a club that was "about anything but football"

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,086]

How does it make Neeld look bad?

He has just walked in from the biggest club in the land....we have been told how far back we are.

Good it is out in the open....No more excuses.

Neeld didnt say it - he went through his ex boss...

[dee-luded 2,958]

The MFC has been independent of the MCC for 30 years. The MCC now provide funding to the MFC and supports membership drives amongst its MCC members.None of the current MFC Board originate from the 60s aside from one or two having been born then. There livelihoods have originate in the era of the nouveau riche

The MCC has no position on the MFC Board and has no ownership or oversight of the MFC, yet it is being blamed for the problems.

FMD. Mindlessly harping back to the 60s is monkey a few people need to get off their backs if any headway is going to be made.

And Bailey was big into blazers??? I dont think he was hyped at all.

Nothing to do with Money Rhino. I never mentioned money being the issue. But the attitudes around our players are all wrong for kids growing into a hard physical career.

We continually turn out soft & squeaky clean footballers ones that whinge when dumped, & don't go in when they're brothers are put down. They pretend.

.

[Guest Jackie]

That's what annoys me about these threads. You make two unproven assertions and come to a definite conclusion.

I qualified with "perhaps" and a question mark. So it is not an assertion. Check your dictionary.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Jackie

[H_T 2,941]

The truth hurts - deal with this as you must - This is very, very much big picture. This is not about "chopping" peoples heads off, this is all about finally making the changes to move forward ALL together.

Change or Die

Agree. But it's not change or die. It's change or continue mediocrity and be at risk of extinction.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Would it be a good thing or a bad thing if Malthouse becomes more involved with this club??

Thoughts??

We need a tough guy to help Neeld, IMO Matthews is the one, but, Malthouse I think, will just be merged into the retiring Northern Stand set. A genuine hardman to shake the place like Checker Hughes would have & like the hard talking Smith, kept that spirit alive...

This issue is so tough, it will take an awesome force to fight it.

Edited April 16, 2012 by dee-luded

[dee-luded 2,958]

Do you REALLY think that you change a club culture in 1 preseason + 3 games?

REALLY??

Is Neil Craig's sole role as Neeld's mentor?

Is Neeld not allowed to talk to anyone else he knows in the football industry?

W'eve changed the club culture before Jose', but Why then does it continually slip back to where it was. What is it that keeps tugging it back to its soft ways???

Why don't North ever lose they're blue collar footy ways?

Why hasn't Essendon become all toffy?

Why haven't the Blues really struggled for 40 years, they're down for a couple then a power club yet agin?

Why hasn't the Pies missed finals action for 20 year bursts?

Why hasn't the Hawks since the Kennedy commandos become soft? Where's the line here???

How have the Swans become such a strongly cultured club, since Baraasi helped them, but not Us, oh, & why did Barassi leave after his & Jordans good work???

How is it that newish club the Eagles are are strong & ruthless club in a short history?

How was it that also rans Fitzroy became a power club for a 3 peat???? not easy.

I could go on, but I think there is enough there to make even the blindest supporter ponder further. I'll make a suggestion, I don't think it's money, but i'll RESPECT any thoughts about this...

.

[Diablo Deemon 220]

How does North get by on their shoe string budget and seem to always [censored] us for the last 5 years.

How does North develop players into the competitors that they generally are.

This resource argument I'm often very skeptical about a dumbbell weighs the same no matter were you are.

I tend to think it's related to attitude.

Sylvia crashes a car and gets suspended - clearly he wasn't too worried about the international rules series and making himself and club look like idiots

The Nicholson incident - drinking while in recovery if your an elite sportsman you just can do this sort of thing

Davey/ Mifsud - dirty laundry being made public. Obvious Mifsud leaked it but should Davey have given him the opportunity.

One senior player in the leadership group

The 186 protest or whatever that shizen was.

So rather than thinking about a baby sitter or an elite player from another club or a hard arse coach or the fans to get upset or a hyperbaric chamber or Collingwood's facilties. It has to fall back onto the playing group. It's there job go do your job or go stop clogging the list with one good performance every 6 games.

The players - they need to set the agenda they need to organise whats acceptable on and off the field. When its your turn you go no holding back. It's no external forces responsibility.

Its not resources problem or where they train. It has to be their expectations of each other and when they are not met the actions they take to rectify them.

[dee-luded 2,958]

How does North get by on their shoe string budget and seem to always [censored] us for the last 5 years.

How does North develop players into the competitors that they generally are.

This resource argument I'm often very skeptical about a dumbbell weighs the same no matter were you are.

I tend to think it's related to attitude.

Sylvia crashes a car and gets suspended - clearly he wasn't too worried about the international rules series and making himself and club look like idiots

The Nicholson incident - drinking while in recovery if your an elite sportsman you just can do this sort of thing

Davey/ Mifsud - dirty laundry being made public. Obvious Mifsud leaked it but should Davey have given him the opportunity.

One senior player in the leadership group

The 186 protest or whatever that shizen was.

So rather than thinking about a baby sitter or an elite player from another club or a hard arse coach or the fans to get upset or a hyperbaric chamber or Collingwood's facilties. It has to fall back onto the playing group. It's there job go do your job or go stop clogging the list with one good performance every 6 games.

The players - they need to set the agenda they need to organise whats acceptable on and off the field. When its your turn you go no holding back. It's no external forces responsibility.

Its not resources problem or where they train. It has to be their expectations of each other and when they are not met the actions they take to rectify them.

No Diablo D, you've completely glossed over the whole point.

We, as MFC supporters/members are to blame for the type of Environment We've created,,, that spoils the players such, that their bruise free, they crash & go, they drink when injured & still a rookie, they get into fights, they throw tantis, they won't put the body on the line, they give up, it's too hard, training, its too hard,,,, they do as they Please...

these are the actions you'ld expect from young adolescent boys out on King st partying.... Not Professionals... And Not at an AFL Club. too much money & no responsibility to the average supporter.

[Diablo Deemon 220]

No Diablo D, you've completely glossed over the whole point.

We, as MFC supporters/members are to blame for the type of Environment We've created,,, that spoils the players such, that their bruise free, they crash & go, they drink when injured & still a rookie, they get into fights, they throw tantis, they won't put the body on the line, they give up, it's too hard, training, its too hard,,,, they do as they Please...

these are the actions you'ld expect from young adolescent boys out on King st partying.... Not Professionals... And Not at an AFL Club. too much money & no responsibility to the average supporter.

I'm not sure if my sarcasm detector is working or not but in the interests of it currently being broken I ask.

What do you identify That I can change or do, to have a real and meaningful impact on the playing groups will to play as professionals

I can see problems I can certainly rant about them, i can become despondent, I can be upset not sure how I can change the way we play.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Diablo Deemon

[Sir Why You Little 35,321]

Neeld didnt say it - he went through his ex boss...

I don't care who says it...if it is the truth just get it out there...

Spew out all the weaknesses & rebuild with better people.

[bing181 8,357]

Give it time....it will come out.

No it won't, there's nothing to come out - much as that may pain many of the conspiracy theorists, the sky-is-fallingists and hand-wringers around here:

"The culture of the Melbourne footy club is pretty strong, the core of the player list are working really hard, their morale is good, the way they train is pretty good and we are expecting higher standards,'' Neeld said on Monday. Asked about how the club was working when he arrived late last year, Neeld replied: "I didn't notice any problems at all.''

From the horse's mouth.

Edited April 16, 2012 by bing181

[Guest José Mourinho]

Oh, is that what happened at Carlton back in the '90's before Pagan, when they went down?

They were 'Under Recourced'.... that must be it, poor Carlton & poor Melbourne, simply under resourced, why didn't we think of that any sooner than 2009?

And So, "under resourced" in the 1970's !

"under resourced" in the 1980's !

"under resourced" in the 1990's !

& Now, "under resourced" in the 2000's !

2010's ?????

must be it, it's so simple, it's not us & our ways, how we pamper & spoil them.. Harry Hopman was way off beam when he thought the young players should doo it tough when they got cocky, they'd scrub the floors.. not getting ahead of oneself.

can you see my implication?

# Heres what I'm saying, the Bombers with they're windy Hill home ground, & social club, some how endeared the players and gave them a hardness & an honesty that drove them onwards. Feet on the ground stuff.

The Hawks with they're Glenferrie aboad & they're Thursday night sausage sizzles kept their feet close to the ground and was a good breeding ground for a tough Unit & success.

The Blues have done OK based at Prices Park I understand. They've trained hard there & played hard there, Oh, & they've enjoyed the fruits of they're labors there as well. over the decades.

Professional clubs with their social clubs oriented together, but an all encompassing club with all it's members & supporters together. No segregation at all. The honesty flows IMO from there, the starting point is the contact with the average supporter & their ordinary wishes.

We are missing some fundamentals of what a football club is... Their not politicians who need distance & no questions. they're footballers playing for their people, and need to be exposed to those people, the peoples joy & the peoples disappointment.

Not is some swanky upstairs bar overlooking everyone else.

They send a chosen 2 down to talk to the Redlegs, or how many to the tridents, and thats it??? Is that all she wrote?

Theres something wrong here, maybe we are breeding politicians & business people who make money, because we don't make footballers, thats for sure.

I think you misunderstand the concept of "resources", or at least we see it differently.

[dee-luded 2,958]

I'm not sure if my sarcasm detector is working or not but in the interests of it currently being broken I ask.

What do you identify That I can change or do, to have a real and meaningful impact on the playing groups will to play as professionals

I can see problems I can certainly rant about them, i can become despondent, I can be upset not sure how I can change the way we play.

There 's at least 2 separate issues IMO.

Yours is talking about the immediate games & points.

I'm bypassing that to go to the bigger issue thats caused us our own misery, for over 45 years, and very many peoples passing disappointed... and very likely to continue even after Jimma's courage.

I have no control over helping the players right now.

But I''m Damned sure this bigger 'C'ancer around our club is strangling it, suffocating it's life Energy.

Bring the Club,,, To ALL THE PEOPLE... Start a Social Club in the suburbs, where the Club actually trains on the Afternoon or night of selection, where the supporters can attend and witness the Teams Selection & Announcements.

Theres a start. Bring back the common touch to the players. The Honesty that can't be bought, or denied, or avoided, without the high walls.... thats real responsibility, being honest in front of the people...

.

where's the balls gone?

.

[dee-luded 2,958]

I think you misunderstand the concept of "resources", or at least we see it differently.

I see One thing, Honesty to the supporters.

Keep your resources excuses & spin, Not interested in sidetracks.

[Sir Why You Little 35,321]

No it won't, there's nothing to come out - much as that may pain many of the conspiracy theorists, the sky-is-fallingists and hand-wringers around here:

"The culture of the Melbourne footy club is pretty strong, the core of the player list are working really hard, their morale is good, the way they train is pretty good and we are expecting higher standards,'' Neeld said on Monday. Asked about how the club was working when he arrived late last year, Neeld replied: "I didn't notice any problems at all.''

From the horse's mouth.

Mark is using diplomacy....Mick Malthouse does not have to....The Answer will be somewhere in between..

The MFC still has much to learn...don't kid yourself...I hope this time they sit down and take notice

[Je Roos Salem 661]

So we were about anything but football last year, yet still playing far better than this year? Completely makes sense Malthouse

[dee-luded 2,958]

No it won't, there's nothing to come out - much as that may pain many of the conspiracy theorists, the sky-is-fallingists and hand-wringers around here:

"The culture of the Melbourne footy club is pretty strong, the core of the player list are working really hard, their morale is good, the way they train is pretty good and we are expecting higher standards,'' Neeld said on Monday. Asked about how the club was working when he arrived late last year, Neeld replied: "I didn't notice any problems at all.''

From the horse's mouth.

Horse's what?

Your hors did you say?

Well then, hmmn, Mark Neeld rings Micky M frequently to ask about some tough inhouse questions even he's unsure of...

Micky comes out to state that the clubs about "anything BUT Football", I can assure You".... and he's right.

"Why don't experienced players ever want to come to Melbourne, I remember hearing people say, when we wanted to recruit some experienced players to our club??? Guess why we can usually only get the has beens.

Why do opposition players always love to play against the Dees? Not so sore.

Why do young players traditionally get a start against US most often? Ease into AFL...

We've been paying for 'not enough', for too long, & have received 'Not Enough'.

Time for change.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,000]

This goes right back to the way we trained under Bailey. Several people who frequently attend training made note of incidents where assistants from other teams were watching and laughing with each other over our methods. I noted in several posts that it was like watching you local amateur team training. Lots of yelling, good-natured ribbing etc. Very little precision or professionalism displayed. I said at the time that it appeared to me that the coaching staff simply didn't understand how unprofessional the whole outfit really was, hard as that is to imagine in this day of spying on other teams and the amount of information available.

What Neeld faces with our club is the fact that most of the list has never had to operate in a truly professional environment before. They have never been held to the standards we would expect. They have never been drilled to the level we would expect. In most cases they never even realised that they weren't doing the same level of work as their competitors. Only the seniormost of our players have been in a truly successful side. Only Green has played in a grand final, and that was at the very beginning of his career.

This is what Neeld is beginning from scratch. He's having to teach the whole club what it means to be a professional outfit. Bear in mind that he has come from a team that was in the top few for out and out professionalism in the league. Collingwood don't necessarily have the raw talent of a lot of other sides, but they always knew exactly what they were doing on the field, and you could see that certainty in their play. If he can teach our list how to function like that then we will be unstoppable.

[Guest Dr Who]

Agree. But it's not change or die. It's change or continue mediocrity and be at risk of extinction.

Yeah sorry - I went for the slogan - seems to be the way of the 2010's+ dont think we should gild the lily around here.

AFL are investing way too much into GWS & GC17 to come to our aid again.