Cameron Schwab Resigns

[Jack7 528]

Having left the Dees last year as a member and also a supporter for over 50 years and gone over to Richmond, I can't believe that Schwab is the root cause of MFC's problems.

I always said it is a cultural thing in that there are no MFC demographics. There was one forum member on here recently who said the club needed an urban or suburban supporter base where the club and players could reach out physically to that base. I agree, but how that could happen I don't know.

In my last year on this forum before being suspended from it for 12 months as Dees Dayz, Oct 2011 - Oct 2012, I was dead against the club going after Malthouse or any other Collingwood coach. Reaching out to Collingwood for football smarts was not very smart. Traditional MFC supporters should not have to cop that.

Chasing Clarkson was the right thing to do, otherwise an ex MFC stalwart was needed. After Stynes united the club, the club should have awarded the coaching position to a Demon and closed up and tightened, a la Hawthorn. And have a look at the current assistant coaching staff... you have to be kidding me.

Then to shaft Junior Mac, then toss other senior players for the likes of Rodan, Gillies etc.... well, is that an ex Collingwood coaching death squad approach? Any wonder the players have no heart to play for the MFC. Any wonder there is no on-ground leadership. That cannot be paid for or drafted. It has to be nurtured in a tough and uncompromising way.

I was always shouted down on this forum when I doubted the benefit of tanking for draft picks. Especially with MFC's previous ten year or so record of poor picks and their inability to turn high draft picks into successful players, like Sylvia, Morton as a couple of examples.

The term "winning culture" became dirty words on this forum through 2009 onwards. Poo-Poo'd by people I no longer see posting on this forum. This forum is lucky they are currently in hiding.

Anyway, not my problem. I am now a Richmond Football Club member. An old-aged one, not prepared to waste my life further with MFC.

But on the other hand, I wish MFC every success if they can extract themselves from this [censored]. The AFL does really need them to be successful.

Jump ship when the going got tough just like Rivers you weak C

You no longer have a voice,[censored] off back to Punt Rd. don't hold your breath for success over there.

I live 10 minutes from Metricon Stadium and go to a lot of Suns games but i'll never leave the Dees!!!

Edited April 9, 2013 by Jack7

[Roost It 1,434]

Ill second that

Tigers.....really?....[censored]

[bing181 9,246]

In my last year on this forum before being suspended from it for 12 months ...

Now there's a line we don't see very often on Demonland.

[Macca 17,013]

It's entirely possible that CS has been 'moved on' because of '186'. Dismissed 20 months later because of what happened that day. If that is true then the same people who kept him on and later on gave him a 3 year deal, are the same people responsible for today's decision.

"Polarises the supporter base" according to Don. That cannot be a 24 hour opinion or maybe it can. Did Don get a stack of emails on Monday from angry fans saying 'Sack Schwab'? How on earth does the team play badly because a number of our supporters wanted to see the end of CS? Makes no sense to me.

Example ...

Supporters - "We want Schwab out"

The Team - "Ok then, that's gonna make us play really badly now"

I can't believe the departure of CS is going to make Neeld coach any better or the players play any better. From what we can gather, the Football Dept. has been allowed full autonomy to go about their business. We've also been told that Schwab had largely been kept out of the Football Dept.

How is this decision going to make us play better?

[stuie 7,374]

The PM RR sent you was a classless act mate, but don't let one poster going about things the wrong way get your back up to such an extent that it clouds your judgement. Our powerbrokers have handled themselves poorly, all this flip flopping is not how you run an organisation. They stuffed up by not sacking the CEO at the same time as they did the coach. With that done the new coaching regime comes in with clean air, and if they are savvy enough, a better chance of weeding out the real troublemakers within the playing group,rather than those who misguidedly became involved in a conflict they shouldn't have due to loyalty to their coach. There were no real winners in the conflict between our fomer coach and CEO just as RR Isn't a winner today. None of this has helped the MFC, so we all lose.

Agree mate. Just to clarify as you may have missed my earlier posts, I have no problem with the sacking of Schwab, just like I had no problem with the hiring of Schwab, I'll always have my opinions on things the MFC does but in the end, I don't know the inner workings of the club day to day so there is a bit of trust you have to put in the place.

[Sir Why You Little 37,052]

It's entirely possible that CS has been 'moved on' because of '186'. Dismissed 20 months later because of what happened that day. If that is true then the same people who kept him on and later on gave him a 3 year deal, are the same people responsible for today's decision.

"Polarises the supporter base" according to Don. That cannot be a 24 hour opinion or maybe it can. Did Don get a stack of emails on Monday from angry fans saying 'Sack Schwab'? How on earth does the team play badly because a number of our supporters wanted to see the end of CS? Makes no sense to me.

Example ...

Supporters - "We want Schwab out"

The Team - "Ok then, that's gonna make us play really badly now"

I can't believe the departure of CS is going to make Neeld coach any better or the players play any better. From what we can gather, the Football Dept. has been allowed full autonomy to go about their business. We've also been told that Schwab had largely been kept out of the Football Dept.

How is this decision going to make us play better?

AFL directive.

[Dockett 32 1,239]

Understand your confusion D.

Try this - there are some 800 AFL players and all of them had to compete fiercely just to get into a Club. I don't doubt any of them desperately want to win and to keep playing. In the most basic of terms, I can only put poor performances such as ours down to coaching.

I am not totally letting players off the hook, but I am using my eyes!

Understand your confusion D.

Try this - there are some 800 AFL players and all of them had to compete fiercely just to get into a Club. I don't doubt any of them desperately want to win and to keep playing. In the most basic of terms, I can only put poor performances such as ours down to coaching.

I am not totally letting players off the hook, but I am using my eyes!

That's your view and fair enough HN , but 28%? That's some truly sh.thouse coaching if you are on the money. Craig a sh.thouse operator? Neeld a sh.thouse operator ( Collingwood didn't think so) Rawlings an ex AFL coach. Hard for me to accept they are all no good and at the same time not look all our players squarely in the eyes for what they have presented.

[Longsufferingnomore 1,632]

After 50 years and the emotion and passion running at the moment, I have now signed up to have my say. Got mixed thoughts on Schwabb going, has helped turn us around financially, and still struggle to understand how a CEO can direcly impact on playing performances. Never been a big fan of Neeld and the lack inspiration in his pre prematch address should be holding Neeld more accountable, not a CEO.

I have always thought that the little turd Chris Connoly was behind some of the back room stir ups, still think he had numbers on himself coming over and coaching us, thank god he never did, hopefully the new CEO will give him the flick.

Just had an interesting call from the MFC, I had another call coming in and had to cut short the person from the club short but suspect that they were chasing why I hadn't renewed my membership this year. Call what ever you like, but is my own personal protest on a $500k fine from the AFL when the club chose to cave in and accept it and not fight it, think what we could have done with an extra $500k ! Just thought the timing of the call was interesting in that it was not that long after Schwabb standing down, wonder if there has been a directive internally to start following up with non paid up members to see if attitude has changed now that the 1st sacraficial lamb has found the chopping block. Had the leaders called the AFL's bluff and challenged the handing down of the fine when the club was not found guilty we could have saved a lot of money.

Oh yeah and before I forget, looking through this website, which I think is great, I am intrigued about the 3 faces on the right hand side at the top of the website. The other 5 are all legends for Melbourne, and it is insulting to have 3 that have done nothing to prove themselves in such prominence next to legends. The Ox better deserves to be there before them, fighting back from 3 knee reco's becuase of his passion for the club and the game, just wish that some of that past passion would rub off on them.

50, I was part of that group calling tonight and we have been calling members who have not renewed their memberships for over a month now. Calling you tonight had nothing to do with Cam's leaving. No directive but just a lot of hard work by the volunteers putting up with a few who would not renew. However generally we found that most people were generous in their support for the Club during this time.

It is probably best that you do follow Richmond now so that in a few years time you can use your microwave or whatever disgruntled Richmond supporters do. By the way I hope you weren't the one I had hang up on me. Just rude..

[Strafford 182]

I believe true justice has now been served. Don't think this makes me a Bailey supporter as I am far from it. I believe he needed to go and he needed to be stronger in his dealing with CS and the club. When Schwab was sticking his hooter into the football department, Bailey needed to be a bigger man and tell the club 'Either this bloke gets out of the football department or I leave.' He would have left the club potentially viable as a coach. That he tried to play the game with CS and CC by buddying up with the players was his downfall.

But it needed to be said that Cameron needed to be relieved of his duties at the time of 186. Just because Bailey was wrong doesn't mean the CEO was right. It just showed they were both not suitable for their roles and both needed to be moved on. Garry said that if we were to fire both, the club would be seen to be falling apart. By not firing both, we looked slightly less calamitous but still calamitous. It then created a festering sore in which the players felt those above them were not being even handed and validated a bloke who had been a destructive influence.

That being said, Cameron seemed composed. One thing that can be said for him is that he has always been a polished media

performer and a great talker. It's one of the reasons he has continued to get jobs in footy (and will probably continue to).

Yep both had to go and then you delve into unhealthy dynamics in the playing group. What I wouldn't give for a time machine lol.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Just had an interesting call from the MFC, I had another call coming in and had to cut short the person from the club short but suspect that they were chasing why I hadn't renewed my membership this year. Call what ever you like, but is my own personal protest on a $500k fine from the AFL when the club chose to cave in and accept it and not fight it, think what we could have done with an extra $500k ! Just thought the timing of the call was interesting in that it was not that long after Schwabb standing down, wonder if there has been a directive internally to start following up with non paid up members to see if attitude has changed now that the 1st sacraficial lamb has found the chopping block. Had the leaders called the AFL's bluff and challenged the handing down of the fine when the club was not found guilty we could have saved a lot of money.

The calls timing is coincidental. There were volunteers working at the club last night as well, last week also on Monday and Tuesday. They will be there next week on Monday and Tuesday as well trying to get lapsed members to rejoin. I know, as I was there.

Pure coincidence that you received your call tonight

[waynewussell 5,774]

There is no such concept as 50 years a Demon... there is only A Demon For Life!

[waynewussell 5,774]

stuie, that Nicholson gif is sensational!

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Having left the Dees last year as a member and also a supporter for over 50 years and gone over to Richmond, I can't believe that Schwab is the root cause of MFC's problems.

I always said it is a cultural thing in that there are no MFC demographics. There was one forum member on here recently who said the club needed an urban or suburban supporter base where the club and players could reach out physically to that base. I agree, but how that could happen I don't know.

In my last year on this forum before being suspended from it for 12 months as Dees Dayz, Oct 2011 - Oct 2012, I was dead against the club going after Malthouse or any other Collingwood coach. Reaching out to Collingwood for football smarts was not very smart. Traditional MFC supporters should not have to cop that.

Chasing Clarkson was the right thing to do, otherwise an ex MFC stalwart was needed. After Stynes united the club, the club should have awarded the coaching position to a Demon and closed up and tightened, a la Hawthorn. And have a look at the current assistant coaching staff... you have to be kidding me.

Then to shaft Junior Mac, then toss other senior players for the likes of Rodan, Gillies etc.... well, is that an ex Collingwood coaching death squad approach? Any wonder the players have no heart to play for the MFC. Any wonder there is no on-ground leadership. That cannot be paid for or drafted. It has to be nurtured in a tough and uncompromising way.

I was always shouted down on this forum when I doubted the benefit of tanking for draft picks. Especially with MFC's previous ten year or so record of poor picks and their inability to turn high draft picks into successful players, like Sylvia, Morton as a couple of examples.

The term "winning culture" became dirty words on this forum through 2009 onwards. Poo-Poo'd by people I no longer see posting on this forum. This forum is lucky they are currently in hiding.

Anyway, not my problem. I am now a Richmond Football Club member. An old-aged one, not prepared to waste my life further with MFC.

But on the other hand, I wish MFC every success if they can extract themselves from this [censored]. The AFL does really need them to be successful.

Come on, you can't write this and tell me you follow another footy team???

Deep down, you know you want to come back, yearn to come back....

Do it now

[Macca 17,013]

AFL directive.

You might be right Wyl but we don't have proof positive of that. We probably won't find out the real reasons. If Don acts on every person at the club because they 'Polarise the supporter base', he's gonna have to dismiss a few people - we wouldn't have many players left!

I have no problem with change but it has to be done properly and it has to make sense. As a coach, the threat of dismissal is always there at any time if the team you coach can't win games.

To 'change' a CEO like this is a little unprecedented. Or should I say, it doesn't happen very often after 2 games of footy. I'm not necessarily going into bat for CS, it's just a strange time to do it.

[50 Years A Demon 8]

You have me mixed up with Jack 7 as he jumped ship to Richmond last year, not me, couldnt think of anything worse, well maybe a few teams. Sorry but there is a concept as 50 years a demon cause that's how long I have followed them, just realised that next year will 50 years since we have won a premiership, but who's counting, sadly I reckon GWS will be holding up silverware in September long before we ever do again.

[waynewussell 5,774]

I like your perspective Macca, and I agree. There is more to come, but in the mean time let's hope the team settles into a more effective playing style.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

You might be right Wyl but we don't have proof positive of that. We probably won't find out the real reasons. If Don acts on every person at the club because they 'Polarise the supporter base', he's gonna have to dismiss a few people - we wouldn't have many players left!

I have no problem with change but it has to be done properly and it has to make sense. As a coach, the threat of dismissal is always there at any time if the team you coach can't win games.

To 'change' a CEO like this is a little unprecedented. Or should I say, it doesn't happen very often after 2 games of footy. I'm not necessarily going into bat for CS, it's just a strange time to do it.

Macca, is it possible that CS directed all the tanking list management that unfolded?

Is it possible that players were threatened with their livelihood if they didn't follow the rules?

Is it possible that all the players lost their creativity and were afraid to play well?

Afraid to make mistakes, hence MN's address that 'mistakes don't matter?'

Edited April 9, 2013 by jumbo returns

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

I am only going put one sentence, the media lynch mob aided by some so called supporters have spooked everybody and Cam did the honourable thing and fell on his sword, we move on, my respect for Cam as a person who loves the MFC remains

[Hulett Packard III 166]

Ill second that

Tigers.....really?....[censored]

Well judging by some of the happenings at the club and the way the team's playing ATM, I reckon we're becoming very much like Richmond of the middle to latter part of the last decade. We treat our own with contempt, devour them and then gloat about it.

Sickening.

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

You have me mixed up with Jack 7 as he jumped ship to Richmond last year, not me, couldnt think of anything worse, well maybe a few teams. Sorry but there is a concept as 50 years a demon cause that's how long I have followed them, just realised that next year will 50 years since we have won a premiership, but who's counting, sadly I reckon GWS will be holding up silverware in September long before we ever do again.

Longsuffering had a busy night volunteering ringing around I will defend the slight [censored] up in identity

[Hardnut 327]

That's your view and fair enough HN , but 28%? That's some truly sh.thouse coaching if you are on the money. Craig a sh.thouse operator? Neeld a sh.thouse operator ( Collingwood didn't think so) Rawlings an ex AFL coach. Hard for me to accept they are all no good and at the same time not look all our players squarely in the eyes for what they have presented.

I said I am not totally letting the players off the hook, but do you really believe MFC has 40 players (out of the 800 in the AFL) all of whom are no good? Also, remember MN has now brought in a large percentage of those players. MN was a midfield coach, Craig was initially successful, but then became boring which lead to his demise, Rawlings was a fill-in coach (but you mentioned him, not me). Players are human and usually very young - they need good coaching, not dictatorial coaching, but coaching which they can relate to. Look at the Scott twins, Hinkley, Sanderson, Macartney - they represent the new breed of coaches who are demanding, but understanding - look to the future.

[dazzledavey36 55,004]

Hit the nail on the head

[Cards13 9,117]

Fark off

And ban this idiot

[DemonDan... 77]

So you want the guy that tried to bury us for tanking to be our next CEO. Makes a lot of sense.

Yes..

Im glad you got it after the 15th time i mentioned it.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

We need to get Don out.

360 is spot on, Don drowned in that press conference, Schwab handled himself like a professional, Don less than an amateur.

CS was all class on the way out. I think he (Don & the Board) knew the end had finally arrived, with his fate sealed by that disgraceful effort on Saturday evening on the field and the pitiful performance the week prior. The cries from supporters finally shook the hallowed halls of the Green room with echoes of "186 !" reverberating through the board room (and no doubt a few calls from sponsors!)....ITS TIME!! TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AND SHAKE THAT UGLY BAGGAGE LOOSE MATE!

This might be the first time i've ever seen the MFC executive actually sit up and take serious notice of what many of its members were screaming for! And part of that message, as Don reiterated many times over during the presser, is ...... to start bloody winning games of footy...BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR!

What CS's removal does is.....it puts everyone on notice, EVERYONE. From the executive down to the coach, every single player, right through to the trainer. "Hey, we love you guys and we'll give you all the support and every resource we can possibly muster, but if you f*@k up enough from here......well..."

Don isn't Eddie, nor is he a Smorgan (thank Lucifer's trident), but for the first time i really thought he took the bat to the press vultures and was standing up for this club. That's quite amazing given the crap i've seen served up by some of our recent presidents.

I don't believe the AFL had the ultimate say here. Sure, no doubt Vlad would have voiced his concerns to DM, but it was the overwhelming and consistent attack from many of the members, most likely the sponsors and to a lessor degree the AFL that would have forced DM and the Board's hand in asking for CS's resignation.

I'd be happy to see DM stay on in his existing role at least until we find an alternative candidate. But the alternative needs to be a big player and a massive Demon man who'll carry significant weight in football circles and is willing to get out there and spruik like crazy. And part of that would be to regain the confidence of recent disenfranchised/lost supporters and potential new ones. Robbie Flower would be an amazing appointment for this club as President IMO, but unfortunately i know he won't commit.

And in many ways this is where our old club has problems being seen as standing for anything. Most of our past greats prefer to stay out and watch from the sidelines, happy to provide the occasional morsel of advice, but unwilling to commit and do the hard yards and actually represent. There's power in numbers in a club as well as greater transparency, especially when you have great people on board demanding the very best of each other.

It's this aspect of the make up of the board that concerns me the greatest regarding our future from here. I realise we don't have many "living/able" past greats. But the ones that are able and still exist have truly deserted us in our greatest hour of need. Just as they did during some of the ugliest times i've seen at this club (1996).

In the end we're going to have to back someone. At this point it has to be Don, The Board, Mark, Craig and most of the FD from here (i'm excluding CC and Royal in that group as i believe they both need to move on).

Don finally appears to have been woken from his recent apparent apathy with recent goings on. He's woken from his slumber at last (i hope) and decided he's going to fight tooth and nail for the club from here and has stated clearly what we're all about. However, this should have been the message/culture from day 1 when he inherited the role as president. To do so now feels somewhat hollow, but as the old saying goes, better late than never.

Lets hope Mark and the boys finally got the same wake up call!

Carn the Demons!!

Edited April 9, 2013 by Rusty Nails