MFC presser this week will be quite interesting.

In following the advice of the money men at Velocity Sports, he's walking a very fine line between acting in self-interest and holding the club to ransom.

Unfortunately, with every article that appears with his face on it with lines such as "most hyped young player in Australia", his decision is adversely affecting the MFC and overshadowing the rest of the playing group. That's the reality of it.

At some point he has to consider that - as a 19yo - he should be grateful to the Melbourne Football Club for giving him his first shot at league footy and sign with us on fair terms.

Or, go for the big dollars and head up to Blacktown now to start training for 2012.

But make a decision either way.

Every one of your posts has assisted in him being the "most hyped young player".

Club is behind the kid, everyone else can go jump. Recruiting everyone to your school of panic isnt helping anyone.

But feel free to indulge yourself if it gets you through the day.

Club is behind the kid

... but is the kid behind the club?

Press conference should be a belter.

The interview should be with Brent Moloney on Beamers bumps and bruisers haha that will get the truth out of him

There is one very important issue forgotten in all this.

Why haven't the mods re-opened the last closed thread on Scully and see if the legitimately combined thread can top the 2000 post mark.

... but is the kid behind the club?

Press conference should be a belter.

...and are the supporters behind the player?

If this press conference does eventuate I want to hear Tom say that he is committed with us for 2012 and beyond or his resignation speech. I will not be satisfied anything else.

You're frustrating me with your incessant fear-mongering and unrealistic demands.

It will be neither.

As much you might like to think you are, you do not fit most people's definition of a "supporter".

He'll commit to the club this friday. If not he's leaving.

I've always been in the "he'll stay" camp but he's not having a press conference to repeat what his manager already said.

My bet is he'll have agreed to terms to stay at MFC.

This is the membership bump the club's been waiting for.

You're an idiot.

It will be neither.

The first line is spot on

The second can't be right. He can't just repeat what his manager said it would inflame the situation tenfold.

You're an idiot.

It will be neither.

Poster abuse, 15 metre penalty

The first line is spot on

The second can't be right. He can't just repeat what his manager said it would inflame the situation tenfold.

50 metres for you

The club and Tom know that if he has a press conference he will be drilled about GWS, no one is interested in a press conference about Melbourne playing Brisbane. He will be pounded, you can't put him in front of the media to say what has already been said, the media will go after you harder. The club is either using this whilst we can to get extra media coverage even if it turns out to be a conference about nothing, or we are set to announce something.

Scully, his management and the MFC would all have to agree for him to face the media, I can't think why all three parties would agree to a media conference unless it is to announce something, no one would allow a 19 yo to face the media and to cop the intense questioning which will happen.

What I find bemusing is the growing legion of supporters who are convinced that this will be a "distraction" the longer this situation drags out.

These cliches have been around so long that people seem to blindly believe them without giving the matter any thought.

It's only a distraction for frustrated supporters.

Why do so many fail to see that after being asked the first couple of times, the questions will become mildly annoying and monotonous.

Much like all the other questions that football journos ask.

It becomes a distraction only if your coach behaves like a petulant child and develops a rift between him and the player in question.

Scully'll learn to get used to the speculation very quickly, then put his head down & get on with it.

But of course, all this distraction is what caused our loss to Essendon on the weekend...

Excellent post

I doubt Tom Scully's playing future enters into Jack Grimes' consciousness as he is searching for an option from the kickout

load of bollocks

most of the people trotting out the 'distracted' garbage are just people that would love to see us be distracted because they are shizenscared of what we are going to become

If this press conference does eventuate I want to hear Tom say that he is committed with us for 2012 and beyond or his resignation speech. I will not be satisfied anything else.

prepare to remain unsatisfield

What I find bemusing is the growing legion of supporters who are convinced that this will be a "distraction" the longer this situation drags out.

These cliches have been around so long that people seem to blindly believe them without giving the matter any thought.

It's only a distraction for frustrated supporters.

Why do so many fail to see that after being asked the first couple of times, the questions will become mildly annoying and monotonous.

Much like all the other questions that football journos ask.

It becomes a distraction only if your coach behaves like a petulant child and develops a rift between him and the player in question.

Scully'll learn to get used to the speculation very quickly, then put his head down & get on with it.

But of course, all this distraction is what caused our loss to Essendon on the weekend...

Yes, clearly the club doesn't find it a distraction. Oh wait ... they've called a press conference about it for Friday and going to put Tom in front of the cameras.

Some issues you can slough off and hope they die down. Not this one.

prepare to remain unsatisfield

What exactly do you think Tom is going to say?

As an aside, I was thinking about the emotional side of our supporters.

Think back to when the club, extended out Baileys contract with a year to run. Go back to that thread and see a host comments like

"why on earth are we doing that now ?"

"it is not like Bailey will be in demand"

"lets wait until the mid point of his last season to see whether or not we should give him a further contract based on his performance"

So what we as supporters ( well not me !) are saying to the MFC is they should demand of Scully to put up or shut up now before the season starts to resolve it one way or another for the good of the club. But the club should have told Bailey - no,you won't get a contract until we are good and ready, no rush, lets see how you perform.

We the supporters ( well not me) are telling the club that it should control all contract negotiations and timings, and you the players and coaches should sign when we want, be it sooner or later or not at all, not when you want. Your welfare, be it in the Scully case where he is possibly looking to maximise his potential contract or in the Bailey case, where his livelihood was tied to getting a new contract for future seasons is irrelevant. To you fringe players - we wont give you a contract until seasons ends so to make sure we dont contract anyone who is possibly "redundant", but to you wanted players, don't you dare hold out until until the the end of season - thats not fair on the club.

Interesting negotiation stance and interesting in terms of the different standards of behaviour we find acceptable in the name of the club.

Argh! Is it possible to be that stupid??

They are trying to placate the supporters.

That is who the press conference is for.

Not for the players or to improve the team's performance.

It's really not brain science...

It's really not brain science...

At least that's better than rocket surgery :-)

Argh! Is it possible to be that stupid??

They are trying to placate the supporters.

That is who the press conference is for.

Not for the players or to improve the team's performance.

It's really not brain science...

Nothing short of I have re-signed will placate many supporters

" I love the Melbourne football club" ( then why dont you sign now ?)

" My management will work with club in the fullness of time to structure a deal to keep me at the MFC" (then why dont you sign now ?)

"I would love to be one club player" ( then why dont you sign now ?)

For some supporters who fail to grasp that negotiation is a two way street and should be handled delicately, professionally and with maturity, they will be satisfied with nothing short of "I have signed".

At least that's better than rocket surgery :-)

Hahaha, terrific!

In following the advice of the money men at Velocity Sports, he's walking a very fine line between acting in self-interest and holding the club to ransom.

Lets face it , at this stage in his development , if he signs for 350-400k per season he's acted in self interest any more and he's held the club to ransom .

Lets face it , at this stage in his development , if he signs for 350-400k per season he's acted in self interest any more and he's held the club to ransom .

"put your hands in the air and give me all your money - if nobody moves, nobody gets hurt".

Self interest ! I reckon Daniel Bell acted in self interest when he told the club "don't give me a contract - I want to retire and not play AFL again even though I am in my mid 20's".

This is a professional sport - and as emotional as we become the bottom line is that the club acts with self interest and the people who put on the show, the players act with self interest as well. There is certain demand and supply factors that come into all negotiations and we supporters should hope that there is an acceptable mid point of self interest of the club and the players. When players opt to leave for better pay or conditions - aka - Cam Bruce, the self interest of the player has outweighed the self interest of the club. When we said tata to Cheney, McDonald and Miller the self interest of the club outweighed the self interest of the players.

Its not really brain rockets surgery science.

"put your hands in the air and give me all your money - if nobody moves, nobody gets hurt".

Self interest ! I reckon Daniel Bell acted in self interest when he told the club "don't give me a contract - I want to retire and not play AFL again even though I am in my mid 20's".

This is a professional sport - and as emotional as we become the bottom line is that the club acts with self interest and the people who put on the show, the players act with self interest as well. There is certain demand and supply factors that come into all negotiations and we supporters should hope that there is an acceptable mid point of self interest of the club and the players. When players opt to leave for better pay or conditions - aka - Cam Bruce, the self interest of the player has outweighed the self interest of the club. When we said tata to Cheney, McDonald and Miller the self interest of the club outweighed the self interest of the players.

Its not really brain rockets surgery science.

I have a degree in aeronautical engineering, medicine AND neuroscience and I agree with you

Ask Aaron Davey and Brad Green what happened with their last contract negotiations, club was clearly asked to 'dig deeper'

Brain surgeons get paid well