Look, in my opinion there are probably 3 types of coaches.

I think unless Melbourne start showing progress in 2010 season he could be in trouble.

Also at the moment he is doing the best he can but I am not sure if the players respect what he says to them.

I am very happy that Melbourne has kept Mark Williams at the club since he has won 3 VFL flags in a row and I think he will make a great AFL coach one day.

I think he's the guy who can take us to the doorstep of where we need to be

But not necessarily all the way 45h?

I don't believe I've seen enough to suggest he could lead a quality team to a Premiership, for obvious reasons.

Given I see him as a development coach I'm not sure if he could lead us to the Holy Grail, but I hope he can - I'll make that assessment when I feel our list is approaching that stage (which I expect it to).

I'm confident he'll put us well and truly on the right path.

I don't believe I've seen enough to suggest he could lead a quality team to a Premiership, for obvious reasons.

Given I see him as a development coach I'm not sure if he could lead us to the Holy Grail, but I hope he can - I'll make that assessment when I feel our list is approaching that stage (which I expect it to).

I'm confident he'll put us well and truly on the right path.

I agree with on the right path as far as development goes. Hopefully he can withstand this season and whatever outside pressures he might face (ie. media, fan backlash) and coach in the last of his 3 years of his contract. Of which will hopefully be a real exciting year for the Melbournefc.

He is the right coach for now, developing our team well, doesn't seem to be too phased if we get belted and the media rips into him, cleans the list out of players that dont want to be there and best of all, seems to love and respect the mighty Demons name. As others have said, we just have to wait and see as to wether he can take our teams to Glory again.

He is the right coach for now, developing our team well, doesn't seem to be too phased if we get belted and the media rips into him, cleans the list out of players that dont want to be there and best of all, seems to love and respect the mighty Demons name. As others have said, we just have to wait and see as to wether he can take our teams to Glory again.

How many of the following players who have been at the club 3 - 6 years have developed under Bailey? These players are at an age where they should reaching their peak, and should be the backbone of our side.

McLean

Sylvia

Jones

Bell

Moloney

Bate

Dunn

Davey

Johnson

How many of the following players who have been at the club 3 - 6 years have developed under Bailey? These players are at an age where they should reaching their peak, and should be the backbone of our side.

McLean

Sylvia

Jones

Bell

Moloney

Bate

Dunn

Davey

Johnson

Maybe some of those players have already peaked and they are not good enough. Sylvia, Bell, Johnson and Dunn have big question marks as footballers and may not be on the list by year end.

McLean is limited in attributes and fitness (if he is indeed playing injured at the moment. Thats 3 years of injury interruption)

Some players like Bell and Johnson are 7 year players either under two coaches or two clubs and have shown they are not good enough. Bell is on his last chance if he gets back this time. PJ is rapidly burning his opportunities as a big man.

Jones and Moloney are definitely better players than they were in 2007/08.

But dont let any realism blindside you Mo it all the coaches fault. These guys are all stars and its the coaches fault that they are not better.

Maybe some of those players have already peaked and they are not good enough. Sylvia, Bell, Johnson and Dunn have big question marks as footballers and may not be on the list by year end.

McLean is limited in attributes and fitness (if he is indeed playing injured at the moment. Thats 3 years of injury interruption)

Some players like Bell and Johnson are 7 year players either under two coaches or two clubs and have shown they are not good enough. Bell is on his last chance if he gets back this time. PJ is rapidly burning his opportunities as a big man.

Jones and Moloney are definitely better players than they were in 2007/08.

But dont let any realism blindside you Mo it all the coaches fault. These guys are all stars and its the coaches fault that they are not better.

So if a player doesn't improve or regresses, the player just isn't good enough, but when a player shows improvement, it's due to the coach's development program. I get it......

Keep up the blind faith people.....

Mclean - Easily our best player when on the park last year. Currently struggling for touch and match fitness on return from a serious injury.

Sylvia - Development has always been stagnant, regardless of the coach.

Jones - Has started the year well after a tough season last year where he tried to do too much.

Bell - Other than early in his career has stagnated regardless and is currently injured. May not be in our best 22 anyway.

Moloney - Was hitting his straps last year till struck down by injury. Is playing his best footy and has added leadership qualities to his credentials.

Bate - Is playing well and looking dangerous after struggling with injury, form and lack of opportunity.

Dunn - Found a niche as a tagger last year after being on the fringe as largely an unsuccesful forward. Probably not in the best 22.

Davey - Working harder and getting more footy than at any other time in his career. His new role is a revelation.

Johnson - Appears to be struggling for fitness this year after cementing a spot in the 22 last year, his best year to date. Had hip surgery in the off season.

I voted 'unsure' cos how the hell would anyone outside the club know ? Those that want to have faith in the coach will find reason to and those with little faith will try and justify why.

I can see definite improvements in this year's game plan, the club as a whole seems united, and our best pure talent, which includes: Watts, Grimes, Garland, Blease, Strauss, and Aussie, are yet to impact the side.

It's hard to be definitive either way, but I see little reason to not have a modicum of faith in the direction Bailey is heading.

So if a player doesn't improve or regresses, the player just isn't good enough, but when a player shows improvement, it's due to the coach's development program. I get it......

Keep up the blind faith people.....

Johnson has had 7 years, 2 clubs, three coaches and cannot ruck, has no physical presence and does not man up his opposing ruckman in the defensive 50........

Bell has had 7 years under 2 coaches with poor awareness and questionable decision making........

The funny thing is Mo you dont get it and your last retort only proves it.

So if a player doesn't improve or regresses, the player just isn't good enough, but when a player shows improvement, it's due to the coach's development program. I get it......

Keep up the blind faith people.....

Fair dinkum!

You don't think that you might be the one with the blindness MO.

You constantly attack our coach, our game plan and our players. You shut yourself off to any optimism and fail to recognise improvement. Your arguments are nearly always flawed, incorrect and always self serving. Open your mind up to what is really going on. Listen to the people that know something about footy and try and enjoy and embrace the new feeling at our football club. Try to enjoy watching your footy regardless of the result and don't close yourself off to improvements.

I voted 'unsure' cos how the hell would anyone outside the club know ? Those that want to have faith in the coach will find reason to and those with little faith will try and justify why.

I can see definite improvements in this year's game plan, the club as a whole seems united, and our best pure talent, which includes: Watts, Grimes, Garland, Blease, Strauss, and Aussie, are yet to impact the side.

It's hard to be definitive either way, but I see little reason to not have a modicum of faith in the direction Bailey is heading.

Well said Hannibal.

I think just after one year, its impossible to assess at this stage given the dramatic turnover of the MFC list and absence of quality senior players and leadership within the squad.

Bailey has three years to swing the ship around. There needs to be continuing signs of improvement over that time if his tenure is to be extended.

I'm a big fan of Bailey. I think he'll turn our list into a really solid team in the next few years. I also like Bailey's coaching recruits: Wellman and Mahoney. These guys are hard, professional clubmen - and that's just what this club needed.

Listen to the people that know something about footy and try and enjoy and embrace the new feeling at our football club. Try to enjoy watching your footy regardless of the result and don't close yourself off to improvements.

I do listen to people who know something about football, unfortunately I don't find many on this website that fall into that category.

I'm old enough to have endured that dark ages of the 70's, when I did go to the football and accepted honourable losses, simply because watching Robbie Flower was worth the admittance.

What Hannabal wrote was spot on, but I tend to take the pessimistic view, rather than see things through rose coloured glasses. That's what 27 years of supporting Melbourne does to you.

I saw last year as a bit of a legacy year in that Bailey probably didnt have quite the ammunition of his own making to get off to a "hit the ground running" chance at team rehabilitation. This year is in reality his first without constraints. Slowly the boat turns..lol I dont expect miracles...just some semblance of cohesion and team ability gelling. Next year I do expect some start to the climb back with a much more competitive outfit. Onwards and upwards etc.

We're building..what more is there !!

Look, in my opinion there are probably 3 types of coaches.

The first is what I'm fairly certain Dean Bailey is: a coach who develops young players and builds a team.

The second is the type of coach that can take an established team and make them elite. Hopefully achieving the ultimate success.

The 3rd type, which I hope to god Dean Bailey is... is the rare coach who can combine the two. Clarkson is one. Thompson is. There aren't too many.

Bailey is good for us now considering our current list. Whether he will still be the man for the job in 3-4 years time remains to be seen.

[There's probably also a 4th type - the coach who is crap at both of those aspects and manages to bluff his way into the job.

Bailey is not this type.]

Bailey may well be a good teacher, but he has done little to suggest he is a good coach.. the simple fact is our our on-field results are abysmal..but fingers are crossed :angry:

I just hope we can look back on this in 2 years time and laugh. I will eat my humble pie.

I just hope we can look back on this in 2 years time and laugh. I will eat my humble pie.

But that is the point.

You cannot tell how a bloke is coaching, when you are in a rebuild, until 2 or 3 years down the track.

Too many people want to be 'pessimistic optimists' - fear the worst so whatever happens you are pleasantly surprised or, and this is a personality fault, feel they're vidicated for their rash rejection of a coach so early in his career.

But that is the point.

You cannot tell how a bloke is coaching, when you are in a rebuild, until 2 or 3 years down the track.

Too many people want to be 'pessimistic optimists' - fear the worst so whatever happens you are pleasantly surprised or, and this is a personality fault, feel they're vidicated for their rash rejection of a coach so early in his career.

I'd hardly call it a "rash" assessment of a coach when we're consistently getting belted. The pessimism is based on results.

Dean Bailey has the difficult task of virtually turning over the entire list as well developing youngsters as well as implementing his game plan which the previous list were not capable of carrying out. Clearly the club has taken the re development route and asked for patience. Despite results we have started games well and the gameplan is evident in its infancy. Already injuries have taken its toll. New draftees have yet to step into history. Still much work to be done and yet Bailey has only coached 25 games.

I'd hardly call it a "rash" assessment of a coach when we're consistently getting belted. The pessimism is based on results.

You're not pessimistic in the least. You are just selective with a puerile axe to grind on the coach. You have perennially talked up the quality of our list over the past 15 months when it is clear to a blind monkey that there are gaping holes in quality and structure of the list that was inherited and the results continually show that You have tried to insinuate that Bailey had it easier than Matthew Knights in coming into the coaching game. Most recently you have even tried to fantasise the MFC midfield is on par with the Swans. Oh dear. Nothing could be further from the truth. But of course that does not suit your axe grinding.

Its ironic that you consistently deride most posters on this forum for their level of football knowledge when you present such a woeful grab bag of whinging and pointed attacks on the Coach without ever putting forward a thoughtful or insightful alternative. You claim to listen to people who know football. From the factless tripe you serve up how would you possible know who these people are?? BTW, there are a number of posters on here that I am aware have followed MFC far longer than you. They have followed MFC through longer dark days than you brag about. They have clearly learned far more than you and dont have the need to parade "I said this..". They dont need to use their time as a supporter as a mindless sour grapes slag at the coach.

Dandeeman like many other poster has summed you up perfectly... "Your arguments are nearly always flawed, incorrect and always self serving."

I am glad you did think Hannibal's careful and measured optimism about the Coach is "spot on". Once again it makes your other condemnations unfounded, very silly and so self serving.

I'd hardly call it a "rash" assessment of a coach when we're consistently getting belted. The pessimism is based on results.

I agree - here's hoping for some steel on Sunday :angry:

I do listen to people who know something about football, unfortunately I don't find many on this website that fall into that category.

I'm old enough to have endured that dark ages of the 70's, when I did go to the football and accepted honourable losses, simply because watching Robbie Flower was worth the admittance.

What Hannabal wrote was spot on, but I tend to take the pessimistic view, rather than see things through rose coloured glasses. That's what 27 years of supporting Melbourne does to you.

I too agree with Hannabal, but how can you say honestly that you do too? You have been the judge jury and excutioner of bailey for a while now. Have you now done an about-turn and are stating that you are going to give Bailey time when every post you make says the opposite.

Pessimism and optimism are one thing, but to completely shut youself off to the positive is just plain blindness.

The reality is

-Not all of our players will develop regardless of the skills of the coach.

-Not all coaching moves will work and 25 games into a coaching career with a young list there will be an amount of experimentation that will need to take place to establish a game plan and find where your playing staff fit into them

Your calls for long kicking to a forward line that boasts few contest winners is ridiculous and antiquated.

-Regardless of whether DB is the coach to take us to the next level he is attempting to put together a list and put games into the young guys for the LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT OF THE CLUB, not to establish himself a cosy little coaching career. This is his mandate, let him try and do it.

-Most Melbourne supporters do not want to top up the list to see us maybe scrape into a couple of finals series and never be a shot at a flag!!!!

-We have an opportunity to build a side almost from scratch in an attempt to take us to glory, not this year or next but a few years down the track. Will it work,....f$%%d if I know but now is the time to roll the dice and have a crack.

I am fired up MO, its not personal, but I find your posts difficult to take sometimes and obviously I disagree.

Please give the man a chance, if things look like they are going backwards by the end of the year then we all may need to reassess. He is 25 games into a coaching career with what was a poor list that is and has been severely depleted.

A lot of people I find are too impatient. Considering Dean Bailey has practically built this list from scratch, I think he's doing a great job at Developing the list so far. I have questioned some of his match day moves (eg Petterd at full forward), but all in all, i don't think you can paint a Mona Lisa with a piece of black chalk.

a bit unsure, l think he's a great orator but don't know about motivator and IMO the juries still out