Mike Sheahan's Solution

[rjay 24,949]

I guess we all read or at least heard about Mike Sheahan’s expose into the MFC. It really didn’t add anything new and for a professed supporter it contained no answers.

I am surprised that I haven’t seen discussion about Mike coming up with some answers as to how he would fix the club during the 3AW pre game on Saturday.

His basic points were

· Changes needed to be made in administration and that Cameron Schwab should be replaced.

· The club should find the replacement from within the AFL, the best young energetic talent available

· Appoint the best recruiter available

· Beef up the coaching panel with more successful people

· Big changes to the list at seasons end

Now most of these points have been made on this forum in one way or another but it is good to see him at least come out with a course of action rather than the previous said article that was just a re hash of the problems at the club.

Comments like this from Cameron Schwab leave me cold…

"What we're going through now as a football team, as tough as it is and as challenging as it is, is just an essential part of what we need to do to build a base that will give us some chance."

We’ve been stuck in this for way to long (not going through now, still there) and to my mind the people responsible need to be moved on be they players, administrators, coaches or board members.

The link is to a discussion of Mark Neeld by a 3AW panel but puts more heat on those responsible for the last few years, those that have made our club a laughing stock. It’s well worth a listen..

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/3aw-football-blog/media-too-hard-on-mark-neeld/20120525-1za12.html

Edited May 29, 2012 by rjay

[Vanilla Gorilla 204]

I love how people outside the club think they know how to fix it.

Reality is, anyone on the outside has no idea what internal systems are in place to mend the issues.

Cameron Schwab - How does the media know he deserves to be replaced? The only criteria we, as outsiders, could possibly judge him on has been his reaction to the energy watch scandal. He managed to secure us 2 major sponsors in a relatively short period of time. Thats is a tick for me.

Appoint the best recruiter - Wasn't it mentioned here that we were chasing Collingwood's number 2? Looks like we've got that covered, thanks for the input Mike.

Beef up the coaching panel with more successful people - let's have a look:

Mark Neeld: Premiership assistant coach

Neil Craig: Forged Adelaide into a consistently competitive team with regular finals appearances. Very highly regarded in the industry.

Dave Misson: Head of fitness and conditioning at both a premiership winning sydney team and grand final appearing st. kilda team

Leigh Brown: Premiership winning player, and played in a granny last year! (Should not be overlooked how invaluable experience is from a player who retired so recently)

I'm not sure how you could beef that coaching panel up with any more success.

Lastly, big changes to the list at seasons end - blind freddy could have seen that one coming! Geez Mike, how do you get such valuable insight for your articles?

The point I'm trying to make is that our football club is full of professionals who know what they are doing. Media types need to keep their 2 cents for a rainy day. Have some faith and patience, we will get there.

[beelzebub 23,380]

No wonder Mike gave it away as full time gig. Hes gone all senile on us. Poor old bugger!!! What a load of old blacmange...... Really !!!

[stuie 7,374]

Get rid of Schwabb, get rid of Watts, get rid of Neeld... blah blah

Panic-driven, reactionary comments and statements like these are a dime a dozen round here and in the media, and they are just plain dumb.

[Pipefitter 2,163]

Too many have their heads in the sand round here. Where we are is unacceptable, heads will roll. I have no problem with the AFL coming in and appointing a CEO as we clearly have no idea what we are doing. All the good work Jim did will quickly come undone if we spend another 3 years on the bottom. This club is Jim's legacy. Let's not stuff it up.

[P-man 13,366]

Cameron Schwab - How does the media know he deserves to be replaced? The only criteria we, as outsiders, could possibly judge him on has been his reaction to the energy watch scandal. He managed to secure us 2 major sponsors in a relatively short period of time. Thats is a tick for me.

By what rationale is the Energy Watch incident the only means by which we can judge Schwab as an administrator in his 4 years at the club?

[rjay 24,949]

Cameron Schwab - How does the media know he deserves to be replaced? The only criteria we, as outsiders, could possibly judge him on has been his reaction to the energy watch scandal. He managed to secure us 2 major sponsors in a relatively short period of time. Thats is a tick for me.

No, I think he can be clearly judged on the failure of the clubs rebuild and if that's not enough on his record of 30 years in the game being involved in finals football only 4 times.

By the way he got us into the Energy Watch scandal in the first place, not hindsight but many on here were not comfortable with that sponsor in the first place. The replacement sponsors, well to use an old quote I think a drovers dog could have got them.

[The Reverend 1,736]

Too many have their heads in the sand round here. Where we are is unacceptable, heads will roll. I have no problem with the AFL coming in and appointing a CEO as we clearly have no idea what we are doing. All the good work Jim did will quickly come undone if we spend another 3 years on the bottom. This club is Jim's legacy. Let's not stuff it up.

So you're happy for Andrew Demetriou to appoint someone to run our club. This is the guy who applauded GWS's underhanded actions in taking Scully as "a master stroke". You can't be serious.

[hardtack 10,548]

I agree with rjay... this really appears to be a case of damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Everyone criticises Sheehan for his comments and the fact he offers no solutions, then when he does outline what he sees as being wrong with the club and where changes need to be made, he is lambasted because he hasn't come up with any wildly original or new theories. The other thing that annoys me is the fact that because he is a supposed Dees supporter, this somehow gives this club immunity against criticism from him; he becomes yet another "class traitor" like Judd and Scully etc Seriously, we have some of the most well balanced supporters in the AFL (a chip on each shoulder).

[diesel 420]

Too many have their heads in the sand round here. Where we are is unacceptable, heads will roll. I have no problem with the AFL coming in and appointing a CEO as we clearly have no idea what we are doing. All the good work Jim did will quickly come undone if we spend another 3 years on the bottom. This club is Jim's legacy. Let's not stuff it up.

Who said and WHY would this happen? We are'nt broke FCS! The people within the club hace shown great unity of purpose and a consistent line in regard to where we are and where we are going. The only fact or basis for this hysteria is that we aren't winning games of football. That in itself is not a reason to tear the place down.

It was evident that we had a stucture that was stuiffed in regard to the fact we had no football director, a sick president and an evolving poisonous relationship between the FD and Admin (who knows how that started, perhaps it goes back to China and claims of unproffessional standards?). I see those issues as largely having been addressed. In making a case to replace Cameron Schwab or Board Members we need the names of credible replacements not just suggestions of "get someone from inside the AFL".

[Ricky P 757]

The disrespect shown for the Board and for Cameron Schwab by many on this website is disgusting.

Off the field we are stronger than we have ever been. People forget that in 2008 we almost closed our doors. Undoubtedly Jimmy drove this transformation, but the Board and the CEO were his key appointments and were vitally important in everything we have achieved.

For the media to overlook these achievements is one thing, but for supporters to do the same is utterly scandalous.

Yes, we all wish the team was doing better. But how the team is going is a secondary concern for the Board and CEO. The financial viability of the club is their first job. And you can't argue with their performance in that respect.

The team will get better. I'm thankful that I have a team to watch at all and one day I'll take my kids and grandkids to watch them play as well.

I will always be thankful for Jimmy, the Board and Cameron Schwab for saving my club.

[Ouch! 2,266]

No, I think he can be clearly judged on the failure of the clubs rebuild and if that's not enough on his record of 30 years in the game being involved in finals football only 4 times.

The clubs rebuild ON the field maybe hasn't been great. but he has been involved off the field in getting us AND Freo into strong positions.

Using the same logic above about him only seeing finals 4 times in 30 years is as useful as saying Richmond should get rid of Chris Newman because whilst playing for the club haven't played in a single final... it must be his fault then ??.

Listened to Cam Mooney yesterday.... he says it took Geelong 44 years to get their rebuild right. I am not trying to say we have to wait that long after what Neeld is implementing, but too many people get swept up in the "immediacy" of getting a result now.... it's gonna take time, and I for one am glad that IF we have another year or so of learning this plan (and pain) that at least we are sound off the field and we have the resources available to us. (For those I do credit Cam Schwab for....)

[rjay 24,949]

Listened to Cam Mooney yesterday.... he says it took Geelong 44 years to get their rebuild right. I am not trying to say we have to wait that long after what Neeld is implementing, but too many people get swept up in the "immediacy" of getting a result now.... it's gonna take time, and I for one am glad that IF we have another year or so of learning this plan (and pain) that at least we are sound off the field and we have the resources available to us. (For those I do credit Cam Schwab for....)

So far it has taken us 48 years and still counting.

[Pipefitter 2,163]

My concern is we don't seem to be able to make the right appointments at any level of our club from the coaches, the recruiters, the players we choose. Bailey was a mistake. Our last two recruiters haven't been much chop obviously. Neeld, well who knows? The draft picks we have chosen have been well documented so lets not go there.

[Pipefitter 2,163]

So why have blind faith in the people who continue to make these poor decisions?

[hardtack 10,548]

So far it has taken us 48 years and still counting.

Be thankful you aren't a Doggies supporter :-)

[Ouch! 2,266]

So far it has taken us 48 years and still counting.

.... thats the only bit you could respond to? Seriously?

[rpfc 28,520]

My concern is we don't seem to be able to make the right appointments at any level of our club from the coaches, the recruiters, the players we choose. Bailey was a mistake. Our last two recruiters haven't been much chop obviously. Neeld, well who knows? The draft picks we have chosen have been well documented so lets not go there.

How do you know that Neeld, Craig, Misson, Brown, Rawlings, the three assistant line coaches, the three IT line guys, the physio we stole from the Pies, the Doctor we hired, the Recruiting Head held to his contract at the Pies are not the 'right' appointments?

Schwab may go at the end of the year but he isn't the anti-Midas - not everything he touches turns to sh!t...

[Pipefitter 2,163]

Schwab will definitely go at the end of the year. When Gary was pressed about him on FC he seemed a bit cryptic saying he would see out his term. Sounded like he knew something.

I like Schwab, he is a good Melbourne person, and has handled a lot of issues with dignity and respect but we are in a results driven situation. And there have been no results.

[rpfc 28,520]

Schwab will definitely go at the end of the year. When Gary was pressed about him on FC he seemed a bit cryptic saying he would see out his term. Sounded like he knew something.

I like Schwab, he is a good Melbourne person, and has handled a lot of issues with dignity and respect but we are in a results driven situation. And there have been no results.

Garry should know nothing.

I am happy to see Garry's expertise help us get a coach a poach some people for the FD - but that's where it ends.

The board will do what the board should do - they will determine, and be held accountable for, the next CEO.

[Pipefitter 2,163]

I hate being this negative about it but its about as pessimistic as I've ever been about the club. The 2008 rebuild was necessary. What we are going through now is just a joke. The last 4 years are a blueprint of how not to rebuild a footy club.

[Ouch! 2,266]

Schwab will definitely go at the end of the year. When Gary was pressed about him on FC he seemed a bit cryptic saying he would see out his term. Sounded like he knew something.

I like Schwab, he is a good Melbourne person, and has handled a lot of issues with dignity and respect but we are in a results driven situation. And there have been no results.

No results On the field...

Off the field I think if you look at when he was bought in by Stynes, I think Schwab and Stynes have done an incredible amount to get the stability of the club off the field right. I am not saying everything was done right, and I don't have a clue (like most of us) about what really happened leading up to 186, but regardless, he has definately produced enough positive results that enable the club to now invest in the footy dept to the level that can see results achieved ON field into the future.

For the record I believe you might be correct, Cam said when he came back to Melbourne to live that he didn't want another football CEO role, but Stynes convinced him to come on board. I would be pretty certain that he would be looking at an exit strategy from the club whenever the contract is up... I think it's unlikely he will continue for another contract.

[rpfc 28,520]

I hate being this negative about it but its about as pessimistic as I've ever been about the club. The 2008 rebuild was necessary. What we are going through now is just a joke. The last 4 years are a blueprint of how not to rebuild a footy club.

Of course, it's frustrating but it is not the fault of Neeld that we were stalling under Bailey, nor is it the fault of Craig and Misson that we have never invested any money in developing players to get the most out of themselves.

I feel like the new FD is dragging the whole club into the modern era and while it is painful and embarrassing - it is necessary, and it was never meant to be easy.

We had debt, we had poor facilities, we had zero development resources, and we had a frontrunning mindset.

It kept us down and we have worked through a couple of these debilitating issues and we have a couple to go.

I believe that the people we have now are the best in the business to attack those last two issues.

[Sorge 9]

Get rid of Schwabb, get rid of Watts, get rid of Neeld... blah blah

Panic-driven, reactionary comments and statements like these are a dime a dozen round here and in the media, and they are just plain dumb.

I agree with the Schwab part.

[demoniac 1,333]

No, I think he can be clearly judged on the failure of the clubs rebuild and if that's not enough on his record of 30 years in the game being involved in finals football only 4 times.

By the way he got us into the Energy Watch scandal in the first place, not hindsight but many on here were not comfortable with that sponsor in the first place. The replacement sponsors, well to use an old quote I think a drovers dog could have got them.

Schwab and the board had to rebuild the commercial operations of the club to have the money to fund the rebuild of the foot dept.

2012 is the first season since the mid 70s that we have had the combo of elite facilities and a competitive footy spend. Only Nth and Port have won flags without that combo since then.

I could not give a flying you know what about Michael Sheehan's comments. Did he read the Peter Ryan interview with David Misson? Doubt it. Explains the legacy issues inherited by the new footy department. Misson even revealed in that interview that we are doing more running in season that the Saints did last year because we are still building to elite fitness. That will undoubtedly impact on the freshness of our players in games this season but ensure better foundations for the 2013 pre season which should hopefully see us bridge the fitness gap that Neeld, Misson and co inherited.