Time to go Mark Neeld

[Guest]

I realize there are enough posts on here bagging Neeld and the club but upon hearing this, I wonder how much knowledge did Mick really impart on MN. It took Mick one week to work this out and Neeld one year and 3 rounds.

http://youtu.be/SC0m9ic7uzY?t=5m25s

Edited June 2, 2013 by Guest

[Longsufferingnomore 1,631]

I am not a big poster on here and rarely respond to these types of threads but I have it on good authority (cannot reveal source) that MN will be sacked on Monday and replaced by an assistant coach likely to be Jade Rawlings. I can understand why we are all polarised as it is a lose-lose situation for us.

If we keep him, players and supporters lose hope . Sponsors and players leave the club. Media continue to trash us and supporters fail to show up at games.

If we sack him, it shows no loyalty and will scare future coaches. More importantly it will cost us so much money. Players who do support MN and it is obvious there are many ( I remember Colin Garland hugging MN after the Essendon win last year) will be further disenchanted with the club.

No matter if what I heard eventuates or not, it is a few more years of pain. Lets just get behind the club and attend every week we can. The club needs us and my 12 yr old loves the club as much as I do although he would like to see us win a few more games.

As an aside, the fact I have heard what is going to happen upsets me most of all as it shows poor management at an executive level. Such things must be kept behind closed doors. I will be relieved if I am wrong about Monday. It will mean the board can keep things hush and it is likely to mean a good showing by the players today .

Yes, it means that again we leak like a sieve. Not very professional.

[demonchris 162]

Just heard on AFL game day, Possibility of Mark Williams and James McDonald packaging up and coming to Melbourne. They went on to say it would be well taken and a good sell to the members.

[Cards13 9,117]

On 9 footy show that slug Hutchy said this will be Neeld's last game.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Posted this already on the wrong thread, but Caroline Wilson stated on Offsiders this morning that the MFC Board has met and that Mark Neeld will be sacked, possibly as soon as tomorrow.

They're just working out the severance package.

Williams and Junior McDonald - that'd be bloody great. Obviously worked together at GWS, and I have it on good authority that Junior has always wanted to return to the club.

[Gorgoroth 12,950]

So from three different sources on the one day, sounds like one person is lying to all or there is a lot of truth to this.

[dazzledavey36 54,938]

Damian Barratt just said Melbourne have made the decision and Mark Neeld will be sacked tmorrow.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Just heard on AFL game day, Possibility of Mark Williams and James McDonald packaging up and coming to Melbourne. They went on to say it would be well taken and a good sell to the members.

Williams has also demonstrated that he can operate very effectively in a resource poor environment. Probably a relevant skill for the head coach at the MFC.

[Return to Glory 8,441]

If this is the case , the MFC board leaks like a siv

[Grand New Flag 3,227]

Despite my strong opinion that Neeld must be sacked ASAP, I do feel sorry for him. He did not start the rot. He has given his all, and the decisions he has made have been what he thinks is best for the club. He will be bitterly disappointed. However, he simply was the wrong man for the job, he was a poor choice. He does not have the personal management or motivational skills required

I am disappointed that this story appears to have leaked. This is unprofessional. How the board managers this will be a big test for them. It is important that his dismissal is done with the highest level of compassion and professionalism. They appear to be off to a bad start.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

If this is the case , the MFC board leaks like a siv

Remember you've got 2 other parties involved (Choco and Junior)...

[Return to Glory 8,441]

Remember you've got 2 other parties involved (Choco and Junior)...

No doubt PJ, but my bet would be that they would stay mum and that its from within.

[Return to Glory 8,441]

Given Gerard Healys recent comments, I think someone from within must be chatting?

[Grand New Flag 3,227]

Remember you've got 2 other parties involved (Choco and Junior)...

Good point! It would be in these guys interest to leak this if they have be interviewed for the job and indeed want the job. If the decision has been made (but not the timing) this leak forces the board to bring it to a head immediately

Then again the leak could come from a board member who has similar strong opinions as my own, in that he must go ASAP, the future of our club is at stake.

[P-man 13,366]

Leak or not, I'd be wrapped with Choco and Junior. Junior returning would be huge.

[Return to Glory 8,441]

Fair call GNF. It does feel like today will be the death knell. If that's the case, we may be in for one almighty hiding. I hope not.

[Return to Glory 8,441]

Leak or not, I'd be wrapped with Choco and Junior. Junior returning would be huge.

Junior returning would feel right.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Good point! It would be in these guys interest to leak this if they have be interviewed for the job and indeed want the job. If the decision has been made (but not the timing) this leak forces the board to bring it to a head immediately

Then again the leak could come from a board member who has similar strong opinions as my own, in that he must go ASAP, the future of our club is at stake.

You're insufferable.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Alot of people are taking these rumors for fact and not fiction...

[dazzledavey36 54,938]

There is gonna be more news on Mark Neeld in the sunday footy show so il update what they say.

[Grand New Flag 3,227]

Alot of people are taking these rumors for fact and not fiction...

Not really, but where there is this much smoke across all media outlets, there is usally fire.

[Cards13 9,117]

Sheedy is up next I wonder his thoughts on Chocco and losing Junior who is currently on "his" staff.

[dee_star 63]

It's true. When you look at the KPI's before MN and now during MN we have gone backwards. But you have failed to consider the changes in the list and the improvements MN has made.

It's not blind faith. We see the bigger picture unlike you who is only looking at bias statistics.

We see that MN:

• Has fixed our FF issue by recruiting Clark and Dawes
• Got rid of the dead weight on our list
• Recruited premership players from other clubs to offer leadership and direction (something not done by Bailey might I add)
• Invested in new future players (Hogan, Barry, Toumpas [development player])
• Highlighted fitness as a key and fundamental issue and has Misson (very well regarded) who has implimented a 3 year plan to get us to AFL fitness

Stop being immature and solely looking at KPI's and then critise us for blind faith when you're not willing to look at the big picture.

I'm not saying you have to agree with what you see, but at least most people on DL have the decency to judge MN fairly and say that the club needs to focus on short-term wins because of membership numbers, attendance and moral ect.

Unlike you has chosen to adopt a "Mark Neeld has nothing nothing to improve the club - look as the KPI's" which are a bais statistic, and narrow minded perspective, which fails to take into consideration the bigger picture.

MN has done more than just KPI's. As you said "this is reality. Wake up!"

On these points PJ:

"Has fixed our FF issue by recruiting Clark and Dawes"

We certainly needed to add some size to our forward line, however we have to question the amount spent on both players. Certainly Clark has shown his worth and his versatility, able to play as a Ruck and even as a tall midfielder like Roughead does for the Hawks, but he has had injury problems. Dawes is a different one - he signed a 3 year deal for around 280k at the end of 2011, and Bucks was willing to let him go at the end of his first year as Coach, which given how hard it is to find a quality key forward is worth noting. If Bucks didn't feel that he was worth 280k a year that doesn't say much for us giving him 500+ for four years does it?

"Got rid of dead weight off our list"

You could certainly argue that Bate had had long enough at our club and make the case that it was time to cut the losses with Morton. I'd can't buy that Martin, Gysberts and Petterd were dead weight. In particularly Martin and Gysberts that were both young and had shown a bit. Lucas Cook's delisting was ridiculous, as key position players take time, and as an U18 All Australian he'd shown plenty as a junior. Given Clark's injury history keeping Cook on the list and continuing to develop him was a no-brainer. The Moloney and Rivers ones have been discussed to death but neither particularly wanted to leave and were pushed out.

I'm not sure the mass changes constitute getting "dead weight" off the list.

"Recruited premership players from other clubs to offer leadership and direction"

Byrnes who spent nearly all of last year in the VFL and Dawes who as discussed above was thrown out the door by the Pies. Add to this the recruiting of Rodan, Pederson and Gillies, none of who played consistent AFL football in 2012. I'd argue that these players were not upgrades on those they replaced, and that while they can provide off-field leadership (although only Byrnes and Dawes would do this), they'll provide very little on-field leadership playing at Casey.

"Invested in new future players (Hogan, Barry, Toumpas)"

Hard to argue that there has been a strong investment in youth when Byrnes, Dawes, Pederson, Gillies and Rodan were brought in. There hasn't been any "tough" decisions to trade players away for youth the way Bailey had to (McLean, Johnstone) - we traded 3 and 13 for Hogan, Barry and 20, then used 20 to get Dawes. Essentially out of last years draft we had Hogan (3), Toumpas (4), Barry (13). That's investing in the future just by using our picks to draft players, nothing more.

"Highlighted fitness as a key and fundamental issue and has Misson (very well regarded) who has implimented a 3 year plan to get us to AFL fitness"

While Misson has an excellent reputation, on the surface we have gone backwards in how we run out games compared to under Bailey. That said, Misson's hiring was part of the extra $1.5M in football department spending that Neeld has had compared to the year before he took over. Certainly with that much additional spending you'd expect to see much better results (in both fitness and on-field play).

In addition I'd suggest in the last 18 months we've seen a regression in skill level, a substandard game plan, a fracturing of the playing group and the appointment of two Captains way before they were ready. It's hardly a surprise that the on-field results have been as bad as they are. I believe a change has to be made, and in the next few weeks I'm sure it will be.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Players are far more intuitive than they're given credit for. They know the coach is in his death throes and despite believing they're trying and having a crack they are so spiritless and down on confidence that as a collective they too easily accept their fate. It's easier to give in to what you know will befall you than to press against the tide. These types of performances are not without precedent. Although I hasten to add that I've never seen a team with less effort in my 40 years of watching the game. At the corresponding period we have a worse percentage than the Saints in 1985, Fitzroy in 1996 and Richmond of 2010. Our percentage is virtually identical to Gold Coast in their first year. One wouldn't have thought it possible. But get the collective minds right and things will turn.

When Neeld came to the club our senior players were industry poor. We know that and he knew that. But never underestimate the influence that senior players have on a playing group. It's huge. To disenfranchise a group of senior players the moment you walk through the door is maniacal. It's little wonder that players constantly spoke of "buy in". They knew there wasn't any. Players couldn't get out of the joint quickly enough. Neeld's intentions may have been marvelous, but in his implementation he brought the club to its knees. It's also crystal clear why he brought in a group of older duds. He knew what was happening. He knew there'd be an exodus and he knew other older heads that couldn't leave weren't on side. What better way to get some senior players on side than bring them to the club on a nice contract ? Naturally, they'd think the world of him. But it's blown up in his face.

There's no hope and only widespread pity. And Neeld's attempt at spinning acceptance is bought buy some, but not many. He even said at the Commencement dinner not to listen to the media and doomsayers, because things will turn quicker than people realise. He now says the opposite. That said, I belong to a group that believe we have a decent core to work with - if given a decent chance. I understand why some wouldn't share that view, but Sydney rebuilt a list to win a flag in 7 years. Only four players from 2005 played in last year's premiership. Neeld was right about one thing. Things can change quicker than they seem.

There are those that think Neeld isn't the problem. He's not the entire problem; Schwab and a Board that fell asleep at the wheel have seen to that. But Neeld is most certainly a massive problem. If the players don't believe in you, or your game-plan, you have virtually nothing to work with and you'll generate results that are the worst seen in 30 years. One simply cannot argue with facts.

He has to go and this must be his last game. For the sake of the club, players, supporters and his own well-being.

Get a group of players minds right and amazing things can start to happen. I genuinely believe that if this is his last game that the club can start moving forward from the last half dozen years where it completely lost its way.

[Return to Glory 8,441]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/shane-crawford-explains-what-melbourne-must-do-to-get-the-club-back-on-the-right-track/story-e6frf3e3-1226655279133#.Uaqu15EaySM

Interesting read. Found myself agreeing with quite a lot of it.