10 steps to a broken club...

[Red N Blue Society 165]

Neeld stays.Period.

He will be the hard coach we & players at MFC require.

Scwabby has done a fantastic job & continues to do so.People should get off his case.

Overpayed Players will get the boot at year end or end of contract.

We know who isnt pulling their weight at MFC.And they will be traded where possible.

End of story.

[rjay 24,897]

Neeld stays.Period.

He will be the hard coach we & players at MFC require.

Scwabby has done a fantastic job & continues to do so.People should get off his case.

Overpayed Players will get the boot at year end or end of contract.

We know who isnt pulling their weight at MFC.And they will be traded where possible.

End of story.

What has he done.

He has overseen a failed re build

He pulled in a dubious sponsor in Energy Watch

He was not able to get a 2nd major sponsor

He has lost sponsors secondary sponsors and turned over too many major sponsors

There is a trust issue with the players

The 2 stop gap sponsors came in to help and get a bit of coverage as the good guys, white knights nothing Schwab did

The club has gone backwards 0-8

...and thats not to detail what he did in his previous tenure at the club. Do you think Storm would look at appointing Brian Waldron anytime soon.

Wow, he is doing a great job.

[olisik 4,060]

Its quite obvious the administration and coaching panel are doing everything they possibly can to change things, try different tactics, try work with the players, put in structures.

We can see them 'trying' so its quite obvious which part of the club isnt 'trying'

Half the fellas out on the field. If they at least try and we still lose then it may be worth questioning structures and processes and maybe even politics but at the moment, it dosn't get past the players. They are flat out not earning there money.

[stranga 328]

So who's fault is it? The player's, Schwab's, the board's, coaches' or a combination of some/all?

This is getting ridiculous. How does a club spiral out of control in every area? Its a basket case.

As someone mentioned above, the major issue i have is that professional athletes can go out into the arena and not try. Regardless of their issues it comes down to their own desire and professionalism, surely. That is the biggest disgrace of all. I really hope a few of them live to have many regrets.

[robbiefrom13 887]

10 steps to a broken club:

1) Post 2010 season - Club does expensive trust exercise with Leading Teams. Players are told to be honest. They say Schwab and Connolly are unworkable, they love Bailey.

2) Schwab gets results sent to him. He looks over them, realises he will not get his own contract renewed if he publishes. Decides to not show anyone.

3) Player trust gets eroded in the administration cos they spoke up and it was hidden and nothing changed.

4) Eventually, players push case with McClardy and Stynes. They listen, give word Bailey is safe and Schwab is gone.

5) 186 loss to Cats. (though top team Collingwood lose to the Cats by 100 points a few weeks later)

6) Schwab works it to the board and stays, Bailey goes, Neeld is appointed.

7) 2012 - club leaders who spoke up against Schwab are all sacked from their leadership positions, publicly humiliated.

8) Neeld comes in a little naively. Tells everyone they are below professional standard and implements boundary stoppage based game plan.

9) We don't win many stoppages, lose games badly, senior players disenfranchised and/or dropped.

10) We have an unresolvable fracture between playing group and administration. Neeld has the poison chalice and has lost the players before he really began.

In another world;

1) Schwab tables the report.

2) Schwab goes, Bailey stays for one more year to finish his plan.

3) Players focus on job at hand.

3) No distractions means we lose to the Cats only as badly as the Pies did.

3) We win the Port Rnd 22 game and show 10-11 wins for the year and are on track.

4) We start this year that little bit more progressed and the club is united. We thrash Lions and go from there towards a 7-10th finish.

Thoughts:

We beat Adelaide by 96 point this time last year. Both teams have largely the same personell as last year and Adelaide (who have Bailey while we have Neil Craig) are flying now. The club can't unite until Schwab is gone. Poor Neeld is in a catch 22.

Personally (and this can't be defended but is just what I'd like to see):

Schwab goes, Neeld goes if winless by round 15. Casey coach and former awesome player Brett Lovett becomes caretaker coach for rest of year as we work toward get our collective club spirit back with a clean slate. The senior players who haven't stood up by seasons end are delisted.

Thoughtful post. But, if Schwab were to go, there would be a need for some air-clearing and healing, after which we would owe it to Neeld to start again. What has gone wrong this year can hardly be his fault, if we find there has been some other cancer in the club.

I don't know if Schwab is the problem, but I'm pretty sure McLardy is in a position to find out. Since it has been mooted widely, it ought to be investigated properly and, in the end, transparently.

Once the real problem is identified, an adjustment has to be both made and seen to be made. Some people are going to be owed apologies. I think it is vital that the club ensures there is no collateral damage when the problem is cleared out.

[old dee 23,782]

I think that the all the major problems started with the sacking of Junior at the end of 2010.

After very loyal service he was pushed out when as it turns out he had still plenty to offer.

A number of the senior players thought if they can do that to Junior what can happen to me?

almost imediately after we saw the fracture with Cam Bruce.

Both these guys were long term loyal players who had given everything to the MFC.

IMO it all stems from there, who was behind all that I do not know

But for me the club has not been the same since that day at the end of the 2010 season.

[jackaub 1,402]

Well if Neeld gets the sack before the end of next season I will seriously question whether it is worth continiuing in my support of the MFC. I cannot comprehend how this might happen even if we go 0-22 this year. I would sooner see Schwab, Connolly & Royal shown the door and perhaps even as spill of the board before Neeld got the chop.

You don't turn around a 40 year old rotten culture overnight. You either back Neeld to do it (and wear the crap that goes with it along the way) or you second-guess yourself and continue to wallow in the medicority of near-enough is good enough.

I posted else where McLardy should have extended Neelds contract yesterday instead of mouthing the same old lines about unity when what the club needs is leadership

This would send a very powerful message to all about where the club is going and perhaps fix some of the problems currently wrecking the club

[Dr. Mubutu 831]

I posted else where McLardy should have extended Neelds contract yesterday instead of mouthing the same old lines about unity when what the club needs is leadership

This would send a very powerful message to all about where the club is going and perhaps fix some of the problems currently wrecking the club

Dear god, no. That would have been one of the worst reactions available. To extend a 3 year contract within the first 12 months? Only if he'd won us a premiership.

[Pitchy 196]

Agree with many of the posts here and appreciate the platform. Great to commune with so many passionate Dees fans in such a trying time!

robbiefrom13 - yes you are probably right about Neeld being owed a fresh start under a new CEO. He does seem quite open and willing to learn on the job. I don't doubt he is definitely trying his darnedest. On a personal (biased) level I don't think highly of his performance so far as a motivator or in game plan implementation but all that can change.

Old dee - Couldn't agree more about the effects of dumping Jnr Mac. Would love to know how that sacking came about. There is plenty of space on our veteran list for a leader who trains and plays by example, even if he is in his autumn years and in and out of the 1sts.

[Diablo Deemon 220]

Nah Daisycutter, my argument revolves a trust exercise which was corrupted. I understand that you want to know if the players had a point to begin with to be upset with Schwab but his action to shelve the report speaks for itself as a supremely divisive act.

Put simply, the club's administration (Schwab) paid for a external process which asked for complete honesty. Leading Teams was famous for unifying Geelong pre-2007 flag. Schwab took the results and sat on them. Months later, Green and co. eventually put themselves on the line by bringing it up with Stynes and McClardy. Schwab was sacked then saved at the last minute by 186, and then went and knifed anyone critical of him. Simple as that.

To the victor goes the spoils.... we have a secure CEO free of the critical voices which emerged in the report. But we also have a trail of sackings, public humiliations, a demoralised ex-leadership group and a 0-8 start to the season.

Your scenario sounds really enticing and salivating.

I have one question though.

Why would the players turn in such a pitiful performance with a complete capitulation that exposed Bailey.

What I'm asking if under your scenario they were disenfranchised with the CEO why put the coach in the hot water by giving up 186.

To me it makes no sense seems really strange that the players loved Bailey and showed the love by absolutely gutting him publicly.

[Hells Gates 505]

IMO I still remain firm that it was Schwab that wanted the old crew gone. Too much input into the football department. The club had its opportunity to listen to the players and the worst decision they have ever made was to reverse Schwabs sacking. Idiotic and we will pay until hes gone. Players dont trust anymore & will never speak up again as they will be hung out to dry.

[Dr. Mubutu 831]

Old dee - Couldn't agree more about the effects of dumping Jnr Mac. Would love to know how that sacking came about. There is plenty of space on our veteran list for a leader who trains and plays by example, even if he is in his autumn years and in and out of the 1sts.

Gotta love Demonland's revisionism. McDonald took 6 weeks to recover from a 2 week injury, and the club was looking to put Bruce on the veteran's list. The only mistake the club made, IMO, was not signing him up as tackling coach or something similar.

At the time, it was the right call, made the wrong way.

[Pitchy 196]

Your scenario sounds really enticing and salivating.

I have one question though.

Why would the players turn in such a pitiful performance with a complete capitulation that exposed Bailey.

What I'm asking if under your scenario they were disenfranchised with the CEO why put the coach in the hot water by giving up 186.

To me it makes no sense seems really strange that the players loved Bailey and showed the love by absolutely gutting him publicly.

Players didn't mean to gut him! That is the most tragic part for the players whose legacies have been ruined by it's fallout.

The reason for 186 was that we were NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD as those Cats. Most every team was a long way off especially the physically younger, vulnerable, low ranked teams like the Dees. Collingwood blinked for a second and lost to them by 100 points only a few weeks later. Cats over the last 5 years are arguably the best team we have seen in the history of AFL, averaging 60+ point wins at Skilled. We turned up distracted by off-field stuff as well as being nowhere near good enough and got badly exposed. Everyone got exposed that day Bailey, the players, the administration and the club. 186 is just horrible, players don't choose for that to happen in fact its the stuff nightmares are made of.

[Deers 202]

Maybe schwab is the the rotten apple?

It was Schwab all along.

You don't need to be armed with second-hand "inside information" to know that.

His contract ends in July. He will go.

[Guest José Mourinho]

Personally (and this can't be defended but is just what I'd like to see):

Schwab goes, Neeld goes if winless by round 15. Casey coach and former awesome player Brett Lovett becomes caretaker coach for rest of year as we work toward get our collective club spirit back with a clean slate. The senior players who haven't stood up by seasons end are delisted.

Words just ... can't... express...

I'm trying not to be obnoxious, I really truly am, but posts like this make it so so hard.

So very hard...

[Hells Gates 505]

It was Schwab all along.

You don't need to be armed with second-hand "inside information" to know that.

His contract ends in July. He will go.

Exactly. Common dog F$#! would tell you that. See my post above. Bring on July.

[Guest José Mourinho]

It was Schwab all along.

You don't need to be armed with second-hand "inside information" to know that.

His contract ends in July. He will go.

Schwab is merely one facet of anything that may or may not be wrong with the club (I don't think he's been half as bad as some are so eager to believe).

Look for scapegoats if you like, but you're likely to miss 80% of the problem and we'll be no better off.

[Deers 202]

So who's fault is it? The player's, Schwab's, the board's, coaches' or a combination of some/all?

This is getting ridiculous. How does a club spiral out of control in every area? Its a basket case.

Just one-and-a-half areas, actually.

The Schwab administration and those senior players.

[Deers 202]

IMO I still remain firm that it was Schwab that wanted the old crew gone. Too much input into the football department. The club had its opportunity to listen to the players and the worst decision they have ever made was to reverse Schwabs sacking. Idiotic and we will pay until hes gone. Players dont trust anymore & will never speak up again as they will be hung out to dry.

He had too much input into Fremantle's FD as well, I believe?

[Deers 202]

Look for scapegoats if you like, but you're likely to miss 80% of the problem and we'll be no better off.

Bailey was the scapegoat.

Schwab doesn't fall into that category. He is part of the problem. Again, you don't need Deep Throat to be assured of this.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,593]

This club has need a rocket for a long time to harden it up and get rid of this endless sulky and 'soft' mentality - be it real or imagined because it doesnt really matter whether its real or imagined. Either way its bad news. And can be erased with deeds not words.

[Guest melbman]

I think that the all the major problems started with the sacking of Junior at the end of 2010.

After very loyal service he was pushed out when as it turns out he had still plenty to offer.

A number of the senior players thought if they can do that to Junior what can happen to me?

almost imediately after we saw the fracture with Cam Bruce.

Both these guys were long term loyal players who had given everything to the MFC.

IMO it all stems from there, who was behind all that I do not know

But for me the club has not been the same since that day at the end of the 2010 season.

Seems to be the thread for it so I'll have a crack at posting an unsubstantiated rumour and then speculate upon it

The unsubstantiated rumour is that Junior had an agreement with Stynes for one more year. Someone, while Stynes was in Hospital, let Junior go.

I speculate here that this was CS. He was the one to parade (force?) Moloney to the media after his late night alcohol indiscretion, couple that with the Junior mistake, making DB front the media for the release of Junior, added to the rest of the speculation here such as shelving the Andrews report, meddling in the FB dept with advice culminating in the board advising Neeld to not allow certain players into the leadership group and disenchantment reigns supreme

It is more than sooky players disliking a particular workload IMO

OK. Let me have it

Ready...........

Aim..............

Fire.............

[rjay 24,897]

I speculate here that this was CS. He was the one to parade (force?) Moloney to the media after his late night alcohol indiscretion, couple that with the Junior mistake, making DB front the media for the release of Junior, added to the rest of the speculation here such as shelving the Andrews report, meddling in the FB dept with advice culminating in the board advising Neeld to not allow certain players into the leadership group and disenchantment reigns supreme

It is more than sooky players disliking a particular workload IMO

...and he was the one who organised that absolutely stupid Scully press conference.

[realist 2]

I think that the all the major problems started with the sacking of Junior at the end of 2010.

After very loyal service he was pushed out when as it turns out he had still plenty to offer.

A number of the senior players thought if they can do that to Junior what can happen to me?

almost imediately after we saw the fracture with Cam Bruce.

Both these guys were long term loyal players who had given everything to the MFC.

IMO it all stems from there, who was behind all that I do not know

But for me the club has not been the same since that day at the end of the 2010 season.

Correct! Bruce left for less money and no guarantees at Hawthorn.

I have it on good authority he left because of Schwab and Connolly.

He saw the writing on the wall!!

[Guest Jackie]

I am resigned to the possibiliy that we will remain cursed until the player grievances are resolved. It's not just a few but many. If a platoon in the army mutiny then they are punished in a court martial. if the army mutinies then there is revolution. He has to go.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Jackie