That is your view

I prefer to identify the problem.

That way you have a small chance of fixing the problem.

If you de nigh constantly the problem never gets fixed.

Remind you of anything

An addict will often lash out when their problem is pointed out to them. It's a defence mechanism.

It pains me to say it, but a lot of well meaning Demons have become addicted to failure.

Wishing it all away won't change a thing.

Patience for one day.

Can you confirm new sponsor maybe? Unbelievable timing if true...

Garry was involved in the committee that chose Bailey over Sheedy when the rot started under Paul Gardner (and not for the first time) in 2007. Passing up a legend with 4 premierships under his belt and massive AFL marketing weight/drawing power for this wallowing club? That says it all for me. Personally i'm not a huge Sheedy fan in terms of the way he handles things, but i'm pretty sure he wouldn't have brought us to the train wreck we're seeing (on the field) now and i'm pretty sure he would have told old Cam to stick his bloody nose out of FD business when he felt it wasn't warranted and was potentially effecting the running of the FD and the playing group itself. I'm also pretty sure 186 would never have taken place either.

A once in a lifetime opportunity and they blew it. Only a fool (along with the bunch of other fools on the committee) would have done this. I loved Garry on the field and was there for most of his matches cheering him on like many here i'm sure, but off it he should keep his nose out of any executive decisions from here unless he's willing to put his balls on the line and actually take up an official role. Then he can do whatever he pleases as far as i'm concerned. IMO he's responsible in a significant way for our present position. When we (me and family members) hear him getting stuck into us i seriously want to whack him over the bonce!!

An excerpt from an Age article from November last year about the committee's interview process with Sheedy in 2007 is quite ominous....

''It was all about 'How will you coach the team?' Well, I mean I know how to coach the team, I've got no problem with that,'' he said.

''But it's about how the club sees itself. To me … I have no problem with Dean Bailey and young [Mark] Neeld [who succeeded Bailey] as coaches, but you needed to take over the club and really get it right up there with marketing, members, sponsors, the whole lot.

''You needed to be in a position to take over Melbourne, like Sir Alex Ferguson [did at Manchester United], to really shake it and rattle it.''

Full story here for those who haven't read it: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/sheedy-saw-dees-problems-coming-20121102-28pqb.html

Edited April 8, 201312 yr by Rusty Nails

Just a short story on one G Lyon I was lucky to be able to see the mighty demons training on the Tuesday before the first game as I walk to the boundary to watch the guys train Gary and one of his sons (maybe soon to be a demon too) standing next to me I asked a question of gary how are the boys training do they look good silence for about 45second it seemed like he wasn't going to reply then I got quote they haven't lost a game yet he then walked off and spoke to hardwick the Richmond coach who was also watching

I am not bothered if Gary gets involved or not I know in my heart I will be there through thick or thin because I believe we will improve maybe not this year but soon just keep supporting

What's happening on footy classified? No telly for me!

What's happening on footy classified? No telly for me!

Doesn't start for another hour mate.

An addict will often lash out when their problem is pointed out to them. It's a defence mechanism.

It pains me to say it, but a lot of well meaning Demons have become addicted to failure.

Wishing it all away won't change a thing.

RR, when an addict seeks a cure he does so in the hope that the person he has gone to will help. The media will not help. It will hinder, and several will relish the opportunity to do so.

It's about standing up to them. We hate Eddie Everywhere but I'll tell you what, he defends his club to almost ridiculous levels.

If the media actually checked their facts and were even handed in their criticism, then that would be ok, but some of the lies and misinformation are unforgivable.

We were singled out as the only tankers in the history of the game when every journo out there knows many other clubs did it as well. They treated us like garbage and that is unforgivable. Look how easy they are going on Essendon, how much did Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn cop, zero. They picked on the weak animal trailing the back of the pack and savaged us.

That is [censored] poor and that really sums up the level of journalism in this Country.

So true. But that's where Old Dee is correct, we've effectively made a rod for our own backs and opened ourselves up to being a very easy target by failing in so many aspects of the game as a club. So many opportunities lost over so many decades. Never able (or is it willingness/competancy?) to go the extra mile and take the necessary steps to the ultimate pinnacle of success.

It's the annual salary the club will be paying pantaloons to take the helm as coach from 2014.

Gotta love a bloke that talks about himself in the 3rd person.

Moonshadow likes, pants.

Just a short story on one G Lyon I was lucky to be able to see the mighty demons training on the Tuesday before the first game as I walk to the boundary to watch the guys train Gary and one of his sons (maybe soon to be a demon too) standing next to me I asked a question of gary how are the boys training do they look good silence for about 45second it seemed like he wasn't going to reply then I got quote they haven't lost a game yet he then walked off and spoke to hardwick the Richmond coach who was also watching

I am not bothered if Gary gets involved or not I know in my heart I will be there through thick or thin because I believe we will improve maybe not this year but soon just keep supporting

Hardwick often seems to come down to training to watch. I've seen him there before and I've only been twice, so unless coincidence he must come a bit.

I wonder if any of our boys go to the Tigers training? Compare intensity and drills perhaps

Gary will offer no answers as usual.

RR, when an addict seeks a cure he does so in the hope that the person he has gone to will help. The media will not help. It will hinder, and several will relish the opportunity to do so.

It's about standing up to them. We hate Eddie Everywhere but I'll tell you what, he defends his club to almost ridiculous levels.

Addicts rarely seek a cure voluntarily, RtG. More commonly they need to hit rock bottom and have others intervene on their behalf.

I agree with you about Eddie McGuire, though. What a brilliant, tough, fighting President he is.

Wouldn't it be nice to have one similar?

If I were Gary I would ring in with the flu.

Say he caught it off Watts.

That is believable.

What, girl Flu?

Just regarding comments likening the media to schoolyard bullies, whilst this might be true of some, and we all know the obvious candidates, it is certainly not true of all segments of the media. Indeed I think VERY few would take any pleasure in seeing what this club is going through currently.

Robbo for instance may be no rocket scientist, but he was excellent tonight in voicing his views. He didn't [censored] the club, he raised questions as to why it was happening and HOW it could be fixed. He raised the apparent disconnect between the coach and the players as being the first thing that needs to be examined. He went so far as to put out a plea to Melbourne people (Neil Mitchell directly) to help the club get through this and he did it with passion. He didn't dedicate an entire article to Neeld and how he reviewed the Port game and addressed the individual problems to sink the boot into Neeld or the club. He did it to put a spotlight on what was happening behind the scenes. To give the fans desperately seeking answers some insight - insight that the club has neglected in offering outside of platitudes about "elite mindset" and "competitiveness". He is a passionate supporter of the game and he invests himself entirely in the game, and as such he genuinely doesn't want to see a Victorian foundation club struggle like this.

At the risk of this being a "defend Robbo" rant, my point is that not all media people are the vultures they are so often painted as, and in fact many could play an important role in bringing this club out of the DEEP mire that it finds itself in.

RR, when an addict seeks a cure he does so in the hope that the person he has gone to will help. The media will not help. It will hinder, and several will relish the opportunity to do so.

It's about standing up to them. We hate Eddie Everywhere but I'll tell you what, he defends his club to almost ridiculous levels.

Does he what. I only wish the MFC had someone at the top who stood up for us and went on the front foot as much as Eddie does. I realise he's a media magnet and knows how to play it, seeing as that's where he came from, but our profile/culture and a passionate/charismatic person at the helm to defend us to the hilt and push that message (Visibly on TV) is sadly missing.

Even when the club is at its lowest ebb, the best McLardy and Schwab can do (so far) is to send us a written message and do a few brief radio snapshots.

Yet another reason (of many) that they both need to be replaced in good time.

We need people with a passionate football background and some charisma at the helm who have some understanding of player issues, the value of senior players and who can relate to the members. Not more white collar lawyers, accountants and corporate bean counters.

Addicts rarely seek a cure voluntarily, RtG. More commonly they need to hit rock bottom and have others intervene on their behalf.

I agree with you about Eddie McGuire, though. What a brilliant, tough, fighting President he is.

Wouldn't it be nice to have one similar?

Well, the opportunity is there for The President to really stand up. Agreed. But I also don't want Caroline Wilson intervening on behalf of my club.

Would love to see a push to get Schwarz involved in an official capacity at the club.

Just regarding comments likening the media to schoolyard bullies, whilst this might be true of some, and we all know the obvious candidates, it is certainly not true of all segments of the media. Indeed I think VERY few would take any pleasure in seeing what this club is going through currently.

Robbo for instance may be no rocket scientist, but he was excellent tonight in voicing his views. He didn't [censored] the club, he raised questions as to why it was happening and HOW it could be fixed. He raised the apparent disconnect between the coach and the players as being the first thing that needs to be examined. He went so far as to put out a plea to Melbourne people (Neil Mitchell directly) to help the club get through this and he did it with passion. He didn't dedicate an entire article to Neeld and how he reviewed the Port game and addressed the individual problems to sink the boot into Neeld or the club. He did it to put a spotlight on what was happening behind the scenes. To give the fans desperately seeking answers some insight - insight that the club has neglected in offering outside of platitudes about "elite mindset" and "competitiveness". He is a passionate supporter of the game and he invests himself entirely in the game, and as such he genuinely doesn't want to see a Victorian foundation club struggle like this.

At the risk of this being a "defend Robbo" rant, my point is that not all media people are the vultures they are so often painted as, and in fact many could play an important role in bringing this club out of the DEEP mire that it finds itself in.

I agree mate but most on here see them as the problem.

When most are not.

I agree mate but most on here see them as the problem.

When most are not.

most of the problems are our own doing. I'm just saying that they will offer no solutions, only grief. Yes, grant you, some more than others ie Venom is a whole different species compared to Robbo.

P_Man... "He raised the apparent disconnect between the coach and the players" Are you sure this is not a beat-up? I haven't heard a current player speak poorly of Neeld. I haven't heard any evidence that the playing group feels disconnected. Are you merely drawing this conclusion from physical evidence presented as 'the pre-game address'? I'm hearing that that piece of video was shot a few hours before the game. This may be incorrect, but what if it was shot quite a bit before the players ran out? ... Wouldn't that go part of the way to explaining the players being laid-back? I've also heard commentators referring to Neelds twitch and strained facial expression as a sign of his crubling under the pressure. If they had done their homework they would be aware that he has had corrective surgery for a damaged nerve and he has some involuntary muscle contortions.

Just regarding comments likening the media to schoolyard bullies, whilst this might be true of some, and we all know the obvious candidates, it is certainly not true of all segments of the media. Indeed I think VERY few would take any pleasure in seeing what this club is going through currently.

Robbo for instance may be no rocket scientist, but he was excellent tonight in voicing his views. He didn't [censored] the club, he raised questions as to why it was happening and HOW it could be fixed. He raised the apparent disconnect between the coach and the players as being the first thing that needs to be examined. He went so far as to put out a plea to Melbourne people (Neil Mitchell directly) to help the club get through this and he did it with passion. He didn't dedicate an entire article to Neeld and how he reviewed the Port game and addressed the individual problems to sink the boot into Neeld or the club. He did it to put a spotlight on what was happening behind the scenes. To give the fans desperately seeking answers some insight - insight that the club has neglected in offering outside of platitudes about "elite mindset" and "competitiveness". He is a passionate supporter of the game and he invests himself entirely in the game, and as such he genuinely doesn't want to see a Victorian foundation club struggle like this.

At the risk of this being a "defend Robbo" rant, my point is that not all media people are the vultures they are so often painted as, and in fact many could play an important role in bringing this club out of the DEEP mire that it finds itself in.

Ro Connolly was at pains on radio today to say that he is genuinely concerned about Melbourne. Talked about us being the oldest footy club in Australia, a valued foundation club. But he - like Robbo - is concerned about our plight and rightly so.

It is dumb and counter-productive to shoot these messengers and cast them as villains.

Any guessing as to the tone CW will adopt tonight?

Thanks for the thread folks.

Saved me the bother of watching the programme.

P_Man... "He raised the apparent disconnect between the coach and the players" Are you sure this is not a beat-up? I haven't heard a current player speak poorly of Neeld. I haven't heard any evidence that the playing group feels disconnected. Are you merely drawing this conclusion from physical evidence presented as 'the pre-game address'? I'm hearing that that piece of video was shot a few hours before the game. This may be incorrect, but what if it was shot quite a bit before the players ran out? ... Wouldn't that go part of the way to explaining the players being laid-back? I've also heard commentators referring to Neelds twitch and strained facial expression as a sign of his crubling under the pressure. If they had done their homework they would be aware that he has had corrective surgery for a damaged nerve and he has some involuntary muscle contortions.

He was using the past two weeks as evidence, and I think he has a valid point. This is a team playing with practically zero understanding, inspiration, and ultimately, effort.

To lose the tackle count as BADLY as we did when we saw so little of the ball, that points directly to effort, not skill. The man ultimately responsible for instilling these things is the coach, and thus it points to a disconnect between the players and the coach's key messages, which are not getting through. Maybe we have a set of really, really dumb footballers. I personally think it is far more likely that we have an inexperienced AFL coach who is out of his depth and should never have been selected in the first place.

Edited April 8, 201312 yr by P_Man

Range Rover, I think you will find that both Connolly and Robbo were suprised by the number of Demon supporters who are prepared to stick up for the Club and Club personnel . They have subsequently watered down their initial comments. You may be surprised to find that there was a peak in membership sales tonight. That's what being a supporter is all about... getting behind the front-line when the heat is on.