Dean Bailey

[Einstein 1]

2007 was the worst year I remember as a Melbourne supporter. There was no direction, we were getting smashed with an old team and a list full of rubbish, and success seemed light years away.

2007 was rough. I liken 2007 to 1996, which for me was the most despairing year I can remember as a supporter of the club. We finished with 7 wins, but we were going nowhere with an ageing list full of one time club champions and riff raff not up to AFL standard. And of course the season ended with the merger shambles. I remember a game that year, out at Princes Park against West Coast. Less then 9,000 showed up, no surprise really, and we were smashed by 106 points. I remember leaving the ground totally drained and forlorn. Success seemed very far away. But, two years later 1998 and we reached a preliminary final.

1997 was worse in terms of wins and losses, we only won 4, but there were young kids coming through, Farmer, Macca, Robbo, Woewodin, Yze. Tough year but you could see some future potential.

As far as Bailey goes, I think the man is a true teacher. It's hard to judge him from afar but going by most indicators we are on the improve and that is as good a reflection of Baileys ability to instruct and teach as anything. Time will tell if he has the ability as a coach to take an emerging squad of young talented players to the promised land and ultimately fulfill their potential, but I have faith in Bailey and am enjoying watching this list develop and grow.

Bailey has done nothing but shown great faith in his players and a willingness to let them play. An example was the other week against Geelong. In the third quarter Addam Maric made several errors but Bailey left him on the field to work through it himself, leaving him there until the end of the quarter. To me that shows great patience and tremendous faith in a young players ability to learn from his mistakes and can only give the likes of Maric and others the confidence to take chances and back themselves.

I like the game style we are developing and the direction Bailey is taking us. It's going to be a long ride but hell, it's going to be fun.

[Guest Digga]

2007 was rough. I liken 2007 to 1996, which for me was the most despairing year I can remember as a supporter of the club. We finished with 7 wins, but we were going nowhere with an ageing list full of one time club champions and riff raff not up to AFL standard. And of course the season ended with the merger shambles. I remember a game that year, out at Princes Park against West Coast. Less then 9,000 showed up, no surprise really, and we were smashed by 106 points. I remember leaving the ground totally drained and forlorn. Success seemed very far away. But, two years later 1998 and we reached a preliminary final.

1997 was worse in terms of wins and losses, we only won 4, but there were young kids coming through, Farmer, Macca, Robbo, Woewodin, Yze. Tough year but you could see some future potential.

As far as Bailey goes, I think the man is a true teacher. It's hard to judge him from afar but going by most indicators we are on the improve and that is as good a reflection of Baileys ability to instruct and teach as anything. Time will tell if he has the ability as a coach to take an emerging squad of young talented players to the promised land and ultimately fulfill their potential, but I have faith in Bailey and am enjoying watching this list develop and grow.

Bailey has done nothing but shown great faith in his players and a willingness to let them play. An example was the other week against Geelong. In the third quarter Addam Maric made several errors but Bailey left him on the field to work through it himself, leaving him there until the end of the quarter. To me that shows great patience and tremendous faith in a young players ability to learn from his mistakes and can only give the likes of Maric and others the confidence to take chances and back themselves.

I like the game style we are developing and the direction Bailey is taking us. It's going to be a long ride but hell, it's going to be fun.

Interesting to read. Was only about 7 years old then. :lol:

[praha 10,358]

I think Bailey is doing a great job. We have improved out of sight from this time last year. We're still not very good, but we have improved.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I'm not completely in his corner yet, but the first seven games have shown we are, as the media says, heading in the right direction. However, the direction is all well and good, but under the harsh pressure of finals football, that's when I'll make my decision on him. Just because he has a knack for development doesn't mean he's going to win us a flag...

[Goodvibes 3,596]

I'm waiting for the game to come, hopefully about two thirds of the way through next year (when we may well be in finals contention) but more likely the year after and DB gives his young team the mother of of all three quarter time rockets. Think Neil Craig a fortnight ago. Think Barassi and Zantuck. This rocket will be significant. It will be our 'line in the sand' game where a group of young kids will decide they're ready to do more than just compete with the big boys but instead, knock them off. The team will realize that whilst the Dean Bailey driven education will continue, he thinks that they're now good enough to make it and will no longer accept competitive losses. Dean Bailey Mark 2 will emerge - focused, driven and ruthless. The young team will know that it is time to make their mark and take a step towards finals. They will respond, beat a fellow finals contender and announce themselves and their coach, ready for September action.

[Roost It 1,434]

I'm waiting for the game to come, hopefully about two thirds of the way through next year (when we may well be in finals contention) but more likely the year after and DB gives his young team the mother of of all three quarter time rockets. Think Neil Craig a fortnight ago. Think Barassi and Zantuck. This rocket will be significant. It will be our 'line in the sand' game where a group of young kids will decide they're ready to do more than just compete with the big boys but instead, knock them off. The team will realize that whilst the Dean Bailey driven education will continue, he thinks that they're now good enough to make it and will no longer accept competitive losses. Dean Bailey Mark 2 will emerge - focused, driven and ruthless. The young team will know that it is time to make their mark and take a step towards finals. They will respond, beat a fellow finals contender and announce themselves and their coach, ready for September action.

Goodvibes indeed

[kallioota 0]

this team from the rookies to Jimmy are standing as one and heading the right way .

so much so that we are all happy with what we are seeing .

over 30 thousand members .

each week enjoying watching the team to see who stands up that little bit more.

their are only a couple of stand out teams at the moment and most of the others are fading away.

l think that we really will be a power house team in the not to far future.

our key draft picks have not played and dont care if they dont this year.

next thing l,m looking for is our next real hard nut.

Bartram to play the other week after the loss of his father said so much.

this team is building some thing !

GO DEES

[redman 28]

Really happy with whats developing with the side, young players are being given oppotunities to play an attractive brand of football. At the moment we don't have the entire skill set to carry it out for full games but we are seeing it in patches in each game, like our 8 goal qtr against the tiges and for the majority of sundays match.

If we had a few more experienced/developed forwards we would have won or been close to winning a few more matches so far this season.

Full credit to not only bailey but his assistants who are each influencing the teams development.

Each player has improved something, Nathan Jones has never kicked better, Frawley put on size and has grown into his role... Meesen before his injury was starting to show something, after alot of us (definately including me) had written him off.

We have competition for places, and even with injuries to experienced players like wheatley, whelan, green etc we have had a youngster come in an fill in the role.

And we haven't even seen our top 3 draft picks from 09, our no.1 preseason pick and our rookies all look like potentially making onto the primary list.

Thats just the tip of the iceberg...

Have can you not be happy or excited about whats being developed down at demonland??

[Longsufferingnomore 1,489]

I'm waiting for the game to come, hopefully about two thirds of the way through next year (when we may well be in finals contention) but more likely the year after and DB gives his young team the mother of of all three quarter time rockets. Think Neil Craig a fortnight ago. Think Barassi and Zantuck. This rocket will be significant. It will be our 'line in the sand' game where a group of young kids will decide they're ready to do more than just compete with the big boys but instead, knock them off. The team will realize that whilst the Dean Bailey driven education will continue, he thinks that they're now good enough to make it and will no longer accept competitive losses. Dean Bailey Mark 2 will emerge - focused, driven and ruthless. The young team will know that it is time to make their mark and take a step towards finals. They will respond, beat a fellow finals contender and announce themselves and their coach, ready for September action.

Oooooo, I've gone goosey :

[felixdacat 459]

I agree with most people here and like what DB is doing with the boys. I don't get to see as many games as I would like but the games I have seen this season have left me with a feeling..happy..hopeful..enthusiastic about the future.. um..you know.."it's the vibe of the thing, your honour" a good vibe in this instance.

As others have said I like that we are using the central corridor as much as possible in attack, also it seems to me and I don't know what others reckon but we are also attempting to deny opposition players usage of the corridor when they are attacking. I remember we were successful with this against the Tiges pushing their attack to the wings and it was good to see it again against the Weagles on sunday.

Anyway the future is bright for MFC

"Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. 14% of people know that. --Homer Simpson "

[bananas 428]

This sums it up for me ...

Last year, we had terrible skills and terrible attack at the ball. Dean Bailey's buzzword for the whole year was 'competitiveness.' "We need to be competitive for longer," "One quarter of competitive football isn't enough," etc etc. Compare our attack at the ball (and at the opposition) now, to what it was a year ago. Bailey is not only upfront about what he wants to improve, he actually does improve it! This year, we have terrible skills, but our 'competitiveness' is fantastic.

This year, Bailey's buzzword is 'skills'. "Our skills let us down today," "The endeavour was there, we just need to work on our skills," etc etc.

If our skills improve as much in the NEXT year as our competitiveness has improved in the LAST year, we're going to be a very good football team, for a very long time.

Bailey, so far, has done absolutely nothing wrong that I can see.

GO DEES!

[Geddy Lee 582]

He is a man on a mission, and I wouldn't hesitate giving him a contract extension at the end of the year, because he deserves to take us to finals, and I believe that in a couple of years he will.

Good post but I certainly hope the club will not give him a contract extension until he has delivered something tangible.

[Guest hangon007]

Superb positive thread ... I'm with nearly everybody else... Dean Bailey has my 100% support. I dont want anybody else as our next premiership coach ... and it will be oh some much sweeter sing the song with Dean ... hes been thru the bad times he deserves a crack at the good times.

[Nasher 33,166]

Good post but I certainly hope the club will not give him a contract extension until he has delivered something tangible.

What tangibles can he possibly deliver between now and round 22?

[Roost It 1,434]

What tangibles can he possibly deliver between now and round 22?

Draft picks 1 and 2

[H_T 2,941]

Draft picks 1 and 2

There it is again. Roost It, it could well be Picks 1 and 3.

[Nasher 33,166]

Draft picks 1 and 2

I highly doubt that what numbers we get in the draft will have any bearing on whether or not Bailey's contract is extended.

[Roost It 1,434]

I highly doubt that what numbers we get in the draft will have any bearing on whether or not Bailey's contract is extended.

Of course not, it was said tongue in cheek regarding "what tangibles he can deliver"

[TheOx05 1]

Average losing margin up to round 7 last year = 60 points

Average losing margin up to round 7 this year = 22 points

How could you not support Bailey with the list that we have had..he is going places and WILL deliver premiership number 13.

[H_T 2,941]

Average losing margin up to round 7 last year = 60 points

Average losing margin up to round 7 this year = 22 points

How could you not support Bailey with the list that we have had..he is going places and WILL deliver premiership number 13.

Interesting stats TheOx05.

If you could guarantee Bailey WILL deliver premiership number 13 to Melbournefc, I'm SOLD.

TBH I think he is doing quite well, despite our 1-6 (W/L) start and his 4-25 record suggests. There were many good signs in the West Coast game at Subiaco. We might well have won that game had Rivers and Frawley not got injured.

Players like Maric, Bennell and Grimes are a reminder of what Melbournefc supporters can look forward to. Watts, Blease, Strauss and even Bail and Jurrah just add to the excitement. Talk of McNamara....it just gets more exciting to see what they will offer at AFL level and when they mature.

Then there is this years draft inclusions.....the excitement is upon us.

[Its Time for Another 4,058]

this year l have found myself after the games happy with how we are going. l know that we all want wins at the end of the day but we are starting to show something.

we are so young and starting to stand up to the other teams. we just look like the team needs maybe 2 more years to be right back up there.

l just look at Geelong , St kilda , Hawthorn of last year, Bulldogs and the blues as a blue print to wear we are going .

I love how he is coaching for the future and prepared to take the short term pain. There is no better example of this than playing Maric last week despite the fact that the week before was one of the worst games I have seen an MFC player play. Most other coaches would have dropped a player for such a bad game. The result was a superb game by Maric with 100% disposal efficiency. Unrecognisable as the player from the week before. Great for the player, great for the coach, great for the future.

I still think he should do the same with Newton. Give him a solid period to prove himself or bury himself. If after say 4-6 weeks he doesn't cement his place then drop him forever but give him enough games to decide his future.

[Binmans PA 26,480]

I still think he should do the same with Newton. Give him a solid period to prove himself or bury himself. If after say 4-6 weeks he doesn't cement his place then drop him forever but give him enough games to decide his future.

Yeah, you're right about Newton. If he's good enough he'll rectify his kicking problem, if not, he'll do as you say and dig his own grave. Afterall, Newton only became a semi regular contender in 2007 and it's only 2009. This is the year he has to prove himself, but I'd say give him the rest of the season. Stick him upward, let Watts play up the ground and see what he's got.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Yeah, you're right about Newton. If he's good enough he'll rectify his kicking problem, if not, he'll do as you say and dig his own grave. Afterall, Newton only became a semi regular contender in 2007 and it's only 2009. This is the year he has to prove himself, but I'd say give him the rest of the season. Stick him upward, let Watts play up the ground and see what he's got.

Newton's kicking is an output from where the real problem is. And despite what supporters require I think the Footy Dept know are in no doubt where he is at.

[Binmans PA 26,480]

Yep, it is his problem. If he'd got his kicking right earlier in the season he might have already had 3 bags of goals. As for the Casey match, he might have almost kicked 9. If he fixes this, then he might still be a player.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Yep, it is his problem. If he'd got his kicking right earlier in the season he might have already had 3 bags of goals. As for the Casey match, he might have almost kicked 9. If he fixes this, then he might still be a player.

No. His problem is his maturity, attitude and football brain. His kicking is the outcome of this. Kicking straight does not solve the other issues but misleads suppoorters to think Newton is something other than what he is.