One more year?

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Assuming that Melbourne do fail to make the finals this season and taking injuries into account, do you think that the MFC should offer Neale Daniher one more year as coach?

[demon magik 0]

don't reckon he SHOULD be coach next season...

but in my eyes i think he will be offered another contract maybe 2 years

but getting rid of ND presents more problems of finding a new coach... and who is the right person for the job etc....

[The Backyard Charizard 1,178]

I would like us to at least have a look at what is on offer!!!

I don't want us to give ND another contract unless he can prove to the board, the members and the players that he has a plan to improve our on-field performances in 2008.... I understand we have had a horror run with injuries, but I am not convinced that he is the man that can lead us to success even with our top players on the park!

If Melbourne does not at least interview a few candidates before next year then I will be [censored]!! One bloke who should be spoken to is Michael Voss.... Yes he is untried as a coach and I understand this, but the bloke is a born leader with a football brain that is top rate! Talk to him and see if he is interested in coaching....

If he says yes, then so should we!!

[beelzebub 22,225]

in the same way we disect what players are capable of ..so can we with Danners... 10 years is a pretty fair sample to work on.

He's not taking us to a premiership anytime soon. So why would you perservere with this tact ?

[The Backyard Charizard 1,178]

in the same way we disect what players are capable of ..so can we with Danners... 10 years is a pretty fair sample to work on.

He's not taking us to a premiership anytime soon. So why would you perservere with this tact ?

Well, there goes half our list and our coach!

[Rogue 585]

Assuming that Melbourne do fail to make the finals this season and taking injuries into account, do you think that the MFC should offer Neale Daniher one more year as coach?

Regardless of what happens this year - no.

Well, there goes half our list and our coach!

Sadly it's not far off it. Virtually all the guys who come out of contract in 2007 (and it's about 1/4 of our list) should be at least a little concerned about their situation.

[demon magik 0]

Regardless of what happens this year - no.

so if nd got us to a flag youd sack him

[Gouga 496]

If we wait until the end of the year the decision will be obvious.

If the season finished today it would have to be a no.

[The Backyard Charizard 1,178]

Virtually all the guys who come out of contract in 2007 (and it's about 1/4 of our list) should be at least a little concerned about their situation.

My concern is that the players who have played under our current coach for a few years and are coming out of contract may start looking elsewhere for premiership glory!!

We have a decent list of young/middle aged players and if the club offers ND another contract this may spell the end of a few of our up 'n comers in the red 'n blue!!

I so hope I'm wrong!!

[dees64 104]

I just cant believe that we would consider resigning Daniher! Nothing against the guy but this guy has had 10yrs with different lists but still cant fix the mental toughness issue. The side continues to have up & down years & long losing streaks. Sorry but if the club wants to achieve a winning culture they need to send a message to the playing list. As far as what coaches are available plenty of assistant coaches Longmire, Harvey,Odonnell all have done apprenterships under premership coaches and as players too & have been around thetype of culture that is required at the MFC

[beelzebub 22,225]

Well, there goes half our list and our coach!

Theres a lot more truth in that remark than many here would care to believe....or agree. !!!!

[Toad33 57]

I know I have said before that if the team does improve on last years finishing position then ND needs to be moved on, however, before the season I don't think any of us thought of the consequences of so many injuries to key players.

Our current situation has helped me look at ND's tenure in a slightly different light. This was also done on SEN last week when I heard KB talking about the Sheedy situation last year.

He explained that Sheed's knew early in the season that it was lost due to injuries, and with one year left on his contract, decided to play every player on the list in varying positions to get an accurate idea of exactly what he had to work with THIS year.

I think this would be a good way for Melbourne to go with ND.

Even though I'm not quite prepared to concede our season is lost yet, if ND does in the coming weeks, then I think he should have the opportunity to do the same thing. But to do so he would need his contract extended for ONE year to take the pressure off and look at players with an eye to building a team for next year.

That is rather than feel he has to field his best team (on paper), which might not necessarily be his best team on the field or for the future. Essentially that means NOT playing 'name' or experienced players that might be carrying an injury or out of form, or 'under done' but playing those fit and in form or in need of some 'testing' or blooding to see where they are at.

Back to our current predicament.

Another aspect of the coach which I don't think has been discussed yet' which would no doubt have a HUGE effect on performances' is the ASSISTANT COACHING STAFF.

I know that a lot of you bemoan the febble set ups and defence from opposition point kick-ins, and even our own for that matter, and cringe at being smashed out of the centre circle and even through the centre of the ground generally as well.

But WHO is really to blame? Is it really all ND's fault?

When I listened to ND's press conference last weekend he complained that "We didn't have any forward structure tonight".

At first I took this as just another coaching 'cliche', but after a bit of thought, (especially since knowing that Miller finally went forward in that game, which should have given us some structure) I thought it was a verbal 'back hander' for our forward coach!

I can understand that injuries to key players robs a team of it's most skilled and consistent players, and therefore lessens the likelihood of winning, but that shouldn't effect the WAY in which the rest of the players go about settin up and playing the game!!!

As a visitor to two pre-season training sessions I saw the entire list (except for Sylvia and Bartram) doing the same drills and that same game simulations. These always included a lot of stops and starts with the coaching staff 'coaching' players to move into certain areas etc.

For the record I can tell you that it wasn't just Neitz and Robbo filling the roles as forwards during these drills, it was ALL those players on our list we know as forwards, even including PJ.

It needs to be asked then, that after a pre-season and two months of competitve games why don't the players know where they should move to and when, either offensively or defensively, and who REALLY is to blame.

Go Dees

[The Backyard Charizard 1,178]

Fantastic post Toad33....

I too have looked at our assistant coaches with a few thoughts coming to mind, such as "What the hell are you doing with this list?"

I am not sure if ND is totally to blame for our lack of competitive football..... The man is the leader of many at the MFC and surely he must be wondering if he has made the right decision with his deciples?!?!

But at the end of the day, do we risk sacking only the shepard?? Or do we sack him and a few of his sheep??

These questions must be asked by the MFC heirachy! No doubt!

[The Backyard Charizard 1,178]

Congratulations me! 100 posts after that last one....

:D

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Rhino, old55 and anyone else who has previously thrown their support behind Daniher.

Do you think that he should be signed on again as coach of the Melbourne Football club?

[Nasher 33,047]

Rhino, old55 and anyone else who has previously thrown their support behind Daniher.

Do you think that he should be signed on again as coach of the Melbourne Football club?

So far I'm in the "inconclusive evidence either way" camp. It's the closest I've gotten so far to wanting Daniher out.

Ow, the splinters...

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

So far I'm in the "inconclusive evidence either way" camp. It's the closest I've gotten so far to wanting Daniher out.

Ow, the splinters...

Nasher, out of interest what is it about Daniher that like about him as a coach?

Or what is it that makes you think that he is / has been a good coach?

I'm not trying to have a go at you with these questions. They do sound aggressive if taken out of context but I am genuinely interested to hear your point of view on Daniher.

[beelzebub 22,225]

1 Adelaide 35.71

2 Bris Lions 45.45

3 Carlton 61.54

4 Collingwood 66.67

5 Essendon 35.71

6 Fremantle 43.75

7 Geelong 38.24

8 Hawthorn 46.67

9 Kangaroos 60.00

10 Port Adel 57.14

11 Richmond 46.67

12 St Kilda 62.50

13 Sydney 44.44

14 West Coast 46.15

15 W Bulldogs 60.00

overall all 49.5 % wins

what might that al be some ask

thats ND's coaching record to date... the percentages are our wins agianst respective teams

you might note that the only real success we have is against

Carlton ... and certainly not receently ,

Collingwood .... well we can savour that !! .

...Roos .... who cares

Saints .... not something to really take to the bank as they are as frustrating to their lot as we are to ours !!

and the Bulldogs...expect that to change.

Against all others we are more than mediocre.

This trend to me suggests there is a failure to learn and/or to change.

People ( players ) come and people go....save one in particular !!.. and our wobbly ol wagon keeps bumbling along....going where ?? we're heading towards another 2003 debacle.

what is it they say...those that fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it !!

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Bub, I dont think the results against the individual teams tells you anything of note whatsover.

Over the 10 years, teams have ebbed and flowed like MFC has. And a win against the Roos in 1999 may be more meritorious than one in 2006. But what does it tell you of any substance? Very little.

Further you have taken a measure at one point in time and tried imply a trend that is not there.

Great for pushing your opinion but as usual without any facts to back them up.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

...

Do you think that Melbourne should sign up Daniher for another year?

[beelzebub 22,225]

no facts...!! lol

they are there in front of you ...but YOU choose to ignore them.

What they tell you is that against the power teams in the comp we have for the main failed on an ongoing basis. Nothing changes.. We wont be a real danger to September until it does change.

They my fellow supporter ARE the facts.. they are results..they are what IS.. anything else is conjecture and interpretation. But is you want to colour it pink and orange and call it success ...go ahead

fact..we have won 12 flags

we all know them..1900 1926 1939 1940 1941 1948 1955 1957 1959 1960 1964

since then our only two tilts at the cup have resulted in absolute floggings

wooden spoons 1906 1919 1923 1951 1969 1974 1978 1981 1997 and currently languishing on the bottom !!

we have only ever won less than 47% of all games.. and keep in mind that will be tempered by our halycydon eras.

So in the modern era we arent travelling too well id suggest, and im being very lenient about this year

so what facts would you rather I look at ??

[deanox 8,555]

out of interest what is it about Daniher that like about him as a coach?

Or what is it that makes you think that he is / has been a good coach?

im not nasher but i'll have a go. at the moment i am fence sitting too.

daniher has experience at the big game. it is, whether we like it, an important quality.

he was a gun player before injury cut him down.

he did the right apprenticeships as assistant coach. (these first points are major qualities we would want in a new coach)

he has taken a team to the GF.

he has led us to the finals the last 3 years. in two of those years we were cruelly cut down by injury (i dont care what you say neitz is a massive loss, and while 1 player doesnt make the team, if you took lloyd, hall, brown, revolt or the equivilent forward out of MOST sides, they will struggle in finals footy against quality opposition.)

overall we have had reasonable success without the big one. if we were a company ND would stay on because we've done pretty well. but theres only 1 winner per year in footy.

his list development has been pretty good given draft restrictions and a couple of obvious blunders.

this year there is nothing else he could've done. 5 months ago everyone was saying we were top 4 and a shot at the final. but i bet everyones plans involved neitz, robbo, rivers, mclean and pickett playing most of the season along with TJ and davey knowing what a football looks like (someone needs to tell them they are chasing the red thing...). there is no doubt we have been cripple by injuries. in an even competition this makes a difference. it is not an excuse but it enough reason to wait on the fate of a coach who has served us well for 9 years.

the main reason i am for waiting and seeing is because we dont know whats out there. there are more dud coaches than good ones. replacing ND with a dud amature could be even worse.

is ND a bit slow in making decisions on the field. yes he is. but all coaches have some faults. is ND the worst option out there? no. is he the best? we'll have to wait and see.

overall all 49.5 % wins

bbub, could you get the same stats but make them all clubs winning percentage over the same period, and also all coaches winning percentage over those periods and see where ND sits then...

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

...

Thanks for your response.

[deanox 8,555]

no worries...what are your thoughts on it cb?

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

no worries...what are your thoughts on it cb?

I think that you make some valid points.

I agree that the loss of Neitz (and Whelan) certainly didn't help Melbourne in the finals, but the problem that Melbourne has faced recently has been their form running into the finals.

The late season fade outs have been well publicised.

My biggest concern with Daniher has been his game day coaching and his negative tactics.

What really frustrates me is that under Daniher I have seen Melbourne play some of the best attacking football you will just about ever see. Funnily enough Melbourne tend to win those games.

It's frustrating because Daniher then seems to suddenly change course with his tactics after so much success with something that clearly works best (often for a tactic made successful by the reigning premiers).

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for taking a risk and trying something new, but not when when you're trying to change something that doesn't need changing.

I guess that's my major concern with ND as a coach in a nutshell.