A CLUB IN CRISIS ... THE AFL MUST STEP IN

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Similar to what happened at GWS last year and Sydney before, I don't think we as a club are able to sort out the mess we are in. We are divided by factions who seem to be more interested in preserving their own ego's than the club. An administrator would run the club, take the factions out of play and provide the best environment for success.

Which factions are these?

[rjay 25,062]

Which factions are these?

lol

[PJ_12345 1,098]

lol

I am genuinely intrigued.

People are saying there is a rift between MN and senior players because he treats them like players and dropped alot of his team mates.

People are saying the board should be axed - their job is the business side of the MFC, which is in good condition, they aren't the ones seeing the day to day activities or running around on the ground

People are saying that there is a rift between CS and the players

You forget that the AFL is heavily invested in GWS - they have poured more money into it then they care to walk away from.

I want to know what an administrator, and the AFL would do with a Victorian team, who is financially stable and has a strong membership base.

Your talking the talk but I want to know your walk.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Similar to what happened at GWS last year and Sydney before, I don't think we as a club are able to sort out the mess we are in. We are divided by factions who seem to be more interested in preserving their own ego's than the club. An administrator would run the club, take the factions out of play and provide the best environment for success.

There is a difference although I'm sure you won't agree. The administrator is appointed by the AFL but employed by the club to look after the interests of the club. Of course there will be talk of conflict of interest but I think it would be much better than the current situation that is built on self interest.

What the Melbourne Football Club needs is someone that will go through the club from top to bottom, talk to everyone at the club, Board, Staff, Players and Coaches and try to fathom what the problem is. They should also try to talk to former Board members and Managers if available.

This person has to be completely independant and able to gain the trust of all concerned so the truth will come out.

It's no good just trying to patch up the issues and pretend all is ok, we need to get to the heart of the problem and eradicate it; forever.

I know it's a long time ago but over 35 years ago I worked with a young guy who was playing for Melbourne U19's and he surprised me at the time when he said Melbourne was a [censored] of a club. Fast forward to recent times and I was talking to one of the sponsors of Stephen Armstrong and he said Stephen had told him the same thing. I went to a Gym where Stinger's girlfriend was a personal trainer and she told me he had more friends at Sydney and preferred that club to Melbourne.

I appreciate that these are isolated incidents but I think if you look deeply in to the club you would find a very disturbing trend. We are considered Elitist and have the outward appearance of viewing this as just a game, and winning isn't everything. We dispose of our players when they reach their use by date, unless of course they are influential in other areas.

I have said it for a long time now that the MCC is probably our biggest problem and the use of the Board to gain access to the influential members there compounds it.

Edited April 8, 2013 by RobbieF

[daisycutter 29,701]

I am genuinely intrigued.

People are saying there is a rift between MN and senior players because he treats them like players and dropped alot of his team mates.

People are saying the board should be axed - their job is the business side of the MFC, which is in good condition, they aren't the ones seeing the day to day activities or running around on the ground

People are saying that there is a rift between CS and the players

You forget that the AFL is heavily invested in GWS - they have poured more money into it then they care to walk away from.

I want to know what an administrator, and the AFL would do with a Victorian team, who is financially stable and has a strong membership base.

Your talking the talk but I want to know your walk.

PJ, look at the forest and not the trees then

Its plainly obvious its broken big time

do you seriously think it can be turned around without changing personnel?

its going backwards at a rate of knots

[rjay 25,062]

I am genuinely intrigued.

People are saying there is a rift between MN and senior players because he treats them like players and dropped alot of his team mates.

People are saying the board should be axed - their job is the business side of the MFC, which is in good condition, they aren't the ones seeing the day to day activities or running around on the ground

People are saying that there is a rift between CS and the players

You forget that the AFL is heavily invested in GWS - they have poured more money into it then they care to walk away from.

I want to know what an administrator, and the AFL would do with a Victorian team, who is financially stable and has a strong membership base.

Your talking the talk but I want to know your walk.

I'm not talking about any internal factions at the club. I'm talking about externals, people who are supporters, members, past players, past and present board members. There is too much division to get up a new board that could have a consensus and be untouched by past issues. This is why we need a person from outside the club to come in, as sad as it is I don't think we can do it ourselves.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

PJ, look at the forest and not the trees then

Its plainly obvious its broken big time

do you seriously think it can be turned around without changing personnel?

its going backwards at a rate of knots

Credit where credit is due, and blame where blame is due.

Objectively in my mind the board is doing their job right, staff like Misson and Craig are doing their job right and I believe MN is doing his job right.

However most of my blame lies with the players. They have some of the newest/best facilities (Casey and Aami Park) and coaching staff but consistently underwhelm.

Change the players or change CS but this mad axe swinging needs to differentiate the pest trees in the forrest - and not log the whole bloody thing.

[daisycutter 29,701]

Credit where credit is due, and blame where blame is due.

Objectively in my mind the board is doing their job right, staff like Misson and Craig are doing their job right and I believe MN is doing his job right.

However most of my blame lies with the players. They have some of the newest/best facilities (Casey and Aami Park) and coaching staff but consistently underwhelm.

Change the players or change CS but this mad axe swinging needs to differentiate the pest trees in the forrest - and not log the whole bloody thing.

you're a better man than me gunga-din if you can work out where blame and credit lies in this mess

i'm looking more at where responsibility lies. where the buck stops.

[old dee 23,870]

you're a better man than me gunga-din if you can work out where blame and credit lies in this mess

i'm looking more at where responsibility lies. where the buck stops.

Um the person at the top!

That would be .... now let me think.

Oh yes the Chairman and then CEO

[daisycutter 29,701]

Um the person at the top!

That would be .... now let me think.

Oh yes the Chairman and then CEO

and a bit further i think od

p.s. i'm not letting the players off but you can't realistically sack 30+ players in one hit

and much as i'm disappointed in the players there must be something at the club that's rotten besides the players

[Hero1 74]

I think it goes a little more deeper than just not booing the players to keep up their spirits lol.

I agree with everyone else, there is something horribly wrong at the club and if no one is talking, then someone has to step in and fix this.

I disagree. The problem is markedly exacerbated by psychological factors. How do you explain the massive loss to a team we beat last year? The administrators were not out on the ground. Yes it's a culture problem but that is psychological. How do you explain west coast being bottom of ladder one year then in top 4 the next? Psychological factors. Self belief, etc

[tonatopia 278]

The AFL's best interest is not to prop up the MFC, but allow them to merge with North Melbourne and bring in another side based in Tasmania.

There are too many sides in Melbourne, the merger between Melbourne and North Melbourne is the perfect scencario for the AFL.

Watch this space.

[Mono 455]

The AFL's best interest is not to prop up the MFC, but allow them to merge with North Melbourne and bring in another side based in Tasmania.

There are too many sides in Melbourne, the merger between Melbourne and North Melbourne is the perfect scencario for the AFL.

Watch this space.

Won't happen. There will be no merges; clubs will fold rather than merge or move. Melbourne stays Melbourne, or nothing.

[tonatopia 278]

Won't happen. There will be no merges; clubs will fold rather than merge or move. Melbourne stays Melbourne, or nothing.

Your kidding.

Think about the Melbourne / North Melbourne Merger. It would have the AFL creaming themselves. Merge 2 weak clubs and create another powerhouse capable of selling out the MCG.

The AFL does not care about MFC, the AFL care about football sustainability and growth.

[old dee 23,870]

Won't happen. There will be no merges; clubs will fold rather than merge or move. Melbourne stays Melbourne, or nothing.

It is looking more like the later with every passing day.

[deepete 27]

Your kidding.

Think about the Melbourne / North Melbourne Merger. It would have the AFL creaming themselves. Merge 2 weak clubs and create another powerhouse capable of selling out the MCG.

The AFL does not care about MFC, the AFL care about football sustainability and growth.

nah the AFL does care about the MFC... they need to have a fall guy

[Dee Fan 3,247]

The AFL's best interest is not to prop up the MFC, but allow them to merge with North Melbourne and bring in another side based in Tasmania.

There are too many sides in Melbourne, the merger between Melbourne and North Melbourne is the perfect scencario for the AFL.

Watch this space.

You create scenarios in your mind and after a while convince yourself they are true.

We've been watching this space for the other garbage you have been going on about and to date; zero, zip, nothing.

[rpfc 28,729]

Angry sighs for rpfc if the AFL step in.

They can advise and quietly pull some strings but let us deal with this ourselves.

Admin

We can get some independent advice and headhunt some good people at the end of the season.

Board & President

We have a good base of people from all reports. We can get a suitable leader at some point - this will take some time.

Coach

Where is the Caretaker going to come from? We can do this ourselves if we have to.

Rohan Connolly can GAGF - we don't need the AFL to take over.

[mjt 640]

You create scenarios in your mind and after a while convince yourself they are true.

We've been watching this space for the other garbage you have been going on about and to date; zero, zip, nothing.

I agree RF, the AFL want 18 strong clubs, they dont want clubs to fold, our clubs one decent season off 43,000 members, where our own worst enemys.

[jazza 1,323]

first things first,jimmy was in terrible condition and unfit to run afootball club and all his so called close mates didnt put thier hand up to help, this was a telling sign. we then had :i dont want the job garry lyon: virtually sack the football manager who was appointed by the committee and stay 6 weeks and throw petrol on the fire without any responsibility. we then appoint a coach that has shared any innovations he has with his previos club, thus putting them 3 years ahead of us. and what parameters was he given for recruitment,i would of thought youth and teaching, but no he gets rodan who could win a middle of the road team 3 games as a sub, but thats not what we need with this list. he then sees geelong have lost thier backline glue scarlett and trades them a ready made replacement that we have watched making mistakes for the last 5 years growing into a dependable defender.this is not what any other team is about and the signs are worrying that the last person out should switch off the lights.i went to a game last year with a great collingwood person who said , frawley sylvia and davey would be pulled aside and told that they are bludgers and getting free games at the club, his comment was we at collingwood trade or mark thier papers for holding teamates in such contempt

Rock Bottom.

They've all got to go.

Neeld's pre-match address was mind-bogglingly inept. Poor bloke's lost the dressing room. Got no idea.

McLardy, Schwab ... on yer bikes. Resign now for the good of the club.

Or we go the way of Fitzroy.

[old dee 23,870]

Angry sighs for rpfc if the AFL step in.

They can advise and quietly pull some strings but let us deal with this ourselves.

Admin

We can get some independent advice and headhunt some good people at the end of the season.

Board & President

We have a good base of people from all reports. We can get a suitable leader at some point - this will take some time.

Coach

Where is the Caretaker going to come from? We can do this ourselves if we have to.

Rohan Connolly can GAGF - we don't need the AFL to take over.

I do not agree with your last line rpfc.

This administration is going to hang on till they are forcible removed.

That will be a blood bath at years end.

IMO the AFL is exactly what we need because we have clearly demonstrated we cannot run a club over the last five years.

IMO it is the only way it can be done without creating increased friction Among all MFC members

[jumbo returns 6,741]

It is looking more like the later with every passing day.

It won't happen with Demetriou at the helm - Gillon McLachlan is a worry. He's using buzz words like 'sustainability' and 'brand.'

He worries me.

[old dee 23,870]

It won't happen with Demetriou at the helm - Gillon McLachlan is a worry. He's using buzz words like 'sustainability' and 'brand.'

He worries me.

He is imo correct jr

[DeeZee 7,445]

Im not a believer that the AFL should step in.

We want to control our own club.

We have to fight this from within, together.

[old dee 23,870]

Im not a believer that the AFL should step in.

We want to control our own club.

We have to fight this from within, together.

And we have done such a splendid job of it over half a decade DeeZee