Time to go Mark Neeld

[Grand New Flag 3,226]

Last year I was savaged by posters on this site for pointing out the bleeding obvious. I will state it again.

Neeld is missing a major skill required to have success as a senior coach. This is the skill to be able to get the most out of your players. Neeld has no ability to create the confidence and self belief required to be an AFL coach. The number of players who play as a shadow of the players they were prior to last season in staggering. Virtually all players have gone backwards despite them being mostly low draft picks, young and up coming. I watch as our x players who were moved on suddenly find there lost ability at new clubs and point to this as further evidence. At the same time our recruits from other clubs suddenly struggle to get a kick, struggle to play.

I said it last year and I will say it again now. Neeld is not our man. He may be tough and smart, he may have a good footy brain but he is missing the skill of installing self belief and confidence while still being tough. He must be sacked ASAP. The perfomances since he became coach have been beyond appauling. Come season end we will see another wave of our better players asking to be traded or leaving through free agency if we don't get someone in who can install the most important thing in football........ self belief. Further we will be unable to trade for any quality recruit as the MFC will continue to seen as poison for any players career. We must get rid of Neeld before more damage is done.

[REVILOLI 13]

Who are you going to get?? There aren't any good coaches worth getting at this point in the season and whilst the loss was horrible, we have yet to see the response against Essendon. Very premature to say something like this.

[stuie 7,374]

Just like last year was wasted finding out about the players, so this year will be wasted finding out about the coach.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Yes, lets get another coach in. That's the answer and has solved the problem multiple times over the past 6 years.

Spare me please.

[Grand New Flag 3,226]

Who are you going to get?? There aren't any good coaches worth getting at this point in the season and whilst the loss was horrible, we have yet to see the response against Essendon. Very premature to say something like this.

I am not suggesting that he should be sacked this week. It is not yet possible and acking him this week would do more harm than good. What I said was ASAP. It should have been last year, but as it was not perhaps at the mid year break, perhaps earlier..... but early enough so we have a head start on other teams who will also be lookig for a new coach at seasons end.

Seriously Neeld must be made to be more responsible for our performances. The buck must stop with him. He must go.

[DeeZee 6,853]

I finished talking to a mate who is connected at Port Adelaide.

He said that Hinkley is absolutely loved by all the players down there, and is an inspirational speaker.

Not sure if Neeld has that connection.

[Pitchy 196]

Neeld simply could not have done any worse. New coach please.

[Scipio 5,868]

Regardless of the connection we think he may have with the players, Neeld deserves at least the entire season. It would be ridiculously stupid to axe him midway and set the club back even further. Continuity and momentum need time to build and Neeld deserves at least that.

[DoreenDee 59]

Getting rid of MN won't be doing anyone any favors. We could bring back Norm Smith and it wouldn't inspire this group of players. Jim Stynes passing couldn't even put a foot up their ar$e. I think the players all need to sit down and watch a replay of the weekends game and have an open, honest and harsh talk about what should be expected of a player when they put on the red and blue guernsey. Hit them with a few home truths. Even better still they should have a few long serving MFC members be in those meetings and tell the boys a few home truths. If that doesn't put a rocket up them, I'm afraid not much will.

[REVILOLI 13]

I am not suggesting that he should be sacked this week. It is not yet possible and acking him this week would do more harm than good. What I said was ASAP. It should have been last year, but as it was not perhaps at the mid year break, perhaps earlier..... but early enough so we have a head start on other teams who will also be lookig for a new coach at seasons end.

Seriously Neeld must be made to be more responsible for our performances. The buck must stop with him. He must go.

Who in God's name would want to coach this side?? We fire him this year and that scares any coaches wanting to even think about cleaning up this mess. Neeld is the only coach who deeply cares about where this franchise is going. I don't think many people understand how much Dean Bailey ****ed us. So many of our high draft picks have lost confidence in the system that they don't even care about winning. Patting them on the back (Bailey) doesn't accomplish anything. Neither does changing management every 5 seconds.

[Bonkers 918]

I finished talking to a mate who is connected at Port Adelaide.

He said that Hinkley is absolutely loved by all the players down there, and is an inspirational speaker.

Not sure if Neeld has that connection.

It's hard to argue with this. However Mark Neeld is 1 season & 1 game into a contract for 3 seasons. The club has to back him & support him at least in the short term. When I say support I don't just mean give him assurances that he will have a job, I mean get people down there to help him in regards to the way he motivates & engages the playing group. The players were lazy & not switched on during Sunday's game, some responsibility has to fall at the coaches feet. However it is one game & I believe if he looks at his approach & relationship with the current playing group the situation can be turned around. I don't believe we have a great list however we have talent down back & forward. The midfield has to work harder & that comes from mindset & application demanded by the coach. A man on man accountable game style this week would help as the players looked lost when defending using a zone on the weekend.

[Grand New Flag 3,226]

It's hard to argue with this. However Mark Neeld is 1 season & 1 game into a contract for 3 seasons. The club has to back him & support him at least in the short term. When I say support I don't just mean give him assurances that he will have a job, I mean get people down there to help him in regards to the way he motivates & engages the playing group. The players were lazy & not switched on during Sunday's game, some responsibility has to fall at the coaches feet. However it is one game & I believe if he looks at his approach & relationship with the current playing group the situation can be turned around. I don't believe we have a great list however we have talent down back & forward. The midfield has to work harder & that comes from mindset & application demanded by the coach. A man on man accountable game style this week would help as the players looked lost when defending using a zone on the weekend.

So why did MN not change the game plan to man on man at half time. It was clear to all that without a change in game plan we were headed for a loss. He had an opportunity to fix this at half time but did next to nothing. Further Watts should have been moved into the midfiled or onto the wing or even to CHF as he was struggling with a hard defensive tag.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Grand New Flag

[Jonesbag 487]

Id like to know the credentials of some of the posters on here.

People calling for Neelds head know nothing about the game. He inherited a list full of pea heart soft [censored] who were given special treatment by our former coach.

Our players are simply not up to AFL standard, they are a bunch of front runners who cant defend.

Nicholson is a VAFA player at best, Gillies needs to go play at Surrey Park, Seller needs to go back to auskick.

[Little Goffy 12,770]

I'm honestly not sure any coach could get this group of players motivated and 'loving' (if love is what makes a ball go 'round) in any moderate space of time.

Sooky-la-la culture built in. You know what they say about high-school bullies, how they can't handle it as soon as things don't go their way?

Our club was 'led' by theat type for a few years there. Not James McDonald, but there's a reason basically our whole leadership group got cleaned out in favour of a pair of modest, softly spoken high-integrity types.

The remaining sooks on our list aren't going to 'love' Grimes or Trengove until first they learn that you only get status through earning their respect. I think Neeld is much the same.

It is not the coach's job or the captains job to make the player's love them, it is their job to set an example, set a standard, and expect it to be met.

One thing I can say for sure - the collection of sook players at the club love the comfort that they might once again get a coach sacked before they get held accountable themselves.

[Bonkers 918]

So why did MN not change the game plan to man on man at half time. It was clear to all that without a change in game plan we were headed for a loss. He had an opportunity to fix this at half time but did next to nothing. Further Watts should have been moved into the midfiled or onto the wing or even to CHF as he was struggling with a hard defensive tag.

I don't have the answers for you. Like I said it's hard to argue that he is the right man. He has set up the off field structures & raised the standards off field. But for whatever reason this is not translating to on field at the moment. You raise valid points & I have many questions about the performance as you do.

[stuie 7,374]

Id like to know the credentials of some of the posters on here.

People calling for Neelds head know nothing about the game. He inherited a list full of pea heart soft [censored] who were given special treatment by our former coach.

Our players are simply not up to AFL standard, they are a bunch of front runners who cant defend.

Nicholson is a VAFA player at best, Gillies needs to go play at Surrey Park, Seller needs to go back to auskick.

I'm not one of the people calling for his sack at this stage, but a heap of other coaches have done better than Neeld with worse lists.

A first game coach with a younger list than ours smashed us on our homeground on Sunday.

[[email protected] 101]

Who are you going to get?? There aren't any good coaches worth getting at this point in the season and whilst the loss was horrible, we have yet to see the response against Essendon. Very premature to say something like this.

Sick to death of comments like "yet to see the response" We have had it for years now and while we have occasionally turned up the following week and looked inspired for a while it very quickly falls back into the same old lethargy the very next game.. Sorry had enough of that.. It's time this club came up with something more constructive and Positive !!! It will be sadly goodbye to many members at the end of 2013 if we cannot get this once great club moving in a totally different direction than it currently is !!!

[Grand New Flag 3,226]

Its time we faced facts..... on current performance Neeld is not up to it. He can't get the players to play for him, virtually all have gone backwards under his leadership, he cant install a game plan he cant install self belief.

The board needs to start working on a replacement plan for the good of the MFC. I would give him to the mid-season break. If there is not a dramatic change in application, endevour, confidence which results in not just compeditive performances but al least 4 wins he must go.

As it stands Neeld is the biggest mistake the MFC has made since sacking Norm Smith.

I am sick and tired of going to the football and watching inept rubbish. The players must take a long look at themselves and their careers, but the buck stops with Neeld.

[REVILOLI 13]

Sick to death of comments like "yet to see the response" We have had it for years now and while we have occasionally turned up the following week and looked inspired for a while it very quickly falls back into the same old lethargy the very next game.. Sorry had enough of that.. It's time this club came up with something more constructive and Positive !!! It will be sadly goodbye to many members at the end of 2013 if we cannot get this once great club moving in a totally different direction than it currently is !!!

haha this once great club?? Through my 16 years on this Earth they have never been great and I still don't know why I bother with them. All I will say is that if they don't show up this week, I'm done with them.

[Jonesbag 487]

So if we sack Neeld, get in a new coach and he doesnt improve the list then what? Sack him and get a new coach? Before we know it we will become Chelsea FC and our board will be known as the Abramovich's

[Jonesbag 487]

haha this once great club?? Through my 16 years on this Earth they have never been great and I still don't know why I bother with them. All I will say is that if they don't show up this week, I'm done with them.

The club is older than 16 years old mate, school holidays has started I assume?

[[email protected] 101]

Getting rid of MN won't be doing anyone any favors. We could bring back Norm Smith and it wouldn't inspire this group of players. Jim Stynes passing couldn't even put a foot up their ar$e. I think the players all need to sit down and watch a replay of the weekends game and have an open, honest and harsh talk about what should be expected of a player when they put on the red and blue guernsey. Hit them with a few home truths. Even better still they should have a few long serving MFC members be in those meetings and tell the boys a few home truths. If that doesn't put a rocket up them, I'm afraid not much will.

I agree with your reference to Jim Stynes passing.. I noted at the time how the players seemed so affected emotionally at Jim's funeral etc., but came out the week after just as disinterested as they previously were .. I was totally shocked and puzzled at the seemingly lack of passion thereafter. I just feel that the MFC has lost all the desire it had shown in the years that made it one of the Great Clubs of the competition. The current breed of players do not (in my opinion) seem to possess the bond , desire or winning attitude of those from the past.

[Kureemy 22]

If Neelds game plan is to bomb the ball to a 50/50 contest mostly all the time then he needs to go. This is what happened against Port. No players were leading for the ball.

[titan_uranus 22,757]

Yep, we definitely needed another thread to discuss this.

[[email protected] 101]

haha this once great club?? Through my 16 years on this Earth they have never been great and I still don't know why I bother with them. All I will say is that if they don't show up this week, I'm done with them.

I may have been a supporter/ member of this club a little longer (in fact 50 Years) and I assure you it WAS once a GREAT Club, which is partly the reason I am saddened to see how it has slowly virtually self destructed.