Has the MFC shot itself in the foot?

[rpfc 28,927]

Only an MFC supporter would start a thread like this on Viney At 26 Day...

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

if the players don't buy into hard work, sacrifice, elite standards, elite preparation, training, attitude and team work then they can go and take their negative attitudes with them. We don't need it around here anymore.

Next year will see a very different MFC, and the year after that again, and again. We are on the right road.

You are laying a judgment onto a man who has had a year with the club and has adopted what could easily be called (and supposedly was my Mission) a team who's fitness were not up to AFL standards.

Doing pre-season training to catch up IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON isn't going to bring many wins but is vital in setting up foundations and bringing about change to one day attack the finals. Neeld has said this all along. He has not once pretended we were going to shoot up the ladder, he has always stated that he is building/changing the club to make it "the hardest club to play against" and "creating an elite football team" (paraphrasing here).

So give the man time, but yes we may have seemed to have gone backwards but it is necessary to learn how to crawl (or in our case RE-crawl) properly before we can even think about walking, let alone running.

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

Jimmy saved the joint. Neeld, Craig, Misson and a few others are now fixing it.

And, as an aside, I'm very happy for West Coast to pay 'overs' to have Wellingham play in front of his family and school friends each fortnight.

[Demonsterative 3,021]

I agree Dr, Its not just about Neeld, its about Bailey the FD and Board prior to 2012. I'm just questioning the I believe in Neeld posters who said we had to go backward to go forwards when the impact of that has just magnified the clubs issues. The club seems to be turning no stoned unturned for nil result. I hope by the end of Trade and FA, my thoughts are proven wrong.

Yes I understand its early days.

[bing181 9,425]

I'm just questioning the I believe in Neeld posters who said we had to go backward to go forwards when the impact of that has just magnified the clubs issues.

Who says we have to go backwards to go forwards? And what issues are you referring to.

Poor original post, unsupported by any facts.

[dtrinh 71]

I don't understand this players not buying into the training regime of the new coaches/ sports scientist etc... As a number of people have stated already and i agree with is that going to another club does not mean that you are going to have it easier. The dees under Bailey have had under-par pre-seasons and I'm guessing a lot of encouragement and positivity even when they are not training/performing at AFL standards. Neeld and craig have brought an AFL standard to our club and even though the first season has resulted in poor performances we only need to look at Hawthorn to show us how their development happened... around the time Clarkson came in, made the tough decisions and made Hawthorn a hard team to play against... Hawks were near the bottom of the ladder for a number of years, it paid off now. A game plan which has strong emphasis of defensive efforts not only as a team but also at stoppages. This is something that Neeld is trying to implement which and I hope after a couple more pre-seasons we can see real development in our younger players and hopefully final football in a few years!

[Philthy 284]

Maybe any supporters who aren't prepared to buy in should be shown the door too?

[Dr. Gonzo 24,451]

I agree Dr, Its not just about Neeld, its about Bailey the FD and Board prior to 2012. I'm just questioning the I believe in Neeld posters who said we had to go backward to go forwards when the impact of that has just magnified the clubs issues. The club seems to be turning no stoned unturned for nil result. I hope by the end of Trade and FA, my thoughts are proven wrong.

Yes I understand its early days.

What other options did we have?

Don't worry, these things turn. No-one wants to come here now because we've been an on-field rabble for 6 seasons but if we can improve over the next year or so things will change and we'll be an attractive prospect, especially with plenty of room in the cap.

I'd like to get Caddy but the rest I'm not too fussed about. Dawes has had a horrible year, Wellingham is a hipster doofus, wasn't all that keen on Boak - don't get me wrong I wouldn't turn these guys away for the right price but it's not the end of the world if we don't get them either. The main priority this off-season was to get Vinet at 26, Hogan in the mini draft and load up on midfielders with the rest of our picks. It seems like that's what is happening so I couldn't give a stuff if Wellingham or Caddy don't want a bar of us.

[rjay 25,307]

I suppose I'm worried by Emma Quales tweets that the club cant attract players. I personally think Neeld an co have the best intentions and are on the right track. i just question the process to get there.

We couldn't go on the way we were and an easy transition would in the end have been no transition, if you don't get rid of all the weeds they soon come back. The club needed a rocket and that's what it's getting.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Maybe any supporters who aren't prepared to buy in should be shown the door too?

[sue 9,197]

I will look forward to how some posters will find negative things to say on the day we finally win the flag. Let's have a competition on guessing what they'll say. For example:

Once again none of our players won the Norm Smith. The FD has some questions to answer.

[H_T 3,049]

I respect Emma. Its her tweet, plus other things. As I said. its not black or white, its shades of!!!!

50 shades of...?

You said in your opening post "the word out is the FD are in disarray" - are they really? (in a sarcastic tone) Because that is the first I've heard of such nonsense. Unless you have some new light to shed (some substance), you have no support, they're all on the same page from all reports. Using your opinion that we can't attract anyone does not give weight to the FD are in disarray, either.

Let's see where we sit after the trade period and we may re-visit. So far Byrnes has joined Clark.

[John Crow Batty 8,882]

Too many see Neeld as the messiah at this club. So far only words and promises backed up by perhaps the worst season ever by this club. Now many rejoice at getting young Viney as a major coup. He who was promised to us by blood several years ago. And looks like the war chest is in fact a Salvo's recycling bag.

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

I will look forward to how some posters will find negative things to say on the day we finally win the flag. Let's have a competition on guessing what they'll say. For example:

Once again none of our players won the Norm Smith. The FD has some questions to answer.

"A win is a win, I guess. But when are we gonna get some real inside mids/outside mids/forwards/backs?" [strike out whichever doesn't apply ... whoops, this is Melbourne, don't strike out any]

or maybe:

"Geez, that's great, but I heard a rumour/my sources tell me that the tanking inquiry is finally finished and the AFL's gonna take the flag away anyway."

[mauriesy 7,418]

There's a big problem with the grammar in the thread title though.

[The Reverend 1,736]

Too many see Neeld as the messiah at this club. So far only words and promises backed up by perhaps the worst season ever by this club. Now many rejoice at getting young Viney as a major coup. He who was promised to us by blood several years ago. And looks like the war chest is in fact a Salvo's recycling bag.

What's like in that bottomless pit of misery you inhabit?

[demoniac 1,337]

I could not disagree more with the OP.

Mark Neeld wants us to play tough hard smart footy thats wins finals. Like the Swans for instance. If any player does not want to buy into that then heck I don't want them.

The reason some players don't want to come is because we lack respect. I am 42 and we've been a joke for most of my life.

We can't just change that overnight.

Its one step at a time.

We moved from the decrepit Junction Oval to the elite facilities at AAMI Park.

We payed off our $5million debt.

Then we invested in our footy department after the end of the 2011 season.

We recruited Mitch Clark for Pick 12 which now looks like a bargain.

Is there a better sports science duo in the AFL than Dave Misson and Neil Craig? I doubt it. If you are a Dees players you now can have trust in those charged with turning you into an elite AFL athlete.

Then their is Mark Neeld. He sets tough standards. Tougher than we've seen since Swooper. They are not random standards. They are the standards required to build a successful team.

Then their are our young leaders and players. Grimes, Trengove, Jones. They seem resolute. Jack Viney the same.

I'm more excited about the Dees than I've ever been.

We're back in the game for the first time in my lifetime.

It won't huppen overnight but it wull huppen.

[John Crow Batty 8,882]

What's like in that bottomless pit of misery you inhabit?

What's like in that bottomless pit of misery you inhabit?

Thats where you dreamers must live in. Tell me, you seem to know about bottomless pits.

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

It won't huppen overnight but it wull huppen.

Are you frum NZ?

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

Where is the optimism? You should change your name to Bitter but Twisted. Give it a rest!

About halfway through the season just gone, I did consider that very change!

[monoccular 17,650]

I will look forward to how some posters will find negative things to say on the day we finally win the flag. Let's have a competition on guessing what they'll say. For example:

Once again none of our players won the Norm Smith. The FD has some questions to answer.

I agree 100%. Or, sure we won the flag and the Normie but wasn't that an awful set shot at goal by that spud in the second quarter, and how come Mitch didn't win the Coleman?

Some seem happier to wallow in misery, and see the light at the end of the tunnel as just an oncoming freight train!

[Pink Freud 378]

Then again, I ask the question whether a football club actually has a foot that can be shot?

[Whispering_Jack 31,180]

Then again, I ask the question whether a football club actually has a foot that can be shot?

PF. Surely you've heard of a club foot?

[Jonesbag 487]

I assume your talking about wellingham & caddy? I guess wellingham is coming from collingwood and is use to success and wants to keep playing finals and maybe he actually just wants to be closer to his family (our ladder position doesnt help though). As for caddy, this bloke is just an utter [censored] who has played under 20 games and thinks hes all that and a bag of chips. As far as im concerned this little [censored] can eat the chips and put the empty bag over his ugly mug and just [censored] off because we dont want people with that attitude at the MFC.

Long live Neeld

[Footynut 302]

I also like many disagree with OP.

Just a point on MFC not being to woo current players which was asserted that could be due to a footy dept in disarray and the impression others have of our club.

This perception has gone on for years and is not Neeld Specific.

Players in the past like Matera, Judd, Burgoyne, Ball, Gunston have not come to Melbourne.....frankly it was a massive effort and subsequent win for us our CURRENT football dept managed to not only get Mitch Clark across but also to see him want to make a difference at our club.

As many have already said OP is off track.

To view it as a current dept issue ignores the past 20 years of this continuing to occur.