Ok, season is about to start and i think that Mark shouldnt be exempt from discussion.

to start - from a Collingwood recruiting fanatic one "Knightmare" who i actually respect the opinion of....

Neeld is a smart man. He knows what he wants and is making the right coaching appointments. Good for the guy. Has surrounded himself with what I'd describe the best coaching group in the league now and is doing a great job at setting his new club up for success.

If he could coach Collingwood tomorrow I'd take him. Not saying Buckley won't succeed but I see Neeld becoming the best in the business and the next "super coach" as the media like to describe it. Really great teacher of the game having been a teacher before coaching (which I see as a massive competitive advantage) and will bring discipline and accountability to a young team still learning the right habits which is the other aspect that seperates the good coaches from the great coaches.

But back to the issue I don't think it is right for a club to stop a guy from getting a promotion. Even if it means he changes colours to do this.

Highlighted the main points,

Truly think he is a good appointment at this stage, one word for him would be DRIVEN, wants the best, is surrounding himself with the best and expects nothing but the best from himself, his staff and more so the players.

Here's hoping that he can deliver for the MFC

I have absolutely no doubt that, in the years to come, Mark Neeld's appointment will prove itself to be a masterstroke.

There's a professionalism that he seems to have imported into our coaching structures/approach that has unfortunately been lacking for too long.

The club now has the feel of a truly progressive, highly professional, disciplined unit. In fact, it feels like Collingwood Mark 2. Whereas Collingwood now, under its new regime, no longer seems to project the same level of professionalism as it has in recent years (ie, through the departures of Malthouse, Neeld, Watters etc), and the way in which the succession planning has been handled.

The recent article in which the Pies were complaining about Neeld raiding its ranks said it all to me. There's been a quantum shift in the relative power and approach of the MFC as against the likes of Collingwood. And a lot of that IMO is due to the influence and hard edged, yet clinically focussed, approach of Mark Neeld.

If he had a number, I'd put it on my guernsey this year.

I will wait a little while before making any judgements. However cannot fault any actions so far.

A good start for Mark Neeld would be to beat one or more of the following Melbourne teams - Blues, North, Cats, Hawks, Saints and Dogs.

Bailey only beat Tigers and Bombers in his four years plus a draw against the Pies.

Terrible time to be a supporter of a Melbourne based team.

I will wait a little while before making any judgements. However cannot fault any actions so far.

Agree. He should enjoy his honeymoon while he can. Its a dogs life being a coach unless you can do a Scott and coach Geelong to a flag in his your first year.

Im very happy with the direction mark neeld is taking the club so far put the real test is about to start tonight because at the end of the day wins are what make a good coach.

The real test starts march 31 IMO.

Expect a scrappy all over the place affair in wet conditions tonight.

Im very happy with the direction mark neeld is taking the club so far put the real test is about to start tonight because at the end of the day wins are what make a good coach.

It might take a while for Mark to implement his game plan . Having a more defensive mindset , the forward press , more accountability , more long kicks , harder at the ball , more grunt etc etc are all things that he may demand from our playing group . We're coming from a fair way back in a lot of those aspects so it may take a little bit of time .

Whilst I reckon we can play finals this year , we may not be playing the "Neeld" style until about 2/3rds of the way into the season . We may catch a glimpse of it tonight . Looks like it's going to be wet tonight so the big thing I'll be looking for is a decent attack on the ball . If we do that we'll probably win both games .

Cheers

It might take a while for Mark to implement his game plan . Having a more defensive mindset , the forward press , more accountability , more long kicks , harder at the ball , more grunt etc etc are all things that he may demand from our playing group . We're coming from a fair way back in a lot of those aspects so it may take a little bit of time .

Whilst I reckon we can play finals this year , we may not be playing the "Neeld" style until about 2/3rds of the way into the season . We may catch a glimpse of it tonight . Looks like it's going to be wet tonight so the big thing I'll be looking for is a decent attack on the ball . If we do that we'll probably win both games .

Cheers

Yes i think it might take some time to get the gameplan running well so we will have to see some up and down games this year again but it should be alot better than last years form with such a big gap between our best and worst. Thats what i will judge the season on

Seems like a no nonsense coach who wants to do it his way

Looks to have a clear plan and from what we have seen so far is quick to put things in place

Too early to say much more than that

There was a Bailey thread early on in 08 and I happened to mention that while he had an impressive mind, he wasn't the hard taskmaster that I felt the club required.

I get the feeling, not prognosticating in the slightest, that Neeld will demand more from all at the club and especially the players.

It's about time.

Interestingly Neeld was not willing to comment on individual players at his press conference. A new era, give the press nothing they will only use it against you. Plaudits and criticism of players best kept behind closed doors.

Either that or he couldn't make out who was who due to the conditions. Didn't want to drill the wrong player.

If your name in any way holds true (Neeldisournoah) he should be used to heavy rains.

If your name in any way holds true (Neeldisournoah) he should be used to heavy rains.

And fairytales...

Burn.

No, seriously. I will burn in hell for that remark.

Put the man in a TRENCHCOAT and let's hope he can guide us to the ultimate prize, just as on O'l RED FOX once did..........sorry, but by geez there appears to b plenty of similarities. But off course Neeldy certainly seems to b his own man and will teach our lads well in his own way, so far so good, we've been to Hell with our DEMONS for far too long, I'm ready and waiting. Always the optimist's myself at the start of a new Demon season.

Put the man in a TRENCHCOAT and let's hope he can guide us to the ultimate prize, just as on O'l RED FOX once did..........sorry, but by geez there appears to b plenty of similarities. But off course Neeldy certainly seems to b his own man and will teach our lads well in his own way, so far so good, we've been to Hell with our DEMONS for far too long, I'm ready and waiting. Always the optimist's myself at the start of a new Demon season.

Me to mate but its coming i just know it

And fairytales...

Burn.

No, seriously. I will burn in hell for that remark.

Lets hope fairytales come true

Mark Neeld needs to address our issue of going inside fifty.

http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/team_rankings?yr=2011&ts=TT&sr=13

Dees constantly struggled under dean bailey going inside the fifty. We defended to far back under dean bailey. According to the media. Personally i think we just weren't up to the job.

Mark Neeld needs to address our issue of going inside fifty.

http://www.pro-stats...011&ts=TT&sr=13

Dees constantly struggled under dean bailey going inside the fifty. We defended to far back under dean bailey. According to the media. Personally i think we just weren't up to the job.

I never thought it was because we defended too far back ( partially true). My view is we didnt defend agressively enough. As soon as Collingwoods opponents got the ball the Pies were immediately in your face. Never gave their opponents a second no matter where they were on the park. We did not go nearly hard enough to stop our opponents moving the ball around.

I guess that equates to "we werent up to the job".

edit: the most interesting stat is how goals are scored. Most are scored from turning the ball over. My belief is we did not make our opponents turn the ball over by pressuring and we did wayyyy too much turning over ourselves through pressure ( and bad skills)

Edited March 2, 201213 yr by nutbean

After last year's debacle, it shouldn't be too hard to improve in most aspects of the on field performance this year. Not expecting anything spectacular this year though. Other than the usual improvements that we all want to see eg., hardness at the ball, more 2nd & 3rd efforts (fitness and conditioning, including the mental side), accuracy of delivery inside 50, the press starting to work in our favour instead of most other teams we play, less players being played (ie., less injuries) etc.

One aspect of last year i would really love to see illiminated is less of the 'big win / big loss' ups and downs from week to week (ie., which team is gonna turn up this week...the real Demons or?). Neeldy needs this year just to sort the wheat from the chaff and discover who the real deal is and what holes need to be filled to get us to the ultimate prize (or at least a realistic go at it) in a few years time. In addition the players will also need time to find "their" place and role and carry out the instructions under a new coach, game plan, strategies etc.

Like some others here, I can see him as potentially being our next Red Fox, but he is only human after all and he (and his team) won't truly know where we're at until a good way through the season proper.

Regardless of who is at the helm, i think we're at least one more pre season away from matching it with middle of rung teams on a consistant basis just from a pure physical/fitness/size point of view . My guess is a 10th or 11th (give or take a rung) finish this year. Of course i wont say no to any improvement on that lol.

This all points to something more substantial in 2013. Eg., a likely bottom 8 finals birth.

Good luck to Neeld and all the boys. Lets hope we can do ourselves (and especially Jimmy) real proud.

MIGHTY DEMONS FOREVA!

I dont know what it is but I'm already fully "sold" on our new coach. I know we haven't really played a game in anger yet but I've really, really warmed to his approach.

I must confess Daniher took me 3-4 years, Bailey I struggled with - but supported thru loyalty to the red & the blue.

I cant put my finger on it but I'm on board. Hope you are too.

I dont know what it is but I'm already fully "sold" on our new coach. I know we haven't really played a game in anger yet but I've really, really warmed to his approach.

I must confess Daniher took me 3-4 years, Bailey I struggled with - but supported thru loyalty to the red & the blue.

I cant put my finger on it but I'm on board. Hope you are too.

Perhaps it is because you have little to go on and the alternative is to start the next three years with severe depression.

Not a good start so MN is the Man

I must confess Daniher took me 3-4 years, Bailey I struggled with - but supported thru loyalty to the red & the blue.

I was the reverse; after three years I was off ND (not sure I was ever on; I can't remember back that far).

Definitiely NOT sold but not unsold either.