Open Letter from Don McLardy

[Gooner 9]

To our members and supporters

The letter appears to be more about saving people's jobs, rather than offering any solutions to our problems. The club needs a complete overhaul, not more PR.

We will be using every internal and external resource available to us in the short term to make improvements as rapidly as possible. However, we highly value internal stability the lack of which has been a downfall of our club in the past - and we will not bow to the external elements that try to destabilise our club at times such as these.

At this difficult time, we continue to seek support from all our supporters and members for the long term good of the Melbourne Football Club. We understand that some of you will be angry and disillusioned, that some will say we have heard all this before, and that some will lose heart and temporarily give up.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Spin, spin. Rubbish, rubbish.

The fans aren't listening anymore. And the wolves are at the door.

[Fat Tony 5,231]

MFC's Paradox: Neeld needs to go, but those with the power to sack him won’t do it because that would turn the microscope on their own ineptitude.

[Deestroy All 14,266]

Demonland should run for president.

When we get in, every decision is made by a poll.

It seriously couldn't be any worse than the last however many years.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Spin, spin. Rubbish, rubbish.

The fans aren't listening anymore. And the wolves are at the door.

Talking about your posts again RR?

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

"Nothing to see here...You can all go home"....Spin Inc.

Time to go...

[rjay 24,939]

Don is delusional.

[Jaded No More 68,958]

Read it. Want to punch myself in the face as it would be less painful than reading anymore of this spin.

How can you offer no solutions and expect people to stick by this club?

Only the seriously desperate and mentally insane, like me, would keep turning up to watch this crap.

[titan_uranus 25,020]

Don is not delusional, he's doing the right thing, both for him, and by the club.

Seems like RR etc. want him to say 'look, clearly we suck, therefore merely 18 months after doing this very thing, we're going to do it all again by throwing the coaches and CEO out the door. In Round 2. After the players committed a pre-season to Neeld. 24 games is enough for us, it's clearly you and not the players. Demonland said so'.

Stability is exactly what we need right now. We need cool heads to say 'no, don't just respond in a knee-jerk manner' (which, coincidentally, people whinge about when we got rid of Bailey). We need to stabilise and back our judgments made 18 months ago, that we were right, and that eventually the hard work will pay off.

Of course, this is far too simplistic for RR etc., so the 'T_U is an apologist' rubbish shall commence.

[rjay 24,939]

Don is not delusional, he's doing the right thing, both for him, and by the club.

Seems like RR etc. want him to say 'look, clearly we suck, therefore merely 18 months after doing this very thing, we're going to do it all again by throwing the coaches and CEO out the door. In Round 2. After the players committed a pre-season to Neeld. 24 games is enough for us, it's clearly you and not the players. Demonland said so'.

Stability is exactly what we need right now. We need cool heads to say 'no, don't just respond in a knee-jerk manner' (which, coincidentally, people whinge about when we got rid of Bailey). We need to stabilise and back our judgments made 18 months ago, that we were right, and that eventually the hard work will pay off.

Of course, this is far too simplistic for RR etc., so the 'T_U is an apologist' rubbish shall commence.

No, the thing I have a problem with is we only did half the job 18 months ago and we can't trust the people who got it wrong then to have it right now.

This is not a side struggling to get a win, it's a side struggling to get a kick, lay a tackle, provide any type of contest and it's not an aberration, it's been like this for the last 18 months and doesn't look like changing.

[beelzebub 23,379]

Dear Don

Thankyou for your letter of April 8. I and many of my fellow supporters share your concerns regarding our recent games, in fact many of us have concerns going back years but I'll confine my response to the events of 2013.

To be quite frank Don I've heard it all before; the acknowledgment of less than acceptable performances together with angst mixed with vagueness as to its cause.

I'm no longer content to accept words , whether platitudes or promises as any hedge against the club's future prospects.

In layman's it's quite simply time to put up and shut up. I for one am tired of hearing excuses.

If the current board, administration and players/employees are unable,unwilling to demonstrate at least some modicum of successful results for all the efforts referenced then I should feel it incumbent upon all to vacate their various positions and allow those that can.

This is not a time for meaningless rhetoric , its time for doing and achieving . Anything less must be addressed without favour.

Regards

BB59

[titan_uranus 25,020]

Dear Don

Thankyou for your letter of April 8. I and many of my fellow supporters share your concerns regarding our recent games, in fact many of us have concerns going back years but I'll confine my response to the events of 2013.

To be quite frank Don I've heard it all before; the acknowledgment of less than acceptable performances together with angst mixed with vagueness as to its cause.

I'm no longer content to accept words , whether platitudes or promises as any hedge against the club's future prospects.

In layman's it's quite simply time to put up and shut up. I for one am tired of hearing excuses.

If the current board, administration and players/employees are unable,unwilling to demonstrate at least some modicum of successful results for all the efforts referenced then I should feel it incumbent upon all to vacate their various positions and allow those that can.

This is not a time for meaningless rhetoric , its time for doing and achieving . Anything less must be addressed without favour.

Regards

BB59

' We understand that some of you will be angry and disillusioned, that some will say we have heard all this before, and that some will lose heart and temporarily give up.'

He saw you coming, BB.

[45HG 1,539]

What a hollow offering.

[daisycutter 29,616]

I think Don will fall on his sword this year, as soon as he can find a replacement

I don't think this would be a good solution as he should be the last guy to decide his replacement

would only be a good idea if his appointed replacement was specifically only an interim president prior to AGM

[rjay 24,939]

' We understand that some of you will be angry and disillusioned, that some will say we have heard all this before, and that some will lose heart and temporarily give up.'

He saw you coming, BB.

...and

[jackaub 1,402]

To our members and supporters

The letter appears to be more about saving people's jobs, rather than offering any solutions to our problems. The club needs a complete overhaul, not more PR.

We will be using every internal and external resource available to us in the short term to make improvements as rapidly as possible. However, we highly value internal stability the lack of which has been a downfall of our club in the past - and we will not bow to the external elements that try to destabilise our club at times such as these.

At this difficult time, we continue to seek support from all our supporters and members for the long term good of the Melbourne Football Club. We understand that some of you will be angry and disillusioned, that some will say we have heard all this before, and that some will lose heart and temporarily give up.

I just dont know why the President doesnt just tell the truth about what is going on

There obviously huge issues amongst the playing group that have overlapped from last year

Dear Don

We can handle the truth maybe you and your administation cannot!

Member with fast losing heart

[Bring Back Barassi 552]

What a load of fluff, but then again, what else is he going to do ??

Sack Neeld ? And appoint who ?? No one better would take his place

Sack Schwab ?? What difference will that make ??

Just accept that we are stuffed for the rest of this year, and pray hard that Hogan is the messiah

[rjay 24,939]

' We understand that some of you will be angry and disillusioned, that some will say we have heard all this before, and that some will lose heart and temporarily give up.'

He saw you coming, BB.

Because we have heard all this before, some of it only last week.

[DemonWA 3,934]

It's round 2. The media want us to sack the coach, the CEO and everyone else just because it would give them more stories to write.

Round 2 is way to early to make drastic changes.

Mid season is when i'd expect them to make hard decisions

[What 18,810]

Don is a in a tough position.

Anyone who critizizes him over this letter is an idiot

In a mointh or twos time heads will roll, regardless odf whats beng said right now.

Edited April 8, 2013 by hogans_heroes

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

As long as there is internal stability, everything will be alright.

We might just screw the coach, but our mates in admin will be protected..... again!

Move along, nothing to see

[Range Rover 1,935]

"Delusional" Don and "Crafty" Cam.

If they won't leave we'll have to smoke 'em out.

Don't give them any more $$$$.

Protests, placards .... We Will Not Let You Kill The Club.

[beelzebub 23,379]

' We understand that some of you will be angry and disillusioned, that some will say we have heard all this before, and that some will lose heart and temporarily give up.'

He saw you coming, BB.

and im just informing him that he has NO get out of jail free cards left, that simply trying to effect a "we know" just wont work anymore.

The MFC has used up all (and then some) of any goodwill and patience .

Its now or never , do or dont, stay ( having fixed the malaise , or go.

Theres no middle or compromise from here on in.

Im not prepared to belive in anything from now on other than results . They speak for themselves .Everyone else at the club ought to quite frankly just stfu and get on with making a disaster into something palatable .

Am tired of watching crap let alone hearing officialdom dribble it !!!

Edited April 8, 2013 by belzebub59

[beelzebub 23,379]

Don is a in a tough position.

Anyone who critizizes him over this letter is an idiot

In a mointh or twos time heads will roll, regardless odf whats beng said right now.

and a wiserman might have said nothing to very little. Instead we get same ol same ol.

[titan_uranus 25,020]

and a wiserman might have said nothing to very little. Instead we get same ol same ol.

You're honestly telling me if he bunkered down and did no media, and said nothing, that supporters would be happy with that?

He can't win, Don, he just can't win.