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Great interview with Chris Connolly

w00dy
w00dy
in Melbourne Demons

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CHRIS CONNOLLY SAYS MELBOURNE FC REMAINS VERY EXCITING

This is a really good interview with CC in today's Herald Sun. I found the two quotes below particularly very interesting and exciting ...

The focus is the Red and Blue Print, the premiership plan Connolly recently presented to the new Jim Stynes-led board.

You won't find the word rebuild in the document. Tired of worn-out terms and looking for a fresh start, the club has dubbed it a re-shape.

"It ain't going to be an easy ride. We have tough decisions to make and we'll need some resilience," Connolly said.

The cornerstone of the Red and Blue Print is a team of players aged 22 and under, named in position. And the Demons like their chances of building something from that Catch-22 situation.

"This group needs to be rock solid. They need to inspire each other. Believe in each other," Connolly said.

"Of the 18 in positions, four or five might stop improving. But guess what, 13 are going to become really good long-term players.

The Demons may yet have the No. 1 pick in the pre-season draft to weave some magic on that front, but they are loath to give up early picks in the national draft - even if some clubs are already trying to get their hands on them.

"We're getting calls now on our picks because they are that highly valued," Connolly said.

"People think we might end up with the bonus pick (17) because they want it. They want the early ones, too.

"We're saying no way. That's our plan. We'll stick with this group as the backbone and bring in more youth. It's not just fitness, skill, that we want. We really want club people. A sustained presence.

"Jimmy spoke to the players about this. People say players don't play for the jumper. Well, we don't believe that. The jumper is the symbol of the relationships you build in a club.

"We want people who care about Melbourne and the people in around it.

"Someone who is all for themselves, they don't fit our model for what we want to develop."

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    CHRIS CONNOLLY SAYS MELBOURNE FC REMAINS VERY EXCITING

    This is a really good interview with CC in today's Herald Sun. I found the two quotes below particularly very interesting and exciting ...

    The interview also shows why McNamee wasn't the man for the MFC's CEO gig:

    Connolly would not put a timeframe on when the premiership window opens. It is clear, though, using past flag-winning benchmarks, that the Demons are about five years away.

    That is why Brown, the superstar McNamee wanted to nab on a five-year contract, was not seriously considered by Bailey, Connolly and other football heads at Melbourne.

    To continue to pursue Brown would have undermined everything the football department and the coah have been doing this year. One of them had to go - Mac or the FD. As a supporter of a football team and having seen how the current leading sides have developed over recent years, I would back the FD any day of the week.

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    O devil, devil!

    If that the earth could teem with woman's tears,

    Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.

    Out of my sight!

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    Connolly is our Grant Thomas. This will end in tears.

    aaah, nothing like a bit a well informed negativity to kick off a weekend....

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    I love connolly!

    Good on the bloke, he bleeds red and blue and i am so excited to have him involved within the club.

    Champion bloke also

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    I love the big man.

    After the Brisbane Lions game with the crowd going nuts he took the boys into the middle of the G and spoke to them. Of course we don't know what was said but I imagine he would have been saying "this is what it is about, and this is how much pride you have to display in the jumper every time u go out".

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    Most overused phrase on Demonland?

    Possibly along with "a Ryan O'Keefe style player".

    Jesus ill just stop posting all together.

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    Connolly is our Grant Thomas. This will end in tears.

    Grant Thomas was two torn hamstrings from a premiership, maybe two premierships and a lot closer than we've been in my life. He is still mocked but he was bloody good and very passionate about what he did.

    Connolly will never coach MFC. Dean Bailey is twice the coach and Chris knows it.

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    Most overused phrase on Demonland?

    Possibly along with "a Ryan O'Keefe style player".

    So what style of player do we call Ryan O'Keefe himself?

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    best and most positive article i think that i have read all year

    Mark Stevens has always been good to the Demons. Being a Doggies man, he would have sympathy with the plight of our club.

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    I can see Bailey and co trading heavily this year, even a couple of our better players in the mid 20's group.

    It will be very interesting to see what happens.

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    Another fluff article if you ask me. Every team has a blueprint to win a flag, but history shows that there's no set formula.

    I'd be more encouraged if CC believes that of the 18 players in position, 4 of them will become elite players in the next 5 years. That's what wins a flag, not 13 very good footballers.

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    Connolly is our Grant Thomas. This will end in tears.

    Sounds positive and realistic to me. We are rebuilding this club from the ground up, footy and admin. What would you have him say?

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    I mentioned last week that we filter all our old blokes of our list through trade, delistings and retirements with the exception of Brad Green.

    It didn't have alot of support from fellow supporters and posters,

    That would leave Green as out oldest player at 27!!

    Just think how good our list would be in 4-5 years when the kids begin to mature into AFL players.

    I'll say it again "Tough decisions need to be made to move this list and club along"

    That means players like Bruce and Wheatley should be traded as their currency won't get any higher permitting a decent offer!

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    I'll say it again "Tough decisions need to be made to move this list and club along"

    That means players like Bruce and Wheatley should be traded as their currency won't get any higher permitting a decent offer!

    Exactly

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    Takes a fair bit of genius and luck to get a flag.

    Cats hads luck with father/son and some good pick ups with mid range picks.

    Hawks picked up a couyple of good talls.

    We would need 3 or 4 of our picks 2007 and 2008 to become A+ grade footballers with another couple of very good rated players.

    Add that to our existing developing stocks and we might have a chance.

    A combo of Watts and Warnock or Rich and Warnock would be good.

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    its time to go...

    sylvia wheatley bruce (trade for picks)

    yze holland whelan white robbo (neitz)

    that is an extreme case but we could completley "re shape" or team if we culled properly

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    "Jimmy spoke to the players about this. People say players don't play for the jumper. Well, we don't believe that. The jumper is the symbol of the relationships you build in a club. "

    Well, if they are to play for the jumper, we MUST get rid of that abomination that we have had as an "away" strip this year.

    Overall a great article on a passionate Demon.

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    How can this bloke say he wanted to go for Chris Judd and then on the other hand bag Paul Mac for wanting to get big Jonathon Brown, come on get serious he would never have played in a finals team with us not our time yet.

    Stick to the youth policy and please no bending over trade week, this mighty club has been around for 150 yrs let's build on the future.

    Go Dees.

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