Dean Bailey has been sacked

[Sir Why You Little 34,461]

My wife said to me the day Melbourne appointed Bailey they had made the wrong decision and she is never wrong.

Classic Robbie.....!!

[Eth 4]

A 26% winning percenatage in nearly 4 seasons.............and then the game on Saturday...............surely no one is suprised.

With 7 wins and 37 losses in 2008 and 2009 skewing that record. Doubt many coaches could go better than that and still set up our youth for the future in the way that he did.

[agent 99 57]

Anyone who thinks this decision was just about Saturday is kidding themselves.

There have been questions marks over our game style all season, and the ups and downs have been dramatic.

Close games against the Pies last year, floggings this year.

The Hawthorn embarassment early in the season, the ongoing inability to beat Victorian teams, and teams around our level like North.

A 26% winning percenatage in nearly 4 seasons.............and then the game on Saturday...............surely no one is suprised.

If the administration suspected it before, Saturday proved he wasn't the coach to take us forward.

+1

[w00dy 146]

Maybe it wasnt such a knee jerk reaction. Maybe Dean wasnt going to be offered an extension for next year, maybe Cameron's time at the Club was also limited. Yesterday's performance just bought it all forward.

That's fine, and if we get an appropriate explanation tomorrow I will be happy. Something tells me that they'll try and keep the details behind closed doors. While I agree with this approach generally, it's not going to fly with me in these circumstances.

[Guest dieharderdee]

Put the season into perspective. Todd Viney looks like he will take over and coach the team against the Blues on Saturday. If we win that one, which is a definite possibility at the G, we'll be on track to make finals. If I had said to anyone at the start of the year that Melbourne would make the finals, but Dean Bailey would be sacked as coach, they would tell me that was a ridiculous prediction, and that the team would've had a good season.

Im sorry but if you put this season in to perspective we have zero chance of beating the blues on the weekend becuase there are an inform team at the top of the ladder. They will beat us by about 80 points.

The payers are the real problem here bailey was just a message

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Hey Robbie, can you ask your wife who we should get next? Please.

BTW She wants James Frawley as Captain, Moloney as Vice Captain and Rivers in the mix as well.

[P-man 13,168]

I'm amazed at the number of people thinking we can beat the Blues. The team that ran out on Saturday would've struggled against most VFL sides. Our chances of beating a top four side in the state we are in, complete disarray, are slim to zilch. The new coach factor means nothing. Simply a competitive performance would be nice. The SENIOR players looking like they give two whatsernames would also be nice.

Right decision was made. 186 ffs. Yes one game, but it's still 186.

[Kento80 83]

I don't agree that DB should have been sacked so close to the end of the season. He seems to have been made scapegoat for the disaster yesterday even though the players are behind DB. To my mind there is more to this. For CS to also get the chop is the major mystery. He is very close to Jim yet he is gone. What has he done that makes his position so untenable. Chris Connolly is also close to Jim and Gary yet he seems to have gone as well. Not even his friendship with them has saved him. Something has happened to force the board to sack them both. It cant just be what happened yesterday on the footy field because neither Chris or Cameron should have had any bearing on the football department.Could it be Cameron's handling of the Tom Scully situation that has forced the Board's hand.

Where did you hear that CS and CC have also been sacked? I have looked about, and come up with nothing.

Sad day for the club today but much sadder yesterday.Dean Bailey did a lot for the club including sacrificing his own personal record for the good of developing a young list. I felt that sacrifice the most when we played the Bulldogs a month ago in a game that was crucial to his season, he gave Sam Blease a chance. I think that showed above all, that he was single minded in achieving something unique in coaching. Unfortunately it wasn't working on a number of levels and now he's gone.We thank Dean. He was the coach that we had to have during the time he was at the club.We move into an interesting five week period. History tells us that with players freed of inhibitions under a new coach, a team can rise to new heights. Matthew Primus and Port Adelaide showed that last year. Mark Bickley proved it to an extent today.Make no mistake. Despite yesterday, it's possible with a new approach to team selection, tactics and game strategies the team can win every one of the five remaining games. There are players whose cards might have been marked this morning who have new opportunities. Some will be liberated to play in new roles, others will go back to more familiar roles. The playing group has produced teams capable of winning games by 15 goals on more than one occasion this year. Such a team, with the right direction has the chance for redemption against its next two opponents. We owe them both big time for what they did to us earlier this year. Let's make it pay back time.Oh, and it goes without saying that the recriminations against players can wait. They have five weeks to show what they can do - from the captain down to the rookies.

Very good and reasoned post WJ.

Personally, I have no hard feelings for Dean, and feel sorry for him due to how humiliating this must all be, but at the end of the day it is the world in which he lives. By no means will I excuse the players though, and whoever is in charge as of now needs to read the riot act, and not mince words.

Yesterday was the worst day of my football loving life, and a day which I would like to consign to the darkest recesses of my mind. However I feel that this episode is not done yet. I only hope that the people who have made all the right moves for the club recently, will now not falter in what is probably the most important period of our clubs modern history. I couldn't give a hoot if the coach they recruit is a topliner, a newbie or a seasoned assistant, but for christs sakes they better pick THE RIGHT BLOKE! I don't care if he is the nicest bloke in the world, he needs to have the balls to give a bake when a bake is required, but know how to make that bake motivational, not humiliating. It is no longer about MM, PR, RE, LM or AC. All that matters anymore is finding the right bloody person. Someone who fits our club. Someone who is willing to be ruthless in making our players play how they need to. Someone who will embrace our club and make sure that the kids who play for our beloved red and blue are jumping out of their skin to take the field and stand up. No more hangers on, no more excuses and nowhere to hide anymore!

We will come through this, and I believe we will be stronger for the pain. Dean I wish you well, and thank you for your dedication. GO DEES!

Edited July 31, 2011 by Kento80

[w00dy 146]

Put the season into perspective. Todd Viney looks like he will take over and coach the team against the Blues on Saturday. If we win that one, which is a definite possibility at the G, we'll be on track to make finals. If I had said to anyone at the start of the year that Melbourne would make the finals, but Dean Bailey would be sacked as coach, they would tell me that was a ridiculous prediction, and that the team would've had a good season.

Im sorry but if you put this season in to perspective we have zero chance of beating the blues on the weekend becuase there are an inform team at the top of the ladder. They will beat us by about 80 points.

The payers are the real problem here bailey was just a message

A win isn't likely I accept that, but for mine you give the guy the opportunity, rather than just assuming that we would lose. Judge him on the season as a whole, not on 1 pitiful performance.

[Real Demon 232]

With 7 wins and 37 losses in 2008 and 2009 skewing that record. Doubt many coaches could go better than that and still set up our youth for the future in the way that he did.

Without wanting to go [censored] for tat throughout this thread, I think I'll just say I don't agree.

[Rollo2 64]

I also (like almost everyone here) think it's probably the right decision. Teams don't lose by 186 unless there is something very very wrong. Teams don't lose by 186 with coaches that should stay on. It's tough and I feel sad for Dean, but when it's not working it's not working, and something's got to give.

My honest opinion is that Bailey came to the club knowing that he was going to be a rebuilding coach, and so his adopted attitude was one of confidence regarding the future but almost insouciance regarding week to week results. He'd sit time and time again after losses, unfazed, talking about game plans, quarters won and so on.

But four years into a rebuild you can't do that anymore, and I think his failure to recognize that has been his downfall. Four years in, you need to start demanding more from a playing group, and giving them hell if they're not giving it to you. And I think Bailey has mainly failed at making this transition.

It is way past time for us to lose Bailey's 'rebuild' mindset. Not saying that we don't still have a lot of developing to do, just saying that we won't develop any more till we stop seeing ourselves through that lens.

Wish DB all the best, and still have a lot of respect for the guy. His personal dignity was possibly never more impressive than after the game yesterday.

[Total-Dee 2]

I would left the decision on Dean Bailey till the end of the year. There nothing much a new coach can do in the last few weeks to prove themselves one way or the other. It would also show that we aren't just knee-jerk reacting like many other clubs. If Dean pulled us into the finals at the end of the year then I would put him on for another year. I expected us to make finals this year and its on this that I would place Dean Bailey's future not just losing one game to the one of the top two teams.

I still believe in this playing group. OK we had a real bad game. ALL players must take account for this not just the leaders, I mean these are ALL professional players getting good money to play well. They can and should take us deep into the finals next year.

If GC get smashed next week at Shell Stadium do you think they will sack their coach (I think not!) or maybe they are smarter then us.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Like I said yesterday, he wasn't going to survive this one. All in all I think it's the right move at the moment. Whether it is a good thing long-term will be decided when they try to land another coach. Then we'll see what the football community are thinking about the club.

I really hope they make the players front up for the press conference tomorrow so they can see exactly what they've caused. Whatever the problems in the gameplan, the blame for yesterday lies squarely with them and they need to know it. Put the leadership group on the stage and have the rest of them in the audience.

[Longsufferingnomore 1,463]

That's fine, and if we get an appropriate explanation tomorrow I will be happy. Something tells me that they'll try and keep the details behind closed doors. While I agree with this approach generally, it's not going to fly with me in these circumstances.

What worries me more is that it wont fly with the Media as well and they will be probing as to why Cameron and Chris have gone(if the tweets are correct and they go tomorrow). What they discover may be more likely to do more harm than just with Dean being sacked. Coaches get sacked every year, not so CEO's etc etc. I say this though with no confirmed knowledge of why they would be sacked.

[hoopla 418]

I’m not sure if Dean was the man to coach us next year, and wouldn’t have minded if the club moved him on come seasons end. But if we don’t get an explanation of the last 48 hours, then this has been handled extremely poorly, and the call has been made too early.

Lets hope that tomorrow our questions are answered. There can't be any secrets on this issue, it all needs to come out in the wash. Anything less is just insulting to the fans of this footy club.

Absolutely agree

What disturbs me the most about the events of today is the rumour that last week the Board was leaning towards an extension of Bailey's contract .............. so that it has tipped its entire strategy on its head in the emotional aftermath of one game.

What sort of immature Board does that? One huge loss can tip things over the edge ( as with Craig) - and perhaps it should trigger a review of strategy ... but how can it set a completely new direction within 24 hours - with emotion clouding its thoughts ?

Immature ? incompetent?

Explanation please

Edited July 31, 2011 by hoopla

[Striker475 696]

Absolutely agree

What disturbs me the most about the events of today is the rumour that last week the Board was leaning towards an extension of Bailey's contract .............. so that it has tipped its entire strategy on its head in the emotional aftermath of one game.

What sort of immature Board does that? One huge loss can tip things over the edge ( as with Craig) - and perhaps it should trigger a review of strategy ... but how can it set a completely new direction within 24 hours - with emotion clouding its thoughts.

Key words being leaning towards.

Any of the big clubs would put a publicly safe coach on notice after a loss like that. After the losses we've had to have that happen - coupled with his being out of contract - it would have brought the entire club into disrepute to do anything less.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Absolutely agree

What disturbs me the most about the events of today is the rumour that last week the Board was leaning towards an extension of Bailey's contract .............. so that it has tipped its entire strategy on its head in the emotional aftermath of one game.

What sort of immature Board does that? One huge loss can tip things over the edge ( as with Craig) - and perhaps it should trigger a review of strategy ... but how can it set a completely new direction within 24 hours - with emotion clouding its thoughts ?

Immature ? incompetent?

Explanation please

It says to me that there is no talk between the various factions of the club. Who told the journalist he was on the verge of being reappointed; was it a board member or a member of the Football Department and who has the final say in his appointment?

The Club is leaking like a sieve at the moment and it's obvious that someone in there is giving journalists bits and pieces here and there.

[Striker475 696]

Sanderson/Eade for 2012. Name me a better possible combination to put together.

[w00dy 146]

Caro's take on the situation below. Senior group of players went to Stynes a few weeks ago, with concerns over the disfunctional football department. This all needs to come out in the wash tomorrow, it'll be tough, but needs to happen.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/player-revolt-preceded-humiliation-20110731-1i6k6.html

[e25 5]

As much as I hate to say it, the right decision has been made.

It had become untenable, whether Bailey's fault or not.

Even though many think that we should get a "proven" coach, and they might be right, Mark Neeld will coach MFC in 2012.

Bookmark it.

[e25 5]

Sanderson/Eade for 2012. Name me a better possible combination to put together.

Mark Neeld will get the job.

[Cheesy D. Pun 1,762]

I've stayed out of the debate about new coaches but as it looks like we officially need someone, I would throw a vote in for Rodney Eade. If you look at past premiership winning coaches, they've all had a ridiculous amount of resources (especially in the footbal department) at their disposal.

With that in mind, it would not be too far fetched to suggest that Eade's achievments at the Dogs are the equal of those coaches of more well resourced clubs.

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

Caro's take on the situation below. Senior group of players went to Stynes a few weeks ago, with concerns over the disfunctional football department. This all needs to come out in the wash tomorrow, it'll be tough, but needs to happen.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/player-revolt-preceded-humiliation-20110731-1i6k6.html

Well thats all very interestng if correct.....I think we all deserve a full explanation.......

[Lost Highway 31]

First, DB has had long enough. On many occasions this year the team has looked plain disorganised, confused, and to be going backwards. There's no plan A of any substance, and definitely no plan B. The best part of the last two seasons has gone by and the appearance of system in the team's play is accidental, sporadic. System, organisation, discipline - even on a simple level, like manning up or running hard - has not been inculcated to the point where it no longer needs thinking about. Anyone could see from the previous week's effort that they were facing a caning at Geelong. This very prospect had almost certainly permeated the minds of the players themselves. In other words, they were going into the match, and most of the preceding matches against top opposition, with a detachment that makes it impossible to play with any natural talent or even instinct; each player had intellectualised the problem, and realised quite consciously that there was no plan as an individual or a group to cope with even the first moment when some piece of play went wrong, where the opposition got 6 goals ahead in the first quarter. The submission of the team is the rational, logical result of having no system, of knowing that there is no system. Not even any tactics. Take exactly the same level of play as demonstrated the week before, combine it with the opposition of a super-team on their difficult home ground, and the magnitude of the loss seems quite inevitable and predictable. The alienation of the players' minds from the hurly-burly of the game was complete, and in those minds they were no doubt able to find lots of rationalisations for their surrender. DB is ultimately to blame for that.

Second, in thinking about where DB went wrong, apart from not having a system or any apparent discipline, I've come to the conclusion that perhaps his biggest mistake, symbolically and practically, was 'letting go' (as they say about sacking some poor sap in England) of Junior. This has bloomed in significance with the passing of time and the benefit of hindsight. A good leader, a very good player - still one of the team's best - and a leader with real integrity who inspired the younger players. Madness. The effect of this on the other players has been cumulative, as they have lost a gentleman to the very organisation that has come to be seen as the devil incarnate in its alleged wooing of Scully. How ironic. They must have been wondering just what the 'brains trust' were on when they tapped Junior on the shoulder. DB should have realised just how important he was and how damaging his 'retirement' would be. The affair still festers, even if it's not on everyone's lips these days. This shows very pointedly and poignantly DB's lack of sound judgment, something you can see compounded in the recall of players like Bate and Dunn, neither of whom, as players, are fit to tie Junior's laces. As soon as I saw their names for the Hawthorn match I knew the writing was on the wall. Anyway, those who lament DB's sacking should also remember Junior's.

Third, despite my talking about the lack of organisation and system in the way the team plays, the irony is that the result of this is a team that appears to play without any heart. So, I think DB has failed on two fronts.

Fourth, I think the Scully business, of which we are all sick and tired, has affected the players, the administration, the coach. I suspect that they suspect that a big offer is being made or will be made to him by MFC. This is destabilising and no doubt causes resentment, particularly when people are talking in the media about massive counter-offers from MFC that other players don't even dare dream about, despite having more 'runs on the board' than TS. The club hasn't handled this well; nor has Scully if you ask me. The media have just toyed with MFC over this. He should have been advised to nip the whole thing in the bud. Perhaps he should have been dropped for the rest of the year from the team for which he plays only occasionally; now he can take those alleged preposterous offers from GWS if he likes, and do what the players do on the field - rationalise it all away. Junior would have been far more helpful to the team this year than Tom!

It's horrible to see a coach removed like this, at this point in the season, in such circumstances as to make him seem like a sacrificial offering, a scapegoat, and I think DB has conducted himself with dignity and been articulate throughout his time at the club. He no doubt has his qualities, even as a coach. But he had failed abysmally at the most important things by the time of the Eagles debacle, or even earlier - that game against Brisbane at the 'G for instance. Forget about the comebacks after that drubbing or the one by Carlton; they were against interstate teams, one of which is worse than Melbourne and the other a traditional loser at the MCG.

I've read in this huge thread lots of comments about how he should have been able to see out the season. That would be the very worst thing for the club - more toleration of failure - and DB himself should know that. Some have blamed the players, which is a just thing to do; they're wimps alright. But it's simple maths. You can't sack a whole team. You certainly can't do it for failing to make Bailey look like a good coach!

No, the right thing has been done, coach wise. I thought he was lucky the watershed hadn't already been passed in the Eagles and Carlton games, when I was sure I had never seen more embarrassing performances by a Demons side. Well, not since Neil Balme's time, anyway. Since then, they have become even worse. A couple of good wins, but the look at the trend line. At least a kind of collective paralysis may have been treated by a very unpleasant cure.

Edited July 31, 2011 by Lost Highway

[Rogue 585]

What disturbs me the most about the events of today is the rumour that last week the Board was leaning towards an extension of Bailey's contract .............. so that it has tipped its entire strategy on its head in the emotional aftermath of one game.

One huge loss can tip things over the edge ( as with Craig) - and perhaps it should trigger a review of strategy ... but how can it set a completely new direction within 24 hours - with emotion clouding its thoughts ?

Explanation please

Fair call.