It’s time to take a breath.

[the fork 357]

It takes time.

That’s all this post is about.

Time and everything that can happen within it.

It’s seems that few here have much genuine respect. Respect for the individuals at our club and the time given to them to make a go of it.

I’m not talking about 40 years, I’m talking about 10 months. Dean Bailey was installed as the coach of the Melbourne Football Club on September 11th 2007. Since then almost every coaching and administration role within the club has changed hands.

Our list, since that date, has been turned upside down. Just last week we lost another player to the long-term injury list, a week that saw a new President take the reigns.

But still, week after week you call for blood.

Over the past ten weeks it feels as though I’ve read it all:

SACK Bailey, TRADE Sylvia, DROP Brock, DELIST Dunn, FORGET Meesen, USELESS Bruce, OVERHYPED Morton, OVERATED Jones, MISSING Mc Namee, NAÏVE Stynes. NO Game plan, STUPID game plan, game plan too HARD, Etc, etc, etc…

Too many supporters have such incredibly high expectations of our club, it’s players and coaches. Expectations that no club in this competition, in this circumstance, would possibly try to adhere to.

All the clichés are true, we’re a fickle bunch. We want it all and we all want it NOW. Well I’m proposing to suggest we decide to get behind the club and support what is a difficult time in our history. To rethink our expectations and show a bit of respect.

Please Demonlander’s be patient. We are experiencing a cleansing of the mediocrity that has held us half way there for decades. Hell, be generous give Sylvia a SECOND pre-season, don’t be so hard give Dean Bailey a season (3 actually but I’m trying to be sarcastic), let the coaches settle on a position for young Dunn, then concoct your pathetic ultimatums. Now that DB knows Millers a forward, lets let him get some continuity in developing as one, give Morton time to eat steak, Give 21 YO Meesen the same time that every other club gives their talls. Stop, shower and shake yourself before you ever write off the two greatest players this club has in Brock and Jones Boy. Consider that Bell might be lacking a bit of confidence (now why might that be?)

Remember that awful thing you wrote about Garland all that TIME ago?

I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m in it for the long haul, not just this year and maybe next. As long as this heart beats it will beat RED and BLUE.

SUPPORT OUR CLUB. GO YOU BLOODY DEMONS.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,269]

Excellent thinking 'the fork'. Good to see a truly loyal and wise supporter. Do those after blood really think they will influence the powers to be? I hope they are clever enough to realise that what they say and think (IF READ AT ALL), will rightly be taken with a grain of salt. Constructive criticism is great but player sledging does not help at all. We should see more posts from you and those like you.

[Cards13 9,117]

On field yes!!! Agree totally

Off field no...... Whilst I agree with the sentiment the issue remains we have "been here done this" so many times over the last 10/15 years let alone last 30/40 years Fork.

We have had how many new boards, how many turn over’s of lists how many CEO's and we have not won a flag (the only real sign of success), we have a debt that is only $500k better off than we were when previous president took over (I thank him for his dedication to our cause when not many others wanted the job).

We are still a massive chance of relocation or folding if things don't turn around, our new president has said as much.

The AFL is riding us like Fitzroy and North Melb in the past putting us under so much more pressure, they are talking of taking away the ASP (the hand out that has kept us afloat)...

WHislt i agree on field we need to be patient this year and the early part of next season to say we need to be patient over all is a furphy.

[fiddledeedee 4]

Possibly the most sensible post I've read for most of the year. We need to get behind the club and the players instead of taking cheap shots at every opportunity. Destructive criticism is boring and serves no purpose and is helpful to nobody. You cannot make strawberry jam from pig**** overnight. Time is what is needed for players to grow and develop and I have little doubt after seeing what we are able to do for short periods now, even with the cattle we currently have, that there is a bright future.

[Ewok 9]

Meh, after 30+ years losing becomes a bit old.

[AzzKikA 2,371]

I think ever time i see a sleding post it will copy and paste a link of this topic as my reply. Passion, desperation, Pride.

[rusty_kingswood 0]

Agreed absolutely.

Except that Meesen is a spud! He has NO football brians nor brawn!

Did anyone else happen to see his performance (or lack there of..again) on the weekend?