Cheep is one of 11 players from this year’s Ballarat Football League grand final team to leave after the board announced Horwood would coach in 2014.

Cheep’s comments are in line with club president Phil Lithgow, who told The Courier that a “small group of players” represented by Cheep and Jamie Lobb had been advocating for a new coach.

“They (players) felt that Rick had communication problems with the senior players and that was their view,” Lithgow said.

“The club made a decision to re-appoint Rick as the coach.

“We spoke to a number of players, and the majority was in favour of Rick’s reappointment.”

Cheep said he attended a meeting after the grand final with Lithgow, Lobb and three other players from the leadership group to convey the views of the

“majority” of the senior playing group that did not sit in line with Horwood’s reappointment. 

Cheep and Lobb said they made unsuccessful attempts to mediate with Horwood after the meeting.

“We sent a letter to the board, after speaking with everyone in the senior player group. Only two players said they didn’t care, the rest were adamant they wanted a change, I relayed that to the board. It wasn’t a threat, it was the reality if Rick was reappointed,” Cheep said.

Lobb said the “final straw” for a number of players was negativity in Horwood’s post-game speech in the Sunbury changerooms after the 21-point grand final loss to North Ballarat City.

Lobb said the playing group had become stale under Horwood’s coaching method.

“Things had become pretty repetitive in terms of training. It became a bit of a chore,” Lobb said.

Lithgow, Cheep and Lobb agreed that player payments were not a factor in player departures after social club funding to the football department had been cut by 20 per cent.

Cheep said he was taking a pay cut to transfer to Doutta Stars in the Essendon District Football League.

Horwood said he would not comment on the matter, aside from voicing his enthusiasm to coach the club for a fourth year.

“I’m enthusiastic and looking forward to working with the people who want to be at Sunbury,” Horwood said.

Lithgow said the club would enter a promising 2014 season, after signing new assistant coaches, fitness coaches and a number of new recruits.

Cheep said he wished the club well for next season.

david.jeans@fairfaxmedia.com.au