The new and improved Mark Neeld

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I've just finished watching his media conference, following the intra club game.

It's quite amazing how relaxed he is this year, with 12 months getting to know the players and coaching staff.

Also getting the type of players he needs to implement his game plan, and getting the whole group fitter.

I get the feeling he is in a good place and his confidence has risen.

A happy confident coach would rub off onto the playing group I'd assume.

Any thoughts?

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Had faith since the start.
He is the one.
Mark my words and quote them back to me when we win the Premiership.

For i know he is the one to do it.
Mark my words.

Have faith and enjoy the ride because the glory in the end will be all worth it.

He is the one.

Edited February 18, 2013 by The Song Formerly Known As

[CBDees 3,167]

His performance at the AGM had me convinced. I am sure that he knows exactly what he is doing with his overhaul of our playing list and I am sure the players are all on board for the jouney!

[Elwood 3184 1,301]

I've just finished watching his media conference, following the intra club game.

It's quite amazing how relaxed he is this year, with 12 months getting to know the players and coaching staff.

Also getting the type of players he needs to implement his game plan, and getting the whole group fitter.

I get the feeling he is in a good place and his confidence has risen.

A happy confident coach would rub off onto the playing group I'd assume.

Any thoughts?

Hasn't lost a game this year. Why shouldn't he be happy and confident?

[Muvver Jones 64]

I'll wait for the premiership points to accumulate or not.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Muvver Jones

[tonatopia 278]

Hahahahaha, and the wind cries, Mary!

[rjay 24,917]

Hahahahaha, and the wind cries, Mary!

Thanks Jimmy!

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

I've just finished watching his media conference, following the intra club game.

It's quite amazing how relaxed he is this year, with 12 months getting to know the players and coaching staff.

Also getting the type of players he needs to implement his game plan, and getting the whole group fitter.

I get the feeling he is in a good place and his confidence has risen.

A happy confident coach would rub off onto the playing group I'd assume.

Any thoughts?

The mad eye twitch seems to have settled a bit too. Perhaps it is a barometer of Mark's stress levels

[The Reverend 1,736]

Had faith since the start.

He is the one.

Mark my words and quote them back to me when we win the Premiership.

For i know he is the one to do it.

Mark my words.

Have faith and enjoy the ride because the glory in the end will be all worth it.

He is the one.

This should be on the "Optimists Only" thread. I think it's about time I brought it back

Go DEES!

[P-man 13,366]

He's been good behind a microphone from the start. He's an impressive fella.

I'll start entertaining the idea he is "the one" when he starts winning some games. Legitimate wins, not the handful of mickey mouse ones of last season.

[Little Goffy 14,521]

The man has never coached an AFL loss against a team less experienced than the one he was coaching. Clearly, genius. Just a matter of time!

I respect him, I appreciate the values he talks about and the goals he sets. But, we'll see on the field, won't we.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

Anyone who cuts Morton, Cook and Gysberts and doesn't bow to soft as butter's (Jurrah) preferential treatment, gets my vote.

Add to that, brings in guys who actually want to train, have values and work ethic in Rodan, Brynes and Dawes.

I feel we are at least on the right track.

[bandicoot 1,395]

It's the middle of February... The only coach under the pump this time of year is hird because his career is on the line:

[Damo 3,355]

Round 1 will greatly influence me.

[old dee 23,787]

His performance at the AGM had me convinced. I am sure that he knows exactly what he is doing with his overhaul of our playing list and I am sure the players are all on board for the jouney!

It never ceases to amaze me how two people can see the same event and come up with entirely different views.

I saw him at the AGM and was not impressed.

Not saying you are wrong CBDees just my view of his effort that night.

I cannot give you a good reason buthe just does not do it for me.

Now if we win 8+ games this year that will do it for me.

And in the end he is there to win games not impress me.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

I love the bloke.

That said, even though everyone will be demanding more wins this year (including me), I think Neeld is still focussed on nailing the underlying fundamentals of building a good team/structure rather than achieving end results this year.

He is still all about instilling professionalism, discipline, team oriented behaviours, improving fitness and skill set etc at the moment.

Accordingly, I feel we're still very much in a development phase, not a finals phase. Frustrating perhaps, largely because we've been in development phase since 2007, but that's not Neeld's doing.

In fact, he's the solution to entering the next phase.

IMO this season is about building towards making the finals next year. And then going deeper into September the year after that.

And I reckon we will.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

PS. Had a dream/nightmare last night that North pumped us by 96 points in the NAB Cup game this Friday. Woke up - and then thought to myself, even though their midfield's a lot better than ours, it's just not possible to beat us like that anymore. Quite simply, Neeld's defensive focus and systems will not allow it.

[CBDees 3,167]

He's been good behind a microphone from the start. He's an impressive fella.

I'll start entertaining the idea he is "the one" when he starts winning some games. Legitimate wins, not the handful of mickey mouse ones of last season.

I like Neeld, but the handful of games was actually a solitary game versus the four that we won (against the same 15 teams) in 2009 with Bailey at the helm and (according to the AFL,) 'trying to lose'

[old dee 23,787]

I love the bloke.

That said, even though everyone will be demanding more wins this year (including me), I think Neeld is still focussed on nailing the underlying fundamentals of building a good team/structure rather than achieving end results this year.

He is still all about instilling professionalism, discipline, team oriented behaviours, improving fitness and skill set etc at the moment.

Accordingly, I feel we're still very much in a development phase, not a finals phase. Frustrating perhaps, largely because we've been in development phase since 2007, but that's not Neeld's doing.

In fact, he's the solution to entering the next phase.

IMO this season is about building towards making the finals next year. And then going deeper into September the year after that.

And I reckon we will.

I cannot disagree with any thing you say Ron.

For reasons I find difficult to explain MN just leaves me feeling less than great.

[old dee 23,787]

PS. Had a dream/nightmare last night that North pumped us by 96 points in the NAB Cup game this Friday. Woke up - and then thought to myself, even though their midfield's a lot better than ours, it's just not possible to beat us like that anymore. Quite simply, Neeld's defensive focus and systems will not allow it.

Considering the results of the last 6 years Ron your dream appears entirely reasonable to me.

My version has Gysberts kicking the winning goal.

[farmerwiz 60]

reckon he is a winner....got rid of the softies in morton, bennell etc and has brought in a good team

needs some wins next year or this year but a winner to date

get aboard

[Red N Blue Society 165]

I think Mark Neeld has just lacked the cattle & now he has a good herd that can deliver more wins.A

As P_MAN said not just mickey mouse wins but some real grind them into the ground ones to announce we are back now dont screw with us!

It doesnt matter who the opposition is,the Swans or the Cats...we just need to not be intimidated and beat the flogs!

[Ted Lasso 19,507]

He came in and tried to get a team to play a gameplan that was almost the exact opposite of what they had been playing, that required more fitness than they had by a long way, it was never going to work straight away. Things did seem to be slowly coming together towards the end of the year though and he is saying all of the right things so he has me convinced he is the right man for the job. Think we might have a similar year to 2011 this year, look great in patches, horrible in others and with 5-6 rounds to go be a sneaky shot at finals but the youth of the side might keep us out.

[timD 994]

I like Neeld, but the handful of games was actually a solitary game versus the four that we won (against the same 15 teams) in 2009 with Bailey at the helm and (according to the AFL,) 'trying to lose'

It is a sobering post that will get ignored.

Let's all be clear that there is no evidence that Neeld can coach at this level. Last year we were so poor it was pitiful. I would hope for some improvement on that year and improvement is inevitable. However, Neeld needs to produce results over the next two years that are a damn sight better than Bailey produced when 'positioning the club'. I am full of hope...but I've felt that before. I remembering hearing from Bailey about a new fitness regime that would build the players from the ground up...

Nothing will count other than wins. Neeld has two years IMO to get a fair few. Everything I see and read tells me he'll do it. I've had that before too.

[Akum 2,660]

It is a sobering post that will get ignored.

Let's all be clear that there is no evidence that Neeld can coach at this level. Last year we were so poor it was pitiful. I would hope for some improvement on that year and improvement is inevitable. However, Neeld needs to produce results over the next two years that are a damn sight better than Bailey produced when 'positioning the club'. I am full of hope...but I've felt that before. I remembering hearing from Bailey about a new fitness regime that would build the players from the ground up...

Nothing will count other than wins. Neeld has two years IMO to get a fair few. Everything I see and read tells me he'll do it. I've had that before too.

I'm more concerned that if all the apparent improvement in the off-season is followed by disappointing performances in the real stuff, he may not have 2 years. If the apparent outcomes of the tanking issue are near the mark, after 5 disappointing years, we will need to show signs of major improvement in the first half of this season.