I've been watching some highlights from 2000 recently, as a means of cheering myself up. As I watch the VHS (yes, that's right, a VHS) I can't help but want to return to the good old days when Danners was in charge and we had a exciting and highly talented list.

But it seems Danners wasn't the greatest coach going around. In an Age article published today, Darren Jolly has revealed that Danners was an uninspiring coach and was the reason he wanted out at Melbourne.

That bit doesn't surprise me, given that Daniher would only ever give Jolly about 3 seconds of game time per match. But the bluntness of Jolly's article is surprising.

If you weren't one of the star players or you were injured, then Neale wouldn't talk to you at all. I approached Neale one day in his office to talk to him about something he said to me in a match, something that you don't want to hear as a young player trying your heart out to get a game. The conversation didn't turn out well and from that moment I knew I didn't want to play at Melbourne under Neale any more. At no point did I feel that Neale wanted to help me turn into the player I so desperately wanted to be.

I've been watching some highlights from 2000 recently, as a means of cheering myself up. As I watch the VHS (yes, that's right, a VHS) I can't help but want to return to the good old days when Danners was in charge and we had a exciting and highly talented list.

But it seems Danners wasn't the greatest coach going around. In an Age article published today, Darren Jolly has revealed that Danners was an uninspiring coach and was the reason he wanted out at Melbourne.

That bit doesn't surprise me, given that Daniher would only ever give Jolly about 3 seconds of game time per match. But the bluntness of Jolly's article is surprising.

So perhaps we've been poor at player development for the last 15 years, not just the last four.

So perhaps we've been poor at player development for the last 15 years, not just the last four.

Harsh call. We got good value out of low picks in the Daniher era. Junior, Davey and Robbo leap to mind.

Harsh call. We got good value out of low picks in the Daniher era. Junior, Davey and Robbo leap to mind.

It amazes how everybody wants to stick the boots in

Edited May 22, 201213 yr by baysidedave

It amazes how everybody wants to stick the boots in

Say what you will about the man, we had more success under him than anyone since, and I still like his gameplan better than anything since.

Say what you will about the man, we had more success under him than anyone since, and I still like his gameplan better than anything since.

seriously? playing guys like Luke Williams, Simon Godfrey Al Nicholson ahead of Darren Jolly, Troy Simmonds and some of our many young kids trying to crack it into the side. and when he did they would get 5 minute game time for the whole day. nhis game plan went to crud in his last couple of years.

Says much about the development values Neale Daniher held, and probably one big contributing factor to the shizen list he left in 2007 when he walked from the club.

And much of the remains he left we still are left feeling the pain of today; still managing to fill holes and address attitudes of today.

That's KAPOW....

He's still the best coach I've seen as an adult at MFC. If Jolly wasn't getting enough cuddles, he wouldn't be the first, and won't be the last in the AFL to suffer that. No-one gets every player right.

He's still the best coach I've seen as an adult at MFC. If Jolly wasn't getting enough cuddles, he wouldn't be the first, and won't be the last in the AFL to suffer that. No-one gets every player right.

Jolly definitely wasn't the first, and Scotty Thompson probably wasn't the first either. Hanging onto mates and topping up with many aged twilight recruits left a void of undergrowth the club is still trying to replenish.

I got a "warning point" for comments about Daniher. I hope Rhino gives Jolly the same.

That's a sad tale he tells of Daniher.

I believe in a counter measure, the Herald Sun is trawling for a player to write a hard hitting expose of Norm Smith and how he made the players train twice a week and cut the ciggies down......really I spent a couple of minutes of chortling over the article, I am expecting Jolly to announce his engagement to Paul Roos any day now..........

So Jolly gets a bit of tuff love and he couldn't handle it so he took his tissue box and left. Not the sort of player I want at my club that doesn't put his head down and fight for his spot when things don't go his way.

Sounds a bit familiar at the moment.

I got a "warning point" for comments about Daniher. I hope Rhino gives Jolly the same.

Rhino gave me a warning 2 years ago that i've just noticed this week,LOL.

I was a player sponsor during the Daniher era and whilst my player didn't say anything negative towards Daniher he did say once that there was a lack of communication from the FD. It was at the end of the season and he was out of contract but didn't know if the club wanted him or if he was in their plans at all. This was in the early part of his playing days and he was struggling with injury to cement a place in the team, he came across as being a bit frustrated no, eager and anxious to get on with the following year and just wanted to know where he stood.

Once again, I want to stress that the player never, ever made any negative comments about Daniher. I know that he was very happy at the club and ended up having a pretty good career but I remember at the time I thought it was a bit strange but didn't think much about it.

I believe in a counter measure, the Herald Sun is trawling for a player to write a hard hitting expose of Norm Smith and how he made the players train twice a week and cut the ciggies down......really I spent a couple of minutes of chortling over the article, I am expecting Jolly to announce his engagement to Paul Roos any day now..........

They would only have to flip open Red Fox on just about any page. Smith was ruthless and could be cruel, especially to star players. He didn't even forgive Crompton for leaving his position to kick the winning goal in '64.

I doubt there was anything in that article that most of us didn't suspect anyway; I wasn’t shocked when Jolly left. I remember when he came back from injury and was passed over for Jamar, who was clearly an inferior ruckman at the time, it was evident then that they didn’t like him.

I must say it left me gobsmacked as Jolly was a far better ruckman at the time but I guess Jamar made less noise when only given 5 minutes a game.

So Jolly gets a bit of tuff love and he couldn't handle it so he took his tissue box and left. Not the sort of player I want at my club that doesn't put his head down and fight for his spot when things don't go his way.

Sounds a bit familiar at the moment.

I'd take his two flags anytime even if they come with his tissue box.

Edited May 22, 201213 yr by Jackie

Jolly definitely wasn't the first, and Scotty Thompson probably wasn't the first either. Hanging onto mates and topping up with many aged twilight recruits left a void of undergrowth the club is still trying to replenish.

It's interesting that Daniher gets accused of hanging on to players too long, but get rid of them like Bailey and he's accused of lack of loyalty and removing leaders too early.

I was a player sponsor during the Daniher era and whilst my player didn't say anything negative towards Daniher he did say once that there was a lack of communication from the FD. It was at the end of the season and he was out of contract but didn't know if the club wanted him or if he was in their plans at all. This was in the early part of his playing days and he was struggling with injury to cement a place in the team, he came across as being a bit frustrated no, eager and anxious to get on with the following year and just wanted to know where he stood.

Once again, I want to stress that the player never, ever made any negative comments about Daniher. I know that he was very happy at the club and ended up having a pretty good career but I remember at the time I thought it was a bit strange but didn't think much about it.

I spoke with another player sponsor a few years ago and he told me the player concerned thought Melbourne was a [censored] club and he couldn't wait to get out of there.

Over 30 years ago I worked with a young guy who was recently off the Melbourne Thirds list and he pretty much said the same thing.

Some times things never change.

Interesting article.

Is it a message to Neeld about style?

Timing is very curious.

Scary thing about Jolly's tale is it describes a culture where the senior players were pampered and the junior players neglected.

This culture stills seems to be biting us 10 years later.

Interesting article.

Is it a message to Neeld about style?

Timing is very curious.

I think it's more of a message to Melbourne fans as to why we need Neeld as an antidote to purge us of this "old Melbourne" style...

I think it's more of a message to Melbourne fans as to why we need Neeld as an antidote to purge us of this "old Melbourne" style...

Guys it was a different era, ND probably had a FD of 4 people.

So some players do not get on with the coach now there is a surprise.

Players not getting on with the coach is as old as the game.

Whatever is said about ND there is one fact that cannot be denied

He got the dees into a GF when we had terrible training facilities, poor back up , little money and a disfunctional board.

Only the second time in 48 years.

We should be doing as badly on the field now.

Edited May 22, 201213 yr by old dee