Grant Thomas on Mark Neeld

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Grant Thomas is very harsh on Mark Neeld:

Mark Neeld was a school teacher and his attitude reminds me of some of the Christian Brothers I experienced at St Bede's College many years ago. All froth and bubble, threatening, dictating, my way or the highway and without a relationship bone in their body. One senses that wasn't the way he played and its not really his temperament or personality which players see through very quickly. He may very well be the first coach to lose his players before he started. His handling of the leadership group - whilst understandable and in my opinion correct - was obviously not implemented well and was done with little or no buy-in, or empowerment from the playing group. The other incredible alleged issue was Neeld meeting with every player in person (individually) and meeting all of the indigenous players together as a group and not affording them the same courtesy which if true is one of the more bizarre management incidents of recent times. The AFL are aware of it and if true one can only assume they condone the behaviour which in the face of the Rendell situation is confusing. Maybe it didn't happen? Irrespective, it seems there is evidence of either dummy-spitting or petulance from the playing group. It is critical that players play for their coach and come to play every game - I'm not certain either party can sign off on that.

Footy Classified tonight may well be interesting; especially since Mark Neeld is On The Couch.

[BarrassHarrass 25]

wow...just wow. how we stuffed this up again. FML...i give up!

[hardtack 10,555]

wow...just wow. how we stuffed this up again. FML...i give up!

Settle down... these are the opinions and allegations of Grant Thomas.

[Choko 493]

I'm sorry, but Grant Thomas talking about relationships is like Terry Wallet talking about list management. Marketing hype, and people who like the smell of their own sh*t too much.

If we had won on the weekend, would Grant Thomas have said "Neeld's no-nonsesnse school teacher approach is what has been missnig from the demons for years". Probably.

And fancy Thomas liking "humble" McCartney. I think the only time Thomas came face to face with humble was when it hit him in the face in the form of a pie when he got sacked.

[Arsene Wenger 72]

If there is any petulance from the playing group, it was there well before Neeld took charge.

His role is to rid the club of what was already entrenched there, most heavily evidenced by 186.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Neeld has inherited a mess. Give the man time.

[H_T 3,049]

If there is any petulance from the playing group, it was there well before Neeld took charge.

His role is to rid the club of what was already entrenched there, most heavily evidenced by 186.

+1

[Allen Jakovich 516]

Sorry, can someone clarify, is Mark Neeld on On the Couch tonight or on Footy Classified?

[dee-luded 2,959]

When building a AFL hgamestyle its always been you build your defnce first prior to building the attack.

The ball winning Mids & the stopping power of the defence, plus then the rebounding abilities of the defence is critical. And is all held together by hard working players playing for one another.

This is where we should & are IMO, concentrating our main focus.

The learning of when to attack we'll learn after getting the Main points learnt. Then we may see that balance appear.

But with a new defensive gamestyle of responsibility happening, it will take a little while. And some heartache. Hopefully by the ones who refuse to put the head over the ball and work for their teammates.

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Sorry, can someone clarify, is Mark Neeld on On the Couch tonight or on Footy Classified?

Neeld is On The Couch. Thomas is on Footy Classified.

[Allen Jakovich 516]

Neeld is On The Couch. Thomas is on Footy Classified.

Ta.

[Guest Thomo]

St Bede's have De La Salle Brothers, not Christian Brothers, so Thomas has obviously not spent to much time with them.

I have no respect for Thomas after hearing how he leaked Blights list of players that were not going to be part of the club going forward to the players in order to take his job.

Has Grant paid back his gambling debts yet?

[rpfc 28,539]

We don't have the senior players to pull the team in line and show them the way, we require the coach to have standards and pull them into line with those standards.

I know Grant loves to think he is right about everything but the players don't need a relationship with their head coach - if they want that they can pow-wow with their Line coach or the Assistant Line Coach.

Neeld needs to be demanding and strong.

The players don't like it now, but they will appreciate it later.

[Sir Why You Little 37,052]

That is a very poignant comment about how Neeld spoke to the indienous group. I would like to hear Neeld's side of the story on that before making comment.

[Bang Na Demon 167]

If its true he met the indigenous as a group not affording them an individual meeting as the non indigenous players, its is a disgrace and racism of the highest order. I hope its not so.

[DemonWA 3,936]

Seeing the next few months unfold will be very interesting. The club has gone through a drastic off field rebuild, Jurrah being arrested & charged, Jimmys passing and now intense media scrutiny after 1 AFL game. Mark Neeld is undergoing a baptism of fire.

Keep your heads up Dees

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Neeld is there to be their coach, not their friend.

[olisik 4,060]

If its true he met the indigenous as a group not affording them an individual meeting as the non indigenous players, its is a disgrace and racism of the highest order. I hope its not so.

we can almost say this is crap already, i believe i have read articles on how he has spoken to davey individually in the pre-season. Also he spoke to Jurrah individually. I am also hell sure that Wona got his own chat before being de-listed. So who would have been in that group if he spoke to them as a group? Bennell?

[old dee 23,801]

Seeing the next few months unfold will be very interesting. The club has gone through a drastic off field rebuild, Jurrah being arrested & charged, Jimmys passing and now intense media scrutiny after 1 AFL game. Mark Neeld is undergoing a baptism of fire.

Keep your heads up Dees

Might have been abetter idea to take the Adelaide offer?

I wonder if that will cross his mind in the months ahead.

[Jaded No More 68,966]

If its true he met the indigenous as a group not affording them an individual meeting as the non indigenous players, its is a disgrace and racism of the highest order. I hope its not so.

That is the only comment that bothers me.

I hope Neeld has more sense than to disrespect our indigenous players, especially given one of them is going through such a tough time at the moment and is a vital part of our team going forward.

The rest of the comments are just the opinion of one man who failed miserably as a coach.

If our players are having a sook because somebody is being mean to them, they should come work in my industry for a day and feel what it's like being sh*t kicked while getting paid very little. They can suck it up or they can ship out.

[Choko 493]

That is the only comment that bothers me.

I hope Neeld has more sense than to disrespect our indigenous players, especially given one of them is going through such a tough time at the moment and is a vital part of our team going forward.

The rest of the comments are just the opinion of one man who failed miserably as a coach.

If our players are having a sook because somebody is being mean to them, they should come work in my industry for a day and feel what it's like being sh*t kicked while getting paid very little. They can suck it up or they can ship out.

At this stage, it is a baseless rumour, which even Thomas admits may be incorrect.

And Xiss - let's not go nuts and slam a rumour as disgrace and racism of the highest order. Racism is more complex than that.

[olisik 4,060]

Neeld had a private talk to Davey to put him on notice

Neeld had a private talk with Jurrah Re the Darwin incident

Neeld had a private talk with Wona re his delisting

Article is crap

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I have no respect for Thomas after hearing how he leaked Blights list of players that were not going to be part of the club going forward to the players in order to take his job.

I thought Malcolm did enough (or did a little) to offer his role at St Kilda to anyone that would take it.

Any chance we can get Jason Akermanis's view on MFC after we give Blight ansd Thomas some airspace???

[daisycutter 29,622]

If its true he met the indigenous as a group not affording them an individual meeting as the non indigenous players, its is a disgrace and racism of the highest order. I hope its not so.

come come xiss, "racism of the highest order"? What rock have you been hiding under?

want me to elaborate on "racism of the highest order"? I don't think you would have the stomach for it

you should be more considered before making inflammatory statements when you don't even have the facts or know if there is any truth in it

[rhaz 342]

An article by Grant Thomas that has "allegedly" and "Maybe it didn't happen?" as part of the text is not worthy of a discussion. Thomas is a dick who makes up [censored] to stir the pot because he is irrelevant