Today Neeld said he didn't know or care who the so called disgruntled player was who originated this mess. Is anyone curious as to why ?

The club prides itself on values such as honesty and trust. I don't think there is truck loads of trust ATM.

Good culture is built on foundations such as these values.

I really like Neeld and feel quite sorry for him that he has had to endure what he has had to since his tenure began.

He has done everything he thinks is right for the MFC, i have no idea why people criticize him when he is obviously busting his a#$ to get things in line.

Imagine how DB would react with all this crap going on?

I am not expecting any big results from Neeld this week due to the amount of time he has had with the guys, the amount of crap thats gone on, but come next year, once he has had a full off season to fix up this list, we will see changes start to happen.

Today Neeld said he didn't know or care who the so called disgruntled player was who originated this mess. Is anyone curious as to why ?

The club prides itself on values such as honesty and trust. I don't think there is truck loads of trust ATM.

Good culture is built on foundations such as these values.

I'd bet Neeld knows exactly who it was. I'd say he will let them live or die by their own sword.

Making a song and dance over it achieves nothing beside more bad press for the club.

Team selection night can't come quick enough for mine.

We have a reasonable list with serious potential for upside but no onfield leadership.

Watching Demonlanders jump ship after one game following the death of Jim

makes me wonder how they haven't already jumped off.

Barracking for Melbourne isn't easy, hasn't been at anytime for most of our lives,

Just think how sweet Number 13 will be and look after yourselves as it may take a while

I agree with this topic.

To many supporters are afraid for change. Guess what people, what we were doing before WAS NOT WORKING. we lost by 186. we got dominated every second week, we had no heart, no fight and no mental strength. We've been a pathetic club for too long. Other supporters and other clubs do not take even half-seriously.

We need change. We need a guy to come in and tell us things aren't ok, things aren't fine the way they are.

And if some supporters get upset because they're used to the style that saw us lose by 186 points, then so be it.

If it means a few players like Moloney and Davey get upset and dropped to VFL. so be it. Because last year, Moloney, Davey, Green and Rivers were our leaders, and no leader i have ever heard of would let their team lose by 186 points. it's unheard of and you can't lose by that must without having not one ounce of heart.

The senior players have rightfully been put in their place. The supporters are going to have to accept change and so will the players.

What was going on for the last 4 years was unacceptable. Change is good people.

Frame this post!!!!!!!

Could not agree more, and right on the money.

I'd bet Neeld knows exactly who it was. I'd say he will let them live or die by their own sword.

Making a song and dance over it achieves nothing beside more bad press for the club.

Team selection night can't come quick enough for mine.

We have a reasonable list with serious potential for upside but no onfield leadership.

Watching Demonlanders jump ship after one game following the death of Jim

makes me wonder how they haven't already jumped off.

Barracking for Melbourne isn't easy, hasn't been at anytime for most of our lives,

Just think how sweet Number 13 will be and look after yourselves as it may take a while

Neeld knows who it is. It is the only way he could be so dismissive this morning.

I'd bet Neeld knows exactly who it was. I'd say he will let them live or die by their own sword.

Making a song and dance over it achieves nothing beside more bad press for the club.

Team selection night can't come quick enough for mine.

We have a reasonable list with serious potential for upside but no onfield leadership.

Watching Demonlanders jump ship after one game following the death of Jim

makes me wonder how they haven't already jumped off.

Barracking for Melbourne isn't easy, hasn't been at anytime for most of our lives,

Just think how sweet Number 13 will be and look after yourselves as it may take a while

Oh spare me the "we have to hang tough" sermon.

I have heard it too many times in the last half a century.

We all bloody well know that.

Are the majority of us still here YES.

Will we be here next week YES

Will we be here next year YES

So put up with a bit of our bleating we have the right

I'd bet Neeld knows exactly who it was. I'd say he will let them live or die by their own sword.

Making a song and dance over it achieves nothing beside more bad press for the club.

Team selection night can't come quick enough for mine.

We have a reasonable list with serious potential for upside but no onfield leadership.

Watching Demonlanders jump ship after one game following the death of Jim

makes me wonder how they haven't already jumped off.

Barracking for Melbourne isn't easy, hasn't been at anytime for most of our lives,

Just think how sweet Number 13 will be and look after yourselves as it may take a while

Completely agree.

I think quite a few "supporters" and threatening to jump ship when they're already in the water, trying to swim around so they can climb back on.

I'd bet Neeld knows exactly who it was. I'd say he will let them live or die by their own sword.

Well I hope he does and deals with it. Because letting it fester....could lead to problems later.

Yep , well and truly on board with Mark Neeld .

A little concerned about the "boundary hugging" bit , but I'm banking on this being only a small part of our game plan . Did the players take him too literally last week ? I do think it's an outdated system though . Collingwood have cut back a fair bit on that style ( judging on last Friday night ) .

Mark did say that he knows that we know how to attack . Maybe there's just been an over correction on the defensive aspect . It's going to take a bit of time to teach our blokes a more "total football" style . Last Saturday was a reality check in a lot of ways .

Corridor footy is the go IMO . Neeld comes across as having footy smarts and is certainly no nonsense . There's going to be some casualties by seasons end but I reckon our senior players who performed poorly against the Lions will get a chance to redeem themselves against the Eagles next Saturday .

Cheers

Edited April 4, 201213 yr by Macca

Don't totally understand your question/point here....

No one "chooses" unity, it's cultivated.

I'll say again, I really like Neeld, but what I didn't like was him separating himself from the weekend's performance and pointing the fingers at others. To me it felt like he was saying "it's all their fault, don't blame me" where he should have been saying "it's OUR fault, we are all to blame" and then gone about the business of placing some blame behind closed doors.

Ummmm you must have missed him saying in the after game presser: "I'm accountable, so I should be."

Along with the players as well.

I too am in the camp that would have it Neeld knows only too well the dissenter. But like Vegas.... what happens inside the club...will remain inside the club.

Maybe Mark could moonlight for the First 11.....plays a rather handy straight bat !!

Well I hope he does and deals with it. Because letting it fester....could lead to problems later.

I'm confident he knows who it is, too.

There may have even been a private confession, tears and the rest that we are not privvy to.

The worrying thing is that often, as was my experience at footy clubs, one player's gripes are only the tip of the iceberg. If that's the case then Neeld faces a massive task in weeding out the dissenters and either bringing them forcefully into line or one by one showing them the door at season's end.

Either way, he needs to continue to take the 'bulldozer' approach which by all available evidence he seems to be doing.

Edited April 4, 201213 yr by Range Rover

Horticulturally a very beautiful plant is the Rose. Esthetically , aromatically , its lovely.

And yet how do you care for this flower.. you tend to prune it within inches of its life. You get a bit drutal with the snips. You cut away anything and EVERYTHING that isnt required in order for the core plant to bloom.

Got the feeling the list will be "looked after" by Mark the Gardener !!!

If average teams like Essendon and Port can put in effort every week, I expect us to do the same. God knows our list might be worse than those two clubs.

I agree with this topic.

To many supporters are afraid for change. Guess what people, what we were doing before WAS NOT WORKING. we lost by 186. we got dominated every second week, we had no heart, no fight and no mental strength. We've been a pathetic club for too long. Other supporters and other clubs do not take even half-seriously.

We need change. We need a guy to come in and tell us things aren't ok, things aren't fine the way they are.

And if some supporters get upset because they're used to the style that saw us lose by 186 points, then so be it.

If it means a few players like Moloney and Davey get upset and dropped to VFL. so be it. Because last year, Moloney, Davey, Green and Rivers were our leaders, and no leader i have ever heard of would let their team lose by 186 points. it's unheard of and you can't lose by that must without having not one ounce of heart.

The senior players have rightfully been put in their place. The supporters are going to have to accept change and so will the players.

What was going on for the last 4 years was unacceptable. Change is good people.

Really nice post. I'm pretty sure 99.00% of the players are on-board. But at any club you only ever get 99%.

Oh spare me the "we have to hang tough" sermon.

I have heard it too many times in the last half a century.

We all bloody well know that.

Are the majority of us still here YES.

Will we be here next week YES

Will we be here next year YES

So put up with a bit of our bleating we have the right

Good one old Dee .Fight for the right to whinge!

Today Neeld said he didn't know or care who the so called disgruntled player was who originated this mess. Is anyone curious as to why ?

The club prides itself on values such as honesty and trust. I don't think there is truck loads of trust ATM.

Good culture is built on foundations such as these values.

yep, & more.

#Edit: he's not intersted because he wants it to ly=e down quietly so we can get on with the game.

He doesn't care about it, because he dealt with the Issue 3 weeks ago, so They have moved on,, until this Mifs & Thomas dredge it all up, and we all go balistic thinking were under attack.

Edited April 4, 201213 yr by dee-luded

I go back a long way...

Has anyone ever read anything about Norm Smith and how his players felt about him. He was known as a hard nut who accepted no excuses from any player. And a lot of them didn't like him personally, but would walk over hot coals for him and their teammates.

Now, how many Premierships did they win?

Back to today...

I hope Neeld goes at the players as hard as it takes - in the mould of Norm Smith - to get the result every Melbourne supporter is desperate for.

He's got my vote!

Horticulturally a very beautiful plant is the Rose. Esthetically , aromatically , its lovely.

And yet how do you care for this flower.. you tend to prune it within inches of its life. You get a bit drutal with the snips. You cut away anything and EVERYTHING that isnt required in order for the core plant to bloom.

Got the feeling the list will be "looked after" by Mark the Gardener !!!

Beautifully written!

But are you suggesting yet another full rebuild?

I must say that I believe there are too many members and long term followers who may not have the stomach for yet another one, especially so close on the heels of the last (as yet unfinished) one. That together with the club just lying back and being in effect raped by "Mr Integrity" at AFL HQ is nearly enough for me - and I have been very patiently waiting the whole 48 years!

That together with the club just lying back and being in effect raped by "Mr Integrity" at AFL HQ is nearly enough for me - and I have been very patiently waiting the whole 48 years!

WTF at the rape comment. Gross and a little bit petulant. Lay the blame at the incompetance of the Demons administration, not at the AFL. It's not their fault we've drafted poorly, developed our players worse and been unable to retain at least a couple of our brightest stars (Thompson and Scully, for example).

Loving Neeld he seems like the exact tonic for our club.

I'll stand by him till he gives me a reason not too.

Neeld bend this playing group, break this playing group until they play the brand of football we want.

Watch the media try and kill him. After a week of treating stupid questions with contempt all of a sudden according to Channel 9 tonight he "fumbled" his way through a "defensive" press conference. They'll hate him because he will just stare down stupidity.

Of course nobody dared complain when Malthouse did the same thing but once you've won flags you can do as you please, a first game coach is an easy target for these scumbags.

So much I like about Neeld as a person and his organisational skills. Coaching team and structure is the best we have ever had. I love his personality when interviewed. But for me he is still to prove himself in a few areas.

- Match day coaching is vital and not all impressive people necessarily have it.

- Game day structure is still to be proven. Will he be able to adapt to plan B C D E F G

- By totally going with 'leadership teams' is in my opinion an optout by someone who has no strong personal conviction about his own belief in what leadership is. 'Leadership teams' is the in thing but not everyone in the organisational industry believes in it as the best approach to determine leadership. Breaking the issue down to its many components by all involved does not lead to best leader. The great leaders have their own nack of assessing best people for lest job. I'm not convinced we got it right.

Beautifully written!

But are you suggesting yet another full rebuild?

I must say that I believe there are too many members and long term followers who may not have the stomach for yet another one, especially so close on the heels of the last (as yet unfinished) one. That together with the club just lying back and being in effect raped by "Mr Integrity" at AFL HQ is nearly enough for me - and I have been very patiently waiting the whole 48 years!

No...not a rebuild per se

A re-evaluation and some serious , serious thinking.

I cant helpbut think had Neeld been availbale for consultationa bit more than Jonhnny onthe scene lately re last trade and draft then it might have panned a little differently. I fervently expect next 'years end" to be radically different in approach. There is only so much you can accomplish when you get there just before midnight !!

There are players amongst our midst who in all reality are here on false pretence. All fluster, little delivery, yet loud brouhaha..

i sense Neeld knows this, breathes it. It wont happen overnight but there's still 'pruning' to do.

Stuie somebody inside the club ratted on him...The new Coach has every right to go Flat Out on this one....He bought no baggage to the MFC.

But the old baggage must be thrown out and burnt now.

GO HARD COACH...

No one ratted on him because "it" never took place,.