How we are now perceived as a club

[beelzebub 23,390]

In light of remarks recently of the ilk as spewed by sycophants such as Denham or not so long ago by the Imperial Leader himself much is , or had been made of Melbourne as a listless, stand for nothing mob treading water whilst waiting for a bus that never comes.

To be honest, some was more than a bit deserved. False start after false start heralded in , well, heralded in nothing. The club had attempted over the years to rebuild and recast itself in some image akin to a competitiive football side. Occasionally we resembled one without ever becoming one.

Ive followed this team all my life, as I have no doubt has anyone reading this. Soome of us have done it for quite a while. In my case 47 years. Strangely and the irony isnt lost on me the same period since our last piece of major Silverware. I swear it isnt my fault. ( hope not)

The last time I saw anything that resembled a transformation into something potent were the Swooper years, now long gone. I cant remember ever witnessing such a wholesale change of identity as that which weve just seen. From a spark lit as Stynes came to oversee our recovery to flames fanned by a major overhaul of not only who this club is but what it stands for. A football dept that not so long ago stood impotent to affect change to an almost unrecognisable version of self has just landed a coup in this trade week.

Its not so much the player himself thats coming that bodes well in my mind ( though I have hopes too) but its the actuality of the event. We did somethiing. We havent been able todo much for more years than I can remember. We were not thought of in glowing terms by the football fraternity nor its public.

So, in repeating the topic, how are we now percieved ? Or how will we be. The National drafts loom and after all teams finalise lists the media as well as the football following public will discuss ( ad nauseum) the potentials for all teams in this coming season.

I wonder if our desire to open a window will now be heard with belief. I also wonder now after all the change how we will stand in the great pecking order of things football.

I sense weve fiinally come to play for keeps.

[biggestred 5,268]

We are seen as useless. And will be until we are competitive in an grand final. The end

[Guest Shirt Front]

Our perception as a club will change once we start winning games.

GO DEES.

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,364]

Tonight helped.

But our performances between Rd 15-24 this year were mostly disgusting, and we have a long way to go after a promising 2010.

[Demon2 58]

We are seen as useless. And will be until we are competitive in an grand final. The end

Agree 100%

[Debamboozle 29]

And we have Jack Viney and two top 20 picks in next year's super draft.

New salary cap. We are paying less than the required amount, so font load a massive contract 'to do something'. We have been so insipid for too long.

Clark was a great play, just what we needed. Watts and Jurrah can now play on the ball. Our many other young guns are one year older.

Noah might even be named Captain.

We just took the supercoach arms race up a serious notch - 2 coaches and 1 IT person for each line plus directors of developent (Viney), elite performance (Misson) and innovations and sports science (Neale).

Neeld is smashing it with deliberate purpose.

Gary Lyon - not a word, very quiet. Schwab also strangely quiet.

Big Jim hope your not in pain and with loved ones. You started this bonfire. You gave us belief and pride again.

C'arn the Mighty Demons!

[monoccular 17,700]

We will be perceived as "having potential", as we have before from time to time: that perception will not change until we actually achieve, consistently, on the field.

Let's forget perceptions and actually kick ass !

[beelzebub 23,390]

We are seen as useless. And will be until we are competitive in an grand final. The end

I dont think weve been seen as useless more like perennial disappointments.

Possibly competive in a GF is your litmus but I think you miss the tent of the OP. How is it likely we will be viewed different ly going into season 2012 ?

It wouldnt be a stretch nor unkind to suggest we were very much viewed as a club who had grand ideals but no idea of how to move any aspirations into a reality. Theres been so much positive work accomplished that only a particularly one eyed and dismissive commentator could not realise this is a different beast emerging from one of recent decades.

Perceptions ought not be casr aside so easily. Its perceptions that get people interested ( or not ) Its perceptions that suade folk to part with their money for memberships, its perceptions that mould how followers consider their teams chances to fair well. Its perceptions that get bums on seats.

Perceptions are what we are in the main all about. Little in life is real as we know it...its how we perceive it to be.

Recent events, this weekend's included wil undoubtedly make some sit up and take notice. That bumbling bunch have smartened up thier act. There's a little bit of can do attitude and ability starting to show itself.

I for one wil lbe intrigued to see how the view of the sports media shifts in the lead up to 2012.

[John Crow Batty 8,886]

No perceptions are going to change until we start playing football with real attitude and commitment starting off now. Our respectability meter is at zero and well deserved. If we come to the NAB cup next season with the same insipid spirit and followed up with excuses just like in the past preseason that is's going to be a long season and we will get better as the season progresses, etc, I will scream. No impartial observer will be fooled like most supporters. Commitment, hardness and desire have to be the absolute non negotiable's from day one. If the likes of Davey, Green and Morton etc, don't like it then they can rot for the rest of their careers at Casey.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

I was at a game (V Hawks) when an opposition supporter told her daughter she "felt sorry" for Melbourne. How shameful is that? We have got to become a Kick arse side and change perceptions by changing the scoreboard.

[45HG 1,559]

I've never really understood why so many MFC fans care what others think of our club.

Having spent a lot of time with fans of other clubs, I can tell you that they don't care how their club is perceived.

[dees64 104]

The poor perception of our club is valid as we have not been able to stamp our authority this is due to poor leadership from the board over many years & poor training facility etc, which the current board are addressing

1. Modern training facility & admin under one roof
   
2. Debt demolition
   
3. Record Major Sponsor
   
4. Record membership
   
5. Money to spend on getting extra coaches eg Craig, Missionn
   
6. Stable board with commercial acumen to generate cash for the club
   
7. Casey alignment to grow the brand
   

Remember Geelong in 2000 were in 5mill debt & a under performing list, they fixed up all the off field issues and assembled the right people to build one of the best teams ever! This was without any priority picks!

Other examples are Haw & Coll both down & out in the mid to late 90s, all have one thing in common STABILITY!

[timD 994]

I've never really understood why so many MFC fans care what others think of our club.

Having spent a lot of time with fans of other clubs, I can tell you that they don't care how their club is perceived.

BANG on the money!

I don't care! I don't want to be liked, hated, feared or joked about. I want ot club to be ambitious, run a tight ship and win me some effing football games so my 4 year old doesn't grow up thinking that we only win when we play freo and adeliade!

[DemonDan83 95]

If we come to the NAB cup next season with the same insipid spirit and followed up with excuses just like in the past preseason that is's going to be a long season and we will get better as the season progresses, etc, I will scream.

I think by the way Mark Neeld has dealt with everything so far, he is not going to be like our other coaches in the past and make lame excuses, he knows what he wants and if the players don't want to be part of it I think they will very soon be on the outer. I'm loving it, heard the boys on trade week radio today that they are shocked at Melbourne's aggression this week, but that it was fantastic to see!! I was shocked too, but I am loving the ruthlessness, I hope this is the attitude Neeldy will instil in the palyers! GO DEES.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

This attitude we have gained over the off season needs to be maintained not just through the bad times but the good. I don't know much of what the administration do but I can only see their actions and all their actions in this off season show that Bull [censored] will not be tolerated from now on. I think we will be taken seriously from right about now. This can only be a good thing for our players. To know that everything is being put in place for them to win games they must be happy but they must know that the pressure to perform has risen as well.

[Sir Why You Little 37,342]

If Mark Neeld wishes to be a career senior coach in the AFL the MFC must be successful...it really is that simple.

[baysidedave 246]

Our perception as a club will change once we start winning games.

GO DEES.

it has already started changing, with all the pro-active work and total reconstruction of the coaching panel people will start to look at us a lot differently.

[Sir Why You Little 37,342]

it has already started changing, with all the pro-active work and total reconstruction of the coaching panel people will start to look at us a lot differently.

Not if we don't start winning they won't...The Backroom will mean diddley Squat.

[Chook 15,023]

Not if we don't start winning they won't...The Backroom will mean diddley Squat.

Then why does it exist?

[Guest Shirt Front]

it has already started changing, with all the pro-active work and total reconstruction of the coaching panel people will start to look at us a lot differently.

I agree, however I believe the perception has changed in the eyes of MFC supporters and not with the football world. To change how people look at us and think of us we need to start winning games. We have to be competitive, we have to be consistent, we have to be the hardest team to play in the AFL.

[Fork 'em 7,052]

If Mark Neeld wishes to be a career senior coach in the AFL the MFC must be successful...it really is that simple.

Couldn't said it better myself .

Mark Neeld will not accept any BS and lay everything on the line for he saw what happened to the last fella .

If you land the senior coaching with a club like us you get 1 shot at it .

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I've never really understood why so many MFC fans care what others think of our club.

Having spent a lot of time with fans of other clubs, I can tell you that they don't care how their club is perceived.

I thought the same thing.

Frankly I could not give a stuff what people think.

This sort of topic is an ideal barrow for those to air their negative perceptions of the Club.

[beelzebub 23,390]

How strange , many miss th p oint.

The fortunes of any club often rest upon the idea of how they are seen . This manifests itslef in memberships, im attendences and merchandise sales. It even goes as far as how its treated by the AFL itself.

Its not how the likes of a RR or a 44hg16 or even myslef sees us its how the uncommitted or the might-bes do. Its about how the public in general and even the business world sees us. This i believe is about to change.

To paraphrase .... This sort of topic is an ideal barrow for those who might wish to renew an interest or promote perceptions, possibly positive ones.

The glass isnt half empty to all.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

.....And its clear each of those perceptions different.

How would you know what the public in general actuall think or how the "business world"? By slagging articles in the Murdoch press?

Its great fluffy topic that is abstract enough to gets some supporters in a tizz when Dwaynee Russell has a verbal jab at MFC or Denham presents as a "Demon hater".

[old dee 24,028]

Not if we don't start winning they won't...The Backroom will mean diddley Squat.

That about covers it WYL.

Winning is all that counts.

Do Collingwood or Geelong supporters care who the people who run the FD are?

Of course not.

Make the GF and who cares.

If the Dees Play hard and start winning games in 2012 and put 10+ goal losses behind them then the perception starts to change.

Repeat 2011 and it stays were it is.