Neeld Not Interested In Limelight ... Thanks Assistants First

[Range Rover 1,935]

Not always a Robbo fan but I think he makes some good observations about Neeld in today's The Tackle.

* Particularly like the bit highlighted in bold.

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Neeld's private celebration

Victorious Melbourne coach Mark Neeld was invited into the post-match sing-song by Clint Bartram on Saturday night.

He declined. Even amidst perhaps his most proudest moment in footy, which includes multiple premierships at Ocean Grove, Neeld didn't want the limelight.

He is an old fashioned coach in that regard, and it's no coincidence his mentor Mick Malthouse rarely, if ever, joined the boys to sing the theme song.

Neeld has been the face of Melbourne since he was named coach, though all the bad, the worst, and the horrendous.

And then his one time to bask in glory, he ignored it.

Even at the siren, when emotions were off the radar, Neeld allowed himself a few moments of release, captured perfectly by photographer Wayne Ludbey on the back page of the Sunday Herald Sun.

Can only imagine what he was thinking at the time.

What Neeld was thinking was something I wasn't thinking.

Instead of being swept up in the victory, and gallop on to the field to back-slap and hug every one of his players, Neeld instead bolted back up to the coach's box to celebrate with and congratulate his assistants.

He thought of others before himself and it's little things like that help build culture.

He then caught the lift with them to the basement, waited for the players to arrive in the rooms, and even looked uncomfortable as the president Don McClardy shook his hand.

Awkward in a sense, because Neeld was trying to keep it calm. He wanted it to be about the players.

Only he can tell us what the victory meant to him.

From the outside, and after several weeks of media scrutiny, some of which moved former coach David Parkin to attack the attackers, it would seem Neeld's belief in his game plan and methodology got a welcome tick.

The sense of relief would be absolute.

Since becoming coach he has had to deal with both allegations and facts, which include player revolt, Liam Jurrah, Jim Stynes' death, his captains on the bench, Col Sylvia and his form and his smiling, swearing, racist sponsors, Mifsud and Davey, and heavy duty media treatment.

If anyone deserved a moment in the sun it was Neeld.

He didn't take it. It might be a small step in this rebuilding of this football club, and for the Demons every little step helps.

Edited June 4, 2012 by Range Rover

[The Chazz 4,077]

I thought the bolded heading was something you liked. Was trying to work out why those 3 words impressed you, could only come up with the fact that he put his balls on the line playing Garland up forward, so when we got up, he and said balls celebrated due to their realtionship being saved.

Am I on the wrong track RR?!

[Range Rover 1,935]

I thought the bolded heading was something you liked. Was trying to work out why those 3 words impressed you, could only come up with the fact that he put his balls on the line playing Garland up forward, so when we got up, he and said balls celebrated due to their realtionship being saved.

Am I on the wrong track RR?!

You are on a weird track Bill but that's okay!

Edited for accuracy.

[Cards13 9,117]

Heading back to celebrate/thank/congratulate the other coaches I thought was brilliant. He knows how hard, how much scrutiny all of the footy dept has been under, let alone himself, and for Neeld to not take the limelight himself but to share with the coaching group I thought was outstanding.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

says a lot about the bloke. All the coach's are a team within a team and through all the excitement he didn't forget that. I LIKE!

[Sir Why You Little 36,992]

Lets wait for the elusive 13th. before Coach Neeld joins the circle.

[dees189227 12,373]

MAybe he didnt want to get sprayed with the powerade. But im sure he will get in the circle at some stage.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Maybe they're s Method in the Madness.

Just Maybe, he doesn't want to make his desks worthless, by becoming chummy with all & sundry.

Maybe he Wants to retain being the Boss, as the most important thing to changing the Culture.... & getting this ship moving.