McLardy, Schwab and Co must go

[rjay 24,924]

I was not happy when Cameron Schwab was brought back into the club. When he left last time the club was in a state of turmoil, we were fined and copped the loss of draft picks. Whether or not he was at fault, part at fault or no fault at all (just wrong place wrong time) I don't really know and don't want to debate it here now. But I do think that anyone involved at that time has a cloud hanging over them, enough to say thank you but no thanks. The position we are in today can in part be traced back to that time, the lost picks could have been the senior players we have been crying out for to help our younger recruits.

Anyway...Cameron came back into the club and with Jim in time it looked like maybe things were heading in the right direction. Cameron had me convinced in his run of media interviews that in Dean Bailey we had the man to take us back to the top. He was asked if Bailey was just a teaching coach until we were positioned to get a real coach. Cam convinced us that Bailey was the real deal.

At the end of 2010 I thought now we are on for next year, 2011 is the year we make a move on the 8 and then it's only up from there. We were ahead of Richmond and on a par with North but with a much more talented list, or so we were being told by the club and media experts. I was telling my Richmond mates they were bottoming out at the wrong time with the 2 new clubs coming into the competition and we were luckily on the way up, had our club and list sorted.

Then came 2011, the pre season games didn't look promising but of course that was only preseason (another one of those excuses we trot out). Mixed results in the season proper, the WC debacle culminating in the Geelong disgrace. What had gone wrong, surely we should have been entrenched in the 8. Schwab gets sacked and reinstated, Bailey gets sacked, Jim's health is ailing and the club is in turmoil again. Jim was right, both had to go, there was a turf war going on in the club and the only way to end it was to get rid of both parties responsible for creating the turmoil involved.

2012, more turmoil at the club. You couldn't expect any less after what had taken place in 2011, 2013 seems to be going the same way.

So...I don't care what anyone says but after what happened in 2011 I can't forgive CS for his part in it and I think I was right in my concern to bring him back into the club in the first place. Maybe he is just unfortunate but it seems to be too much of a coincidence that turmoil seems to follow him, it can't be that he is just plain unlucky. Schwab must go.

As for the board the only thing I really have fault with is that they have expended his contract, it is an unbelievable decision to offer him an extension of 3 years when under his administration the club has failed on ground and had just copped a 500K fine from the AFL. It seems that in trying to show support for their man to the AFL they have cut off their combined noses.

What do we do from here, I notice that someone has brought up the idea of AFL intervention and it is along the lines of something I floated last year. At a minimum we need to involve the AFL in the search for the right CEO and as part of this process to get a delayed payment plan on the fine, it will cost us to move on from here with him and probably anything we have offered CC as well. If performances on the ground don't improve then we would need to be working behind the scenes to get a priority pick at the end of this year and anyone tarred with the tanking brush will not have a hope in hell of being able to represent us in something so sensitive.

[Muvver Jones 64]

!Why can't we go back to being a club that is about football instead of stupid marketing ploys like blazers, buglers and open ended rebuilding projects that get relabelled 'footballing journeys' to make them sound more new age and less pathetic? We have been in the past. I remember the early days of Swooper Northey. The club actually was aiming to win the PREMIERSHIP! Who'd have thunk it? Even up till '94, that was our main objective every year. From 96 onwards, it seemed we just became happy to survive and we seemed determined to find some new wanky way to market the club. 2008 onwards seemed to be the absolute zenith of the ass hattery.RANT OFF.P.S. Don't come on here telling me how I should support someone else. I love the club and I want to see it do better but if you had a major problem, would you want speople who would tell you some home truths or someone who enabled your destructive behavior to be your support network? I'm sick to death of a club that wants to celebrate stuff that happened before color TV, decimal currency and the Australian national anthem. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE! Bloody Bob Menzies was the PM when we won our last flag! He has been dead for 34 years!

Making Trengove and Grimes co-captain looked to me more of a marketing ploy rather than picking the best available. Get two appealing poster boys to fly the flag. I can't believe that it could have been a peer group decision or from the FD. Looks like something Schwab dreamed up and inline with all the other gimmicks you mention.

[Guest]

Making Trengove and Grimes co-captain looked to me more of a marketing ploy rather than picking the best available. Get two appealing poster boys to fly the flag. I can't believe that it could have been a peer group decision or from the FD. Looks like something Schwab dreamed up and inline with all the other gimmicks you mention.

I think you are half right there. I think, and with no disrespect to him, that the Trengove appointment was part of the gimmick but not so much Grimes. If they had made Jack Grimes the sole captain, there would have been some eyebrows raised due to his run with injuries but anyone who has seen him deal with the media, his preparation and his efforts during the contest would know at least there was SOME logic behind the move. A 20 year old captain must be of the Joel Selwood variety, an absolute gun with leadership written all over him from moment 1. Trenners has been good in patches but not Selwood good. I think most people looked at it and thought we were putting unnecessary pressure on the poor kid.

[Tatu 416]

Don't anyone dare come in here say something along the lines of, 'I didn't know Cameron Schwab was playing on a wing', or 'Oh, is Don McLardy the midfield coach'.

The board is never responsible for a single loss in isolation, but they are responsible for years and years of mediocrity, and then just when things couldn't get any worse, yesterday happened, the single worst display I have seen in my time supporting my club. And I am including the likes of 186 (the Geelong side of a few years back would have knocked up a double ton plus win yesterday).

Last weekend was bad, but 186 was far worst....

In my opion... Sacking board members or the coach isn't going to help..... This club is dying..... We are heading in the Fitzroy direction and were moving fast.... Our club is finished! The gap is to vast.... I'm just hopeing that we get to keep our colours when were relocated....

[jnrmac 20,061]

Making Trengove and Grimes co-captain looked to me more of a marketing ploy rather than picking the best available. Get two appealing poster boys to fly the flag. I can't believe that it could have been a peer group decision or from the FD. Looks like something Schwab dreamed up and inline with all the other gimmicks you mention.

Oh yeah because we have so many outstanding leaders to choose from .......

When you are trying to change a culture as poor as ours you have to start from scratch. Hence the two young guns.

[Muvver Jones 64]

Oh yeah because we have so many outstanding leaders to choose from .......

When you are trying to change a culture as poor as ours you have to start from scratch. Hence the two young guns.

The changing culture mantra is another pathetic excuse sold to supporters to deflect responsibillity from those who made disastrous decisions. The so called culture has never been worse than NOW in the entire history of the club. Schwab and Co have had five years to do something positive for this club. Miserable failures. Edited April 6, 2013 by Muvver Jones

[Guest]

Oh yeah because we have so many outstanding leaders to choose from .......

When you are trying to change a culture as poor as ours you have to start from scratch. Hence the two young guns.

Elements of what you say are trueish Junior. There needed to be a new captain as Brad Green had run out of puff by 2011 and, rightly or wrongly, was perceived to have overseen a lapse of standards at the club. The gimmick part is when they took Jack Trengove as a co-captain. Make him part of the leadership group if you must but 20 years old is too young for a club captain.

I am amazed that some people have actually called for Jack Viney to become captain on this board. Surely this is hyperbole and they don't mean right now but they must be smart enough for him to have been in the system for a while before he does that.

[Macca 16,967]

Do you really believe that it would be so simple?????

Where are you going to find all these people??????

Every body has baggage.......

A fresh start might be the answer but it may just destroy the club.......

You need first to find people that are prepared to do a hell of a lot of work....Unpaid work...and form a ticket to run against the current board....

I believe this club has done a lot since the last board was in charge......It on the field that we need to improve....and then no one would be moaning about boards and CEO"s boot studders and the like.....

There are other ways, Bossdog.

What if the current board realised amongst themselves that the club might be better off with a new Board. That they'd had good go at it and were prepared to let others to have a go. They could commission an independent sub committee to seek out and find a brand new Board.

There could be a smooth changover without any blood letting. I know you've coached a truckload of games at a good level and you must have seen committees/ executives or Boards change hands. I know I've seen it. I've seen both blood letting and smooth changeovers.

I've nothing personal against any on our Board or any of our paid Administrators but sometimes you just need change. Sometimes you just have to do the right thing even though you may be personally effected.

[loges 6,767]

Elements of what you say are trueish Junior. There needed to be a new captain as Brad Green had run out of puff by 2011 and, rightly or wrongly, was perceived to have overseen a lapse of standards at the club. The gimmick part is when they took Jack Trengove as a co-captain. Make him part of the leadership group if you must but 20 years old is too young for a club captain.

I am amazed that some people have actually called for Jack Viney to become captain on this board. Surely this is hyperbole and they don't mean right now but they must be smart enough for him to have been in the system for a while before he does that.

We have a great dearth of leaders. Geelong have about 15 leaders and 3 followers, we would be the reverse. In hindsight Mich Clark should have been captain & Natan Jones VC. The 2 younger boys may get there but are not up to it at the moment

[Range Rover 1,935]

Handing the #31 to Grimes. Another unnecessary gimmick. Let the bloke create his own history FCS.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Range Rover

[mjt 640]

Haha "the revolution".... Revolutions are about action not talking RR, and all you've done so far is talk...

So has the club.

[stuie 7,374]

So has the club.

Not gonna argue with that!

[Macca 16,967]

An overview of the club and Schwab's "achievements" since returning to MFC;

SPONSORS

- failed to secure Mission Foods who were signed by Bulldogs

- lost Hankook sponsorship despite De La Rue being a long time Demons supporter due to his dissatisfaction with the manner he was treated by the club

- Kaspersky signed due to a supporter approaching them

- EnergyWatch signed without due diligence of background checks which would have revealed poor prior business practices, problems with the ACCC & an unlikely ability to meet payments - deal subsequently fell apart for other reasons

- Webjet signed due to a supporter referring them

- Opel signed as a major sponsor

- NT Tourism signed as a minor sponsor with an understanding MFC will play additional games in Darwin in the future

- Several minor sponsors still unsigned going into 2013 season with club resorting to emailing Foundation Heroes and running an ad in the newspaper to try and lure sponsors

- Despite continued comments the club is close to signing a major Chinese sponsor nothing eventuates and the matter peters out

BUSINESS MODEL

- Have cleared $5M debt

- Club continues to be reliant on AFL handouts and supporter donations to make a marginal profit

- Have significantly increased our asset base by merging with the Leigh Oak club at Oakleigh

- Have acquired several hundred pokies machines at a relatively bargain price following changes to government legislation

- Have overhauled FD and increased FD spending though have failed to make ground on larger clubs

- Club is fined $500k following an AFL investigation into alleged tanking in 2009

MEMBERSHIP/SUPPORTERS

- Membership increased to record levels over 2009-2011 though declined in 2012 and likely to decline again in 2013

- Anecdotal evidence of some Foundation Heroes unhappy with treatment by the club and withdrawing their significant financial support

- Club has embarked on trying to develop a support base in the Casey region including community programs, partnership with Casey Scorpions and second training base at Casey - this is signed on as a 30 year relationship thoughthere appears to be get-out clauses if required

CLUB UNITY/RELATIONSHIPS

- Significant fracturing of the club between admin & FD leading to decision not to renew Schwab's contract at end of 2011 - decision subsequently overturned following 186 as coach was sacked instead and didnt want to spill both leadership positions

- Club remains disjointed/fractured with admin based at MCG & FD based at AAMI Park

- Schwab has effectively disappeared publicly (including shutting down even his Twitter feed) due to either being told to do so by the board or electing to do so due to the increase in supporter agitation due to continued poor performance of the team

- Several senior players dissatisfied with the way the team was coached in 2009 believing the club was trying to "tank" games in order to secure priority draft pick

- Several senior players sacked by the club most notably captain James McDonald who was told unexpectedly at the end of 2011 his contract would not be renewed. The club is criticised morefor its handling of the de isions rather than the decisions themselves

- The club commissions an independent review of the club, dubbed the Andrews Report, prior to the 2011 season - senior players were allegedly interviewed for the purposes of gathering info for the report -the report is subsequently shelved when it comes back allegedly critical of the running of the club particularly by the CEO

- In July 2011 senior players are again spoken to about their opinions on the club/admin - they feel they have been marginalised again which leads some to allege they play a game in protest losing by 186 points to Geelong - their protest has the unintended effect of saving the CEO and sacking the coach which is the opposite of what they had wanted

- Relationship with Casey FC sours at times particularly during 2011 when the VFL side recruits Brendan Fevola and the MFC again withdraws players from the squad as Casey embarks on a finals campaign

- Andrew Leoncelli quits the board in 2011 leaving his position as conduit between the FD & admin vacant for the remainder of the season

- Head recruiter Prendergast leaves at start of 2012 leaving his position to be temporarily filled by Todd Viney (who has minimal if any experience in this area) until the clubs preferred candidate finishes his contract with Collingwood which doesn't occur until after the National Draft

- Defensive coach Sean Wellman is re-signed to a new contract on the back of a great performance in 2010 which sees Frawley become AA and the backline lauded for its work - he subsequently advises he wishes to rejoin his old club Essendon following Hird being appointed coach and the club releases him from his contract without hassle

TEAM PERFORMANCE

- Schwab develops the "Red & Blueprint" a document which details the Premiership model the club will undertake which focuses on slashing senior players and rebuilding solely through the draft by obtaining as many first round picks as possible

- Player development is hindered with draftees being played in senior matches before they are physically or mentally prepared - this is exacerbated by a dearthnof leadership on-field during games

- The initial rebuild fails culminating in 186 which sees the coach sacked - a new coach is appointed who undertakes another rebuild, slashing the list again and repeating the same mantra of needing to get games into players with the addition this time of stating the players are unfit and require 3 pre-seasons to get up to AFL fitness levels

- In 2012 the team goes backwards winning only 4 games, 3 of which are against the new franchises GC & GWS

- Prior to round 1 the CEO makes comments to he effect of round 1 being only one game in 22 and its no big deal if we lose as we can always rebound next week

- After making significant changes to the list at the end of 2012 supporters are hopeful of increased performance in 2013 - in the first game MFC loses to PA who finished low on the ladder in 2012 and had appointed a new coach over the summer - the players look listless in their loss leading to supporters venting their frustration during and after the game - the performance is made worse by the fact several other teams including GC, GWS & the Bulldogs put in spirited round 1 performances with fans fearful these clubs will overtake them as Richmond, North Melbourne, West Coast & Essendon have previously

- Following the round 1 defeat several players address the team in the rooms after the game including debutante Jack Viney - at the press conference the coach & captain look bewildered stating they couldnt understand the performance considering how well they'd trained over the pre-season

- No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft Jack Watts makes comments lamenting a lack of leadership on-field seemingly unaware that it is each players responsibility to lift the team and not rely on others to do so first - this is on the back of getting only 2 kicks & 5 handballs playing loose in defence after being drafted as a key forward

I think that is fairly comprehensive though I have likely overlooked some things which I am happy to edit in if anyone cares to point them out. I have tried to be fair and include the positives as well but the negatives comprehensively outweight them from my assessment. Others can make up their minds on what this all means but for me it points to a dearth of leadership at the top of the club and a dysfunctional relationship between the CEO and the rest of the club.

Good work Gonzo, and I hope everyone takes the time to read it.

With a few exceptions, I'd agree with your well thought out and researched post. As you said, it's up to others to make up their minds to what it all means and points to. I thought you were, on the whole, largely unbiased.

Well put together and an excellent 'time line'.

[bing181 9,234]

With a few exceptions, I'd agree with your well thought out and researched post.

Well-researched? Where did CS ever say "it's no big deal if we lose". (as a for example)

An opinion piece, built around Gonzos unique and singular interpretation of events, many of which he has no real inside knowledge of.

[Grimes is Great 183]

Well-researched? Where did CS ever say "it's no big deal if we lose". (as a for example)

An opinion piece, built around Gonzos unique and singular interpretation of events, many of which he has no real inside knowledge of.

Who says he has no inside knowledge? You?

Maybe he does.

[Macca 16,967]

Well-researched? Where did CS ever say "it's no big deal if we lose". (as a for example)

An opinion piece, built around Gonzos unique and singular interpretation of events, many of which he has no real inside knowledge of.

Read my post again. I specifically said 'With a few exceptions' . I didn't see the need to point out what those exceptions were because on an overall basis I thought it was an excellent post. Most of Gonzo's post was accurate in my opinion. Are you saying it was all untrue?

If you're going to quote me, leave the whole quote in so as not to take me out of context.

[bing181 9,234]

Read my post again. I specifically said 'With a few exceptions' .

Read my post again. I specifically included "with a few exceptions".

[Macca 16,967]

Read my post again. I specifically included "with a few exceptions".

I have no idea where this conversation is going. If you don't like Gonzo's post, take it up with him.

I liked the post, you didn't. Let's agree to disagree.

[Sir Why You Little 37,035]

God help us if we get thumped tonight....

[mjt 640]

RR is correct, this thread needs to stay at the top of the board until this selfish man is removed, the way its going theres going to be nothing left for the next CEO to rebuild, please Cameron just leave FFS.

[mjt 640]

RR is correct, this thread needs to stay at the top of the board until this selfish man is removed, the way its going theres going to be nothing left for the next CEO to rebuild, please Cameron just leave FFS.

Bump time to walk.

[Benson 254]

Bump time to walk.

No, time to KICK them out.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Bump time to walk.

Woops I accidently replied to your post

[rjay 24,924]

I was not happy when Cameron Schwab was brought back into the club. When he left last time the club was in a state of turmoil, we were fined and copped the loss of draft picks. Whether or not he was at fault, part at fault or no fault at all (just wrong place wrong time) I don't really know and don't want to debate it here now. But I do think that anyone involved at that time has a cloud hanging over them, enough to say thank you but no thanks. The position we are in today can in part be traced back to that time, the lost picks could have been the senior players we have been crying out for to help our younger recruits.

Anyway...Cameron came back into the club and with Jim in time it looked like maybe things were heading in the right direction. Cameron had me convinced in his run of media interviews that in Dean Bailey we had the man to take us back to the top. He was asked if Bailey was just a teaching coach until we were positioned to get a real coach. Cam convinced us that Bailey was the real deal.

At the end of 2010 I thought now we are on for next year, 2011 is the year we make a move on the 8 and then it's only up from there. We were ahead of Richmond and on a par with North but with a much more talented list, or so we were being told by the club and media experts. I was telling my Richmond mates they were bottoming out at the wrong time with the 2 new clubs coming into the competition and we were luckily on the way up, had our club and list sorted.

Then came 2011, the pre season games didn't look promising but of course that was only preseason (another one of those excuses we trot out). Mixed results in the season proper, the WC debacle culminating in the Geelong disgrace. What had gone wrong, surely we should have been entrenched in the 8. Schwab gets sacked and reinstated, Bailey gets sacked, Jim's health is ailing and the club is in turmoil again. Jim was right, both had to go, there was a turf war going on in the club and the only way to end it was to get rid of both parties responsible for creating the turmoil involved.

2012, more turmoil at the club. You couldn't expect any less after what had taken place in 2011, 2013 seems to be going the same way.

So...I don't care what anyone says but after what happened in 2011 I can't forgive CS for his part in it and I think I was right in my concern to bring him back into the club in the first place. Maybe he is just unfortunate but it seems to be too much of a coincidence that turmoil seems to follow him, it can't be that he is just plain unlucky. Schwab must go.

As for the board the only thing I really have fault with is that they have expended his contract, it is an unbelievable decision to offer him an extension of 3 years when under his administration the club has failed on ground and had just copped a 500K fine from the AFL. It seems that in trying to show support for their man to the AFL they have cut off their combined noses.

What do we do from here, I notice that someone has brought up the idea of AFL intervention and it is along the lines of something I floated last year. At a minimum we need to involve the AFL in the search for the right CEO and as part of this process to get a delayed payment plan on the fine, it will cost us to move on from here with him and probably anything we have offered CC as well. If performances on the ground don't improve then we would need to be working behind the scenes to get a priority pick at the end of this year and anyone tarred with the tanking brush will not have a hope in hell of being able to represent us in something so sensitive.

Let me repeat after tonights performance, nothing has changed since the Geelong game. How many more of these do we need.

I'm not prepared to see the year out like this, time for a change and it's a few years too late.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

Well-researched? Where did CS ever say "it's no big deal if we lose". (as a for example)

An opinion piece, built around Gonzos unique and singular interpretation of events, many of which he has no real inside knowledge of.

http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/watts-wrong-with-melbourne-heres-a-good-place-to-start-writes-gerard-whateley/story-e6frexzi-1226613581421

"Schwab's public commentary in the build-up to the season opener was: Isn't it just one of 22? That's realistically it. That's what it means for us. There will be another game the next week where we can bounce back if we lose the first one."

Edited April 6, 2013 by Dr. Gonzo