Headlines of the Past

Melbourne president Jim Stynes backed Dean Bailey as the struggling second-year coach turned up the heat on his players. 2009

MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes has backed coach Dean Bailey's brand of football after last week's clash against Adelaide was labelled ugly. 2009

A livid Bailey decided to deliver a wake-up call on Monday, forcing more than 40 players to swim in Port Phillip Bay. 2009

Melbourne and Fremantle were the surprise packets this year with them both now being tipped as future successful clubs.While every Demons fan just talked about Scully and Trengove,

there was more to be encouraged by than just them. You had Jamar and Green who may be the next captain having breakout seasons and being named in the All Australian squad.

Others to impress were Bail, Bennell, Dunn, Frawley, Maloney, Garland and Grimes. All up it was a successful year including the fact that they are now debt free. 2010

Melbourne Demons president Jim Stynes said the club was "absolutely" behind coach Dean Bailey and backed the players to respond after a disastrous loss to West Coast

Stynes said a club-wide review just handed down by external consultant Ray Andrews had been misinterpreted.

"It's really positive.

There has been great learning in it for us and it will be great to share it within the club Current day 2011

The Latest AFL's key indicators:

These figures are a true an indictment on Bailey and his men.

Our ranking is as follows

16th for hardball gets,

15th for contested possessions,

15th for clearances,

15th for inside-50s,

17th and last for tackles

The question that has to be asked is what the F### has gone wrong??

Is it the players ?

Is it the coach ?

Is it their own lack of endeavours?

Is it the Football department?

Is it our recruitment?

or is it a combination of all of the above?

Whatever it is there is obvioulsy a long way to go for the Melbourne Football Club

Stynes claims the review is really positive.

But It is obvious something is wrong in demonland and this has to change sooner rather then later.

Horrifying stats - hard to believe we have won two games!

As I said in another blog the problem is the culture at the club. The MFC has for years/decades had headlines similar to the ones we are seeing at the moment. I reckon we put out those types of pathetic performances 3 or 4 times a season (every season). In five matches this year we have already put in such a pathetic effort in 1 1/2 games.

However, these types of performances are riddled in our history. The problem is the culture around the club - that intangible cancerous psyche that permeates silently throughout the corridors of the club! Maybe a little dramatic - but you get my point.

Fixing it is very difficult. But for a start you need a strong minded, tough and uncompromising head coach that has tasted premiership success elsewhere. Malthouse is our man (or perhaps Roos). Certainly no G Lyon or Todd Viney who are great clubman and should be encouraged to be involved in the club but they have not been involved in premierships and can't drive a culture unfamilar to them.

Horrifying stats - hard to believe we have won two games!

As I said in another blog the problem is the culture at the club. The MFC has for years/decades had headlines similar to the ones we are seeing at the moment. I reckon we put out those types of pathetic performances 3 or 4 times a season (every season). In five matches this year we have already put in such a pathetic effort in 1 1/2 games.

However, these types of performances are riddled in our history. The problem is the culture around the club - that intangible cancerous psyche that permeates silently throughout the corridors of the club! Maybe a little dramatic - but you get my point.

Fixing it is very difficult. But for a start you need a strong minded, tough and uncompromising head coach that has tasted premiership success elsewhere. Malthouse is our man (or perhaps Roos). Certainly no G Lyon or Todd Viney who are great clubman and should be encouraged to be involved in the club but they have not been involved in premierships and can't drive a culture unfamilar to them.

Good post. Very much agree with you. Our players would be scared shi-less if Malthouse or a Northey type was coach. Bailey walks around the boundary giving them a pat on the pack, did you see Malthouse get stuck into Dawes the other night on the boundary. There's no back slapping just a steely resolve in his eyes that cuts right through the players. They love him, are scared of him and play for him.

Malthouse made a comment recently when asked why he doesn't coach from the boundary. He said that you cannot see what is going on and cannot understand why coached do this. You can't tell me that Bailey is the coach on game day. He just takes the audio feed from the Assistants in the coaches box and makes decisions without personally seeing what is going on.

By the way good coaches usually say they are only good because they had good players. MFC has had ample opportunity to recruit very good players. It has been very hit and miss and overall I believe we have failed to capitalise on this.

First round selections in Luke Molan, Bell, Nick Smith, Sylvia, Mcclean, Bate, Dunn, Jones have not been overly successful. Add in Morton, Strauss, Maric, Jetta etc. We have no A Graders and only a handful of B Graders in the team. We have relied on a few good later picks i.e Garland, Bartram, Petterd

The coach is usually the first one to be blamed when the team is losing, however if you pull back the layers it may well rest with the recruiters and the FD. Why have we been bottom or a middle of the ladder team for years. Maybe the players just aren't good enough. I believe this to be the case although a different coach may get the best out of the talent we have.

Interesting that Brad Green said this morning that they love the coach and are right behind him. He blames the players.

I sometimes think that players say this because they don't want CHANGE. They loved Balme because he was a nice guy. If they got Malthouse they would have to work harder and prove themselves over again. They have probably worked bailey out and do just enough to please him. It's no differnt to any workplace, we don't like the unknown and a change of coach is just that.

Edited May 3, 201114 yr by Theo

Good call Theo.

"Bailey walks around the boundary giving them a pat on the pack, did you see Malthouse get stuck into Dawes the other night on the boundary. There's no back slapping just a steely resolve in his eyes that cuts right through the players. They love him, are scared of him and play for him."

That's what we need to change the culture of the club - and only a few have that rare quality!

Good call Theo.

"Bailey walks around the boundary giving them a pat on the pack, did you see Malthouse get stuck into Dawes the other night on the boundary. There's no back slapping just a steely resolve in his eyes that cuts right through the players. They love him, are scared of him and play for him."

That's what we need to change the culture of the club - and only a few have that rare quality!

Second that one.

Good post. Very much agree with you. Our players would be scared shi-less if Malthouse or a Northey type was coach. Bailey walks around the boundary giving them a pat on the pack, did you see Malthouse get stuck into Dawes the other night on the boundary. There's no back slapping just a steely resolve in his eyes that cuts right through the players. They love him, are scared of him and play for him.

Malthouse made a comment recently when asked why he doesn't coach from the boundary. He said that you cannot see what is going on and cannot understand why coached do this. You can't tell me that Bailey is the coach on game day. He just takes the audio feed from the Assistants in the coaches box and makes decisions without personally seeing what is going on.

By the way good coaches usually say they are only good because they had good players. MFC has had ample opportunity to recruit very good players. It has been very hit and miss and overall I believe we have failed to capitalise on this.

First round selections in Luke Molan, Bell, Nick Smith, Sylvia, Mcclean, Bate, Dunn, Jones have not been overly successful. Add in Morton, Strauss, Maric, Jetta etc. We have no A Graders and only a handful of B Graders in the team. We have relied on a few good later picks i.e Garland, Bartram, Petterd

The coach is usually the first one to be blamed when the team is losing, however if you pull back the layers it may well rest with the recruiters and the FD. Why have we been bottom or a middle of the ladder team for years. Maybe the players just aren't good enough. I believe this to be the case although a different coach may get the best out of the talent we have.

Interesting that Brad Green said this morning that they love the coach and are right behind him. He blames the players.

I sometimes think that players say this because they don't want CHANGE. They loved Balme because he was a nice guy. If they got Malthouse they would have to work harder and prove themselves over again. They have probably worked bailey out and do just enough to please him. It's no differnt to any workplace, we don't like the unknown and a change of coach is just that.

Theo Great post

The elephant in the room is the culture.

It is soft from top to bottom

The players have no expectations placed on them

We are a metrosexual club trying to be all for everyone ie the family club, the community club, the pink club, etc etc etc What about becoming the winning club?

The thing that we have lost is the desire and hunger to be successfull

It will not happen on its own

If i see DB patting players on the bum after a performance like last week i will be sick what a disgrace!

Good post. Very much agree with you. Our players would be scared shi-less if Malthouse or a Northey type was coach. Bailey walks around the boundary giving them a pat on the pack, did you see Malthouse get stuck into Dawes the other night on the boundary. There's no back slapping just a steely resolve in his eyes that cuts right through the players. They love him, are scared of him and play for him.

Malthouse made a comment recently when asked why he doesn't coach from the boundary. He said that you cannot see what is going on and cannot understand why coached do this. You can't tell me that Bailey is the coach on game day. He just takes the audio feed from the Assistants in the coaches box and makes decisions without personally seeing what is going on.

By the way good coaches usually say they are only good because they had good players. MFC has had ample opportunity to recruit very good players. It has been very hit and miss and overall I believe we have failed to capitalise on this.

First round selections in Luke Molan, Bell, Nick Smith, Sylvia, Mcclean, Bate, Dunn, Jones have not been overly successful. Add in Morton, Strauss, Maric, Jetta etc. We have no A Graders and only a handful of B Graders in the team. We have relied on a few good later picks i.e Garland, Bartram, Petterd

The coach is usually the first one to be blamed when the team is losing, however if you pull back the layers it may well rest with the recruiters and the FD. Why have we been bottom or a middle of the ladder team for years. Maybe the players just aren't good enough. I believe this to be the case although a different coach may get the best out of the talent we have.

Interesting that Brad Green said this morning that they love the coach and are right behind him. He blames the players.

I sometimes think that players say this because they don't want CHANGE. They loved Balme because he was a nice guy. If they got Malthouse they would have to work harder and prove themselves over again. They have probably worked bailey out and do just enough to please him. It's no differnt to any workplace, we don't like the unknown and a change of coach is just that.

Theo Great post

The elephant in the room is the culture.

It is soft from top to bottom

The players have no expectations placed on them

We are a metrosexual club trying to be all for everyone ie the family club, the community club, the pink club, etc etc etc What about becoming the winning club?

The thing that we have lost is the desire and hunger to be successfull

It will not happen on its own

If i see DB patting players on the bum after a performance like last week i will be sick what a disgrace!