Chip's post-match interview

[P-man 13,353]

Not surprisingly he seems really, really flat. What sticks out is the way he says "to be honest, I'm getting really tired of losing". Seemed quite poignant and demonstrates how much this culture of losing games, going back several years, is impacting the players.

As a supporter it's really tough to watch one of our champions looking like a beaten man, but you can see the will and determination is still there.

This club needs to turn things around NOW, not later. The waiting time is over. The younger players need to be introduced into a club that is intent on playing finals football and right now we are so far from that it's ridiculous.

[John Crow Batty 8,376]

Not surprisingly he seems really, really flat. What sticks out is the way he says "to be honest, I'm getting really tired of losing". Seemed quite poignant and demonstrates how much this culture of losing games, going back several years, is impacting the players.

As a supporter it's really tough to watch one of our champions looking like a beaten man, but you can see the will and determination is still there.

This club needs to turn things around NOW, not later. The waiting time is over. The younger players need to be introduced into a club that is intent on playing finals football and right now we are so far from that it's ridiculous.

Too right.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

Injuriesssssssssssss

[P-man 13,353]

Injuriesssssssssssss

How many injuries did we have against West Coast?

It weighes into the debate but it is no excuse for how we are playing. Certainly Chippa doesn't think so.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Injuriesssssssssssss

Lleeeaaadershipppp!!!!!!! L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P..... Where is it, Who is it? Who's gonna bring it. One's gone missing, who's gonna stand Up???

[Guest Artie Bucco]

That too (leadership), but in all seriousness, do any of you expect us to win any of the next 3 games considering our injuries?

It's all good and well to DEMAND THAT THIS MUST CHANGE, AND NOW!!!

But when everything else is working against you...

And yes P Man, we didn't have as many injuries when we played West Coast.

So? Are you saying we shouldn't have any losses?

Even though WC are clearly a better side at the moment?

I'm not sure what relevance the WC game has.

[P-man 13,353]

And yes P Man, we didn't have as many injuries when we played West Coast.

So? Are you saying we shouldn't have any losses?

Even though WC are clearly a better side at the moment?

I'm not sure what relevance the WC game has.

I was in the stands at that game and I can tell you I've never seen a worse display from a Melbourne side. I know we've had some stinkers but in the context iof where we should be with our development, it was the worst.

Why are West Coast a better side? We're talking about the reigning wooden spooners. You don't see it as a relevant that arguably our worst performance of the season was with only a small handful of omissions? It took unprecedented media pressure for the team to actually lift and perform tyhe following week.

It all but completely negates your point of "Injuriesssssss". There is a systemic problem.

[Rogue 585]

This club needs to turn things around NOW, not later.

By golly, you're right! I was going to hold off on turning things around until later in the year, but since you've convinced me I'll press the 'win' button now. On a serious note, I'm a little tired of the pletohra of threads that seem to rely on the unstated assumption that if only we did X, whatever X is, we'd be a successful Club.

We adopted a development route I approved, cutting senior players and turning over the list. We've ended up with an extremely young and inexperienced list bereft of senior players that can have a big impact on games. Furthermore, we've been cursed by the footy Gods and had almost half of our best side unavailable.

I acknowledge that we weren't playing great footy before our spate of injuries but it was early days and we won't know what this season would have held without an injury crisis. That said, even if we were fit and playing decent footy we probably weren't going to win many more games because our list simply isn't good enough.

The harsh reality is that there are always going to be winners and losers, and that right now there's no magic bullet. We might snag a win, but we should brace ourselves for further pain.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

What Rogue so eloquently said.

[P-man 13,353]

Rogue - I acknowledge the extent of the injury concerns, albeit that we've been equally as horrid without them. My underlying point is that I hold concerns for the impact on the psyche of our younger players when we continue to get thumped, with leadership roles falling to players who are not much older than themselves. This may in turn affect our ability to retain players.

I know I'm not the only one whose patience has been stretched to its absolute limit, and seeing our AA FB talking openly about being tired of losing has got the blood rushing.

[sylvinator 96]

This club needs to turn things around NOW, not later. The waiting time is over.

Footy changes quicker than you think. Things could 'click' very quickly and these times will be instantly forgotten.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

I was in the stands at that game and I can tell you I've never seen a worse display from a Melbourne side. I know we've had some stinkers but in the context iof where we should be with our development, it was the worst.

Why are West Coast a better side? We're talking about the reigning wooden spooners. You don't see it as a relevant that arguably our worst performance of the season was with only a small handful of omissions? It took unprecedented media pressure for the team to actually lift and perform tyhe following week.

It all but completely negates your point of "Injuriesssssss". There is a systemic problem.

My point was, even if we were good enough, which we aren't, injuries make it pretty damn hard for us to meet your considered demands.

I'm not going to explain to you why WC are a better side, nor the irrelevance of them being last year's wooden spooner.

That has been discussed ad nauseum in previous threads.

[P-man 13,353]

My point was, even if we were good enough, which we aren't, injuries make it pretty damn hard for us to meet your considered demands.

I'm not going to explain to you why WC are a better side, nor the irrelevance of them being last year's wooden spooner.

That has been discussed ad nauseum in previous threads.

I don't need you to explain to me why they are a better side thanks mate. It has everything to do with their superior forward line, structure and application of the press, but the extent of their form reversal from last year compared to ours is relevant. Very relevant.

[Kento80 83]

Injuriesssssssssssss

We do have alot of bad injuries, and they don't help. There is also no reason they should affect the endeavour of the players. And most importantly, given this is a thread about Chips interview, the fact we have injuries seems to go absolutely nowhere towards making Chip feel any better about the losses, so why should it us?

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

What Rogue so eloquently said.

While neglecting to say that the team has a recent history of losing games on purpose (the club - not the players) and doesn't have a culture of revelling in being a bunch of cheats like say a Carlton does.

I didn't like it then and I like it less now.

[Guest Thomo]

Injuriesssssssssssss

Seriously, time to come clean.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Thomo

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

By golly, you're right! I was going to hold off on turning things around until later in the year, but since you've convinced me I'll press the 'win' button now. On a serious note, I'm a little tired of the pletohra of threads that seem to rely on the unstated assumption that if only we did X, whatever X is, we'd be a successful Club.

.....

The harsh reality is that there are always going to be winners and losers, and that right now there's no magic bullet. We might snag a win, but we should brace ourselves for further pain.

Fair summation.

I was in the stands at that game and I can tell you I've never seen a worse display from a Melbourne side. I know we've had some stinkers but in the context iof where we should be with our development, it was the worst.

Why are West Coast a better side? We're talking about the reigning wooden spooners. You don't see it as a relevant that arguably our worst performance of the season was with only a small handful of omissions? It took unprecedented media pressure for the team to actually lift and perform tyhe following week.

It all but completely negates your point of "Injuriesssssss". There is a systemic problem.

You have not seen that many MFC performances over the years. And particularly 2008-09 in recent memory. As far as our development is going, we have Scully, Trengove, Tapscott, Grimes and a number of other out of the side. We have had Frawley, Morton, Gawn with interrupted pre seasons.

WCE have all their stars back and firing in Cox, Kerr, Embley, Glass and Priddis. Most were out with injury for much of last year. They are the talented senior core supported by the Le Cras, Lynch etc to which talented juniors get supported and assisted. There is 600 more games of AFL experience there than what MFC. How does their senior group stack up against Green, Moloney, Davey, Jamar, Sylvia and Rivers???

When you look at the facts, injuries are part of the story. Not the only part but an important one.

While neglecting to say that the team has a recent history of losing games on purpose (the club - not the players) and doesn't have a culture of revelling in being a bunch of cheats like say a Carlton does.

I didn't like it then and I like it less now.

And your solution at the time was??

[Range Rover 1,935]

Not surprisingly he seems really, really flat. What sticks out is the way he says "to be honest, I'm getting really tired of losing". Seemed quite poignant and demonstrates how much this culture of losing games, going back several years, is impacting the players.

As a supporter it's really tough to watch one of our champions looking like a beaten man, but you can see the will and determination is still there.

This club needs to turn things around NOW, not later. The waiting time is over. The younger players need to be introduced into a club that is intent on playing finals football and right now we are so far from that it's ridiculous.

Careful with that word "champion". We bandy it around far too easily as Melbourne supporters. One AA season does not a champion make.

Champions string multiple seasons of brilliant football together and stand up in tough times and big games.

Do that, and I'll happily call them a champion.

[Disco Demons 92]

By golly, you're right! I was going to hold off on turning things around until later in the year, but since you've convinced me I'll press the 'win' button now. On a serious note, I'm a little tired of the pletohra of threads that seem to rely on the unstated assumption that if only we did X, whatever X is, we'd be a successful Club.

We adopted a development route I approved, cutting senior players and turning over the list. We've ended up with an extremely young and inexperienced list bereft of senior players that can have a big impact on games. Furthermore, we've been cursed by the footy Gods and had almost half of our best side unavailable.

I acknowledge that we weren't playing great footy before our spate of injuries but it was early days and we won't know what this season would have held without an injury crisis. That said, even if we were fit and playing decent footy we probably weren't going to win many more games because our list simply isn't good enough.

The harsh reality is that there are always going to be winners and losers, and that right now there's no magic bullet. We might snag a win, but we should brace ourselves for further pain.

so do we keep bailey?

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

And your solution at the time was??

I made my feelings pretty clear at the time but it is done now and we just have to deal with it. But the same people that cheered us losing are the very same people that should keep in mind that passion isn't a switch you can easily turn on and off.

[DemonDave 1,078]

Not surprisingly he seems really, really flat. What sticks out is the way he says "to be honest, I'm getting really tired of losing". Seemed quite poignant and demonstrates how much this culture of losing games, going back several years, is impacting the players.

Have a look at the all time list of players win-loss% (with a min 50 games), any wonder these guys are 'sick' of losing:

21St- 20.91% Matthew Warnock (11W-1D-43L)

22nd- 21.30% Cale Morton (11-1-42)

25th- 27.23% Nathan Jones (26-3-72)

28th- 30.81% Matthew Bate (26-1-59)

29th- 31.16% James Frawley (21-1-47)

38th- 33.77% Lynden Dunn (25-2-50)

Shocking figures. The top two are the worst of any League current players.

Any wonder the culture of losing is ingrained in their psyche.

(Source: All Time Losers)

[reynolds46 823]

Have a look at the all time list of players win-loss% (with a min 50 games), any wonder these guys are 'sick' of losing:

21St- 20.91% Matthew Warnock (11W-1D-43L)

22nd- 21.30% Cale Morton (11-1-42)

25th- 27.23% Nathan Jones (26-3-72)

28th- 30.81% Matthew Bate (26-1-59)

29th- 31.16% James Frawley (21-1-47)

38th- 33.77% Lynden Dunn (25-2-50)

Shocking figures. The top two are the worst of any League current players.

Any wonder the culture of losing is ingrained in their psyche.

(Source: All Time Losers)

according to those stats Matthew Bate played in 8 games before he played in a loss. At that stage he couldn't have envisage the nightmare that was to follow

[Rogue 585]

I made my feelings pretty clear at the time but it is done now and we just have to deal with it. But the same people that cheered us losing are the very same people that should keep in mind that passion isn't a switch you can easily turn on and off.

The unstated premise seems to be that the players weren't trying to win.

If that's the case, I wholeheartedly reject this suggestion.

[H_T 2,941]

The unstated premise seems to be that the players weren't trying to win.

If that's the case, I wholeheartedly reject this suggestion.

+1

And I've said this repeatedly.

[The Chazz 4,077]

I'm sick of hearing about this "losing culture" crap.

Chip; you are sick of losing? Well, so are we. How about you do something about it. My suggestion would be to grab another 7 or 8 of your mates, I'm thinking Watts, Grimes, Jones, Moloney, Sylvia, Scully, Trengove and maybe Rivers, and make a stand. Spend the rest of the season living in each others pockets, reading the Demons Rules, so that it is in your head that there is no other way to play the game. That way, you can lead this young team to the next level, and all players on the list know what the expectation is. This group can play ceratin roles, and if they are struggling, the others get in there and help him out to make sure they walk off having achieved. Realistic targets have to be set, chances are we wont win every game, but if this core group know each others individual targets (and know how their role impacts on that group achieving their targets), they will have no option but to ensure they reach it.

Having a couple of mates here and there and playing your little xbox or whatever you do in your spare time is fine, but all of you need to grow up, and understand that you have the ability to win premeierships, but it's going to take commitment and sacrifices. You need to live and breath the desire for improvement, and until such times, take away things that are distracting you. There will be plenty of time for fun along the way, but at the moment, your work/life balance seems all out of whack to me, and your priorities are in a similar state.

Before any of you whinge about the players needing time away from footy, this is bloody serious sh!t we're talking about. If these players that continue to Tweet to us about making a stand aren't willing to do it, then we're in a lot of trouble. I got shot down the other day suggesting a Twitter ban, well, it's not looking that drastic measure now is it?

Am I carrying on? Maybe. But before any of you get up me, I'm as bloody passionate as anyone at the Club, and I want things to change. I'm sick of my team being pathetic. Ok, Bailey might have to go, I'll leave that up to those that know best, but one thing is for sure, I want the players to take a heap of responsibility. You're the ones out there making these statements and not backing them up. It will take more than a change of coach to remove this "losing culture", so why not start it this weekend players?