St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis has conceded the Saints need to restore the faith of their fans after a blistering attack from former coach Grant Thomas.
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Thomas slammed the club on Wednesday, saying they are decades from adding to their lone premiership.
He took specific aim at president Peter Summers and Finnis, accusing them of being "pedestrian" and not at the "cutting edge".
The Saints will finish in the bottom four this season and Thomas, who was sacked as their coach at the end of the 2006 season, said they keep finding ways to shoot themselves in the foot.
Asked how far they are away from their next flag, he told Macquarie Sports Radio: "Decades. I mean it's not the foreseeable future."
St Kilda's solitary premiership was claimed in 1966.
"I think we've been pretty open about it ... it's been an unacceptable year and we don't shy away from that," Finnis told 3AW.
"We've got to make changes and we're doing that on and off the field.
"We're hearing that from our fans ... they're disheartened.
"We've got to make sure we restore their confidence and their faith but I'm not going to buy into those comments (from Thomas)."
Finnis also all but guaranteed the club will hang onto their first-round draft pick - likely to be in the top five - during the upcoming trade period.
Thomas coached the Saints to consecutive preliminary finals in 2004-05 but left after they were beaten in a 2006 elimination final.
Ross Lyon then coached the Saints to losing grand finals in 2009-10 and they have not made the top eight since he left for Fremantle after the 2011 campaign.
Thomas said the Saints have made some very good coaching appointments, along with some very bad ones.
"It doesn't mean it should end up as an unmitigated disaster," he said.
Thomas, who fell out badly with former Saints president Rod Butterss, said the problems are amplified when people in charge at the club are not competent enough.
"At the moment you have Peter Summers and Matt Finnis - they're lovely people and they want the best thing for St Kilda,.
"But ... you get sucked along in their slipstream. I'm not sure they are at the cutting edge of what's required to be successful.
"They seem to me to be quite pedestrian and quite placating in their approach to footy.
"You just want something a little more intense and focused, stronger leadership to deliver success."
Australian Associated Press
