advice from it, and it has produced some decent managers. To its credit it even turn ranga into a half decent manager from a zyler fan-boy spastic. But back to my point. I feel like it lacked convenience. How many new managers visit the offsite forum? Probably only the managers directed there on U21 instructions due to having lucked out with a quality starting trainee. If we are going to be fair dinkum about this then we need to target more than just the select few managers with U21 prospects. We need to reach out to a wider range on New teams. To get them on the right track. Keep them engaged. And if it be in there best interest train up some local talent.

To my next point. Mentoring New managers takes patience, and dedication to answer numerous questions no matter how frivolous they seem to an experienced manager. I have been a mentoring figure in the past. I have helped whitewind when he was starting off. I havent been able to assist him in the last couple of seasons due to SA NT commitments and the managing of my own team that is climbing through the BB ranks. Luckily he has found a good home in the wombat fed and there is plenty of people to help him in there. I also believe for someone to be correctly mentored it is best done by a single manager. Going by the principle of too many cooks spoil the broth. It is much easier for a new manager to learn the workings of the game from a single voice than grabbing bits and pieces from all over the joint.

So basically I have rambled on for a while. But basically imo for some kind of system to be set up to engage the newer managers it needs to be done on the actual site and made sustainable by not overwhelming the new manager with too many opinions or overwhelm the mentor with assigning them too many mentors. I am fine with a communal approach, but it should be separate from the U21 structure

It shouldn't be the responsibility of the U21 manager. They already have enough on their plate.

But basically imo for some kind of system to be set up to engage the newer managers it needs to be done on the actual site and made sustainable by not overwhelming the new manager with too many opinions or overwhelm the mentor with assigning them too many mentors. I am fine with a communal approach, but it should be separate from the U21 structure

It shouldn't be the responsibility of the U21 manager. They already have enough on their plate.

This is exactly what I'm proposing, Bainsy...er, Mr Benchong (seriously, how long are you going to go with that? lol).
The offsite forum is great and has, as you mentioned, operate well in the past for compartmentalising all the roles and such; however, managers are lazy. A forum created here in BB where a manager can simply register, enter and access everything U21 NT related would, imo, be simpler and more user-friendly. I will have more to say on this when it is appropriate.

I have to disagree with your suggestion that the communal approach should be kept separate from the U21 stuff. Why should it? Yes, the Coach will have plenty to be thinking about as it is but that is why I suggest a hierarchal structure with specified roles and responsibilities. I don't want to go into things I will perhaps talk about later but while the idea of multiple roles and responsibilities sounds like it could become tedious and hard to maintain (managers losing interest / RL shit etc), if set up properly, these roles can be immediately filled---if necessary---by anyone willing who would simply need to quickly aquaint themselves with the responsibilites attached to the role.

Getting back to the communal aspects being linked with U21 NT business. The Coach will have clear roles and responsibilites. As will the Assistant Coaches. There will be---in my model---Experts to call on. Training Experts for positions. There will be Experts for dealing with noobs who ask those same old questions but need respectful answers and guidance. There will be---in my model---a PR Manager whose job will be to keep the Aussie BB community abreast of upcoming games, previous scores, brief game analysis...but in a tongue-in-cheek approach that will be interesting and engaging and hopefully entertaining. Managers of U21 players need value for effort. We ask them to train them in certain positions at times. We ask them to get them a certain number of minutes and we expect their players to be kept in Proficient GS. But what do we provide them in return? We need to start thinking about what the Coaching staff can do to keep them interested and valued.

I hadn't intended to write so much...my apologies. I just feel we are at a time when keeping it simple stupid, while providing a professional and valued structure is important.

A number of these things were ideas I put forward in my NT election proposal. I'm thinking of running but also thinking if I would prefer to wait and try again for the NT role.

The U21 is much harder than the NT gig, but far more rewarding.

I had teams of mentors set up but most people just floated away.

The mentoring had the most success when I micromanaged all trainees, but that was almost a few hours a week.

If Iwen's no longer running for the U21 role, I'll put my hand up for the U21 election.

Im currently training two 18yo HOFs with another on the way in this seasons draft. My teams in a rebuilding phase so I do have the time to do some work on improving the U21 team and prospects.

I had teams of mentors set up but most people just floated away.

speaking of which, ive updated the 20yr old guards for comparison on the offsite forum, Iwen

I see what your saying and I like the idea of having a specific PR manager, and there only role being keeping managers engaged in the NT.But I guess I was looking a but lower, by targeting managers before they got U21 prospects. From what I gather your model is focused of the managers who have U21 talent and developing talent for the NT's. My suggestion is developing better managers by mentoring them on how to run their team, not just get the best out off there U21 prospects.

Sure better development of U21 prospects is a residual effect of what I am proposing. Developing better managers will ultimately mean them in time developing greater U21 player whom they can keep in good GS because they have been taught how to by their mentor.

But I can also see how developing better managers is a residual effect of what you are proposing. That helping someone develop their U21 prospect you will teach them the valuable skills necessary to successfully manage their team. It is just that my focus is less on the U21 Impact and more on strengthening the Australian BB community with better managers at all levels.

I have to disagree with your suggestion that the communal approach should be kept separate from the U21 stuff. Why should it? Yes, the Coach will have plenty to be thinking about as it is but that is why I suggest a hierarchal structure with specified roles and responsibilities

It's a bit hard to explain just how busy the U21 manager is until you actually get the gig. Most of the time I'd log on to 5+ bb-mails involving training questions, updates or people asking for advice. Chasing down managers for game shape issues, checking minutes on all the current U21 players and Directing managers on how you'd like their player trained for the remainder of the season.

It all builds up, so if this was to be implemented it would have to be either before or at the very start of someone starting the U21 gig. I think bainsy mentioned the mentoring system, which Dire, mllama and C-Cat were a part of. I believe it led to me staying in the game and got me to where I am today with my trainees and team. Basically everyone got their own thread on the offsite forum that only they (and their mentor) could access, so they could discuss tactics, training and basic training of the game without fear of embarrassment or leaked information.

The system was good on the offsite forum. But the problem was it is on the offsite forum, meaning that new users have to log onto 2 different sites. It would be much more convenient for new users if the mentoring was done on BB.

Have to agree Bains. Not even just the new users. I read all the info on the national teams on BB but have never visited the off-site forum and don't have any intentions too. With the amount of time I spend on BB and BuzzerManager I don't really have the desire to visit a third site.

love the name change.