Former Fremantle winger Ed Langdon has said that he has enjoyed working under Simon Goodwin at Melbourne after spending five years under Ross Lyon at the Dockers.
Lyon is red hot favourite for the now vacant Carlton job and while there have been many endorsements from those that have worked with Lyon, Langdon's comments will definitely filter through to new president Luke Sayers.
Langdon compared Lyon and Goodwin and noted that Goodwin's ability to stay calm under pressure and his manner of talking to players made the environment at Melbourne easier to work in.
"I've come from five years under the Ross Lyon method so it's a nice change," Langdon toldย AFL Nation post game.
"To have someone as cool calm and collected as Simon Goodwin. I haven't heard him raise his voice once when he's been at the club."
Langdon said that Lyon could get wound up by the smallest of things and that it perhaps he was too quick to crack the whip.
"Coming from Freo where you don't look Ross in the eye in a meeting and he starts yelling at you, it's a nice change," said Langdon.
Langdon isn't the only former Docker to speak on Lyon's coaching in recent days with gun midfielder Andy Brayshaw speaking about his time under the former St Kilda and Fremantle coach.
Speaking toย ABC Sport,ย Brayshaw said he could see the appeal in why the Blues see Lyon as the man to turn things around.
"Ross was a great coach when he was at Freo. I loved him," said Brayshaw.
"Adam Cerra loved him so I'm sure they would get along. In my 1st 2 years, the growth I had was mainly put towards Ross.
"I definitely think he'd give it a red-hot crack + could take them to really high places. I think he'd do a great job."
Former St Kilda star Nick Dal Santo was another who claimed to have a different experience under Lyon. Dal Santo said that while Lyon could be intense, it was still a good place to be while Lyon was in charge.
โIโm a little bit surprised Ed Langdon felt that way; that was never my experience, or rarely my experience with Ross," he said onย Fox Footy's First Crack.
โI looked him in the eye, and maybe itโs a changing of the eras, where the way Ross spoke to us at St Kilda I know was different to the way he spoke to the guys at Fremantle, knowing a few of those guys personally. Weโd share stories โno no, he never did that with usโ, โOK, he has evolvedโ.
โThis is not to defend Ross, but I think thereโs a bit of a perception that heโs heavy-handed; heโs not that. What he did for us a group, he changed us. Iโve got no issue with (Langdon saying) that.
Lyon since confirmed that he had heard from Langdon who reached out to assure his former coach that the comments were not meant in a disrespectful manner.
Speaking onย Triple M,ย Lyon said that he had heard from his former player and that all had been cleared up.
โA text came through from Ed, โHey Ross, not sure if you saw any of the comments I made after the game, they were taken completely out of context and poorly worded on my behalf ... you know Iโve got nothing but respect for you and the family, hope youโre wellโ," Lyon revealed.
โIf itโs legitimate and thatโs what he meant and it was all seriousness, well Iโm on a journey of growth and a growth mindset, I would take the feedback.
โIn context of that ... when youโre having meetings, it might be a quarter time huddle, youโve got 22 grown men and youโre conducting a meeting and youโre probably boring them but you might think itโs really important and their eyes drift off ... I make no apologies for that - when youโre up and youโre trying to hold someone to account, how about youโre looking at me.โ
โI know Ed, heโs really dry. Iโm not here to defend myself and Ed can speak for himself but thatโs the context I take it in, heโs very dry and he was one of my favourites.โ
