At what point does this become unacceptable?

[Demon Disciple 12,274]

One man has about 10 years of energy left, and nothing to lose.

Nope, pass. I want a premiership coach, one who is not staring retirement in the face.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

It's already unacceptable.

We can play, we shown that today.

Yet we still get flogged by 94 points and that is a hiding.

Something makes me think we'd of got a lot more bad press if we'd lost by 100 points.

94 points seems acceptable.. It's not, losing isn't even acceptable!

That is the trouble with this club.

I hope Neeld gets the sack this week, won't happen though, he'll probably be applauded somehow.

So, if the GWS need to give us a touch up to get rid of this fool, then so be it.

[Little Richard 6,265]

Alrighty. I have been a Neeld supporter for quite a while and in the last few weeks have been of the opinion that the players are terrible and Neeld is not to blame for the penetrations we have copped. I don't think he should be sacked yet but jeez, his game plan stinks.

The first half today was much better, run and intensity although rubbish skills all the way. However if we lose to GWS I'll be calling for Neeld's head like everyone else. And if we win by about 10-15 points I'll still be calling for his head because an effort like that is still pathetic.

I just want to win.

[Adam The God 30,421]

Leaves them in decent shape.

I wouldn't have thought he left the dogs in decent shape.

[Adam The God 30,421]

Alrighty. I have been a Neeld supporter for quite a while and in the last few weeks have been of the opinion that the players are terrible and Neeld is not to blame for the penetrations we have copped. I don't think he should be sacked yet but jeez, his game plan stinks.

The first half today was much better, run and intensity although rubbish skills all the way. However if we lose to GWS I'll be calling for Neeld's head like everyone else. And if we win by about 10-15 points I'll still be calling for his head because an effort like that is still pathetic.

I just want to win.

So why are you a supporter of his? Reasonably contradictory statement, especially given our "culture" and defensive side haven't improved an iota.

[stuie 7,374]

The ironic thing is, the first half today was a typical Bailey style Melbourne, all attack and dash but no defence or accountability.

[Adam The God 30,421]

The ironic thing is, the first half today was a typical Bailey style Melbourne, all attack and dash but no defence or accountability.

Pretty much. What the hell have we been working on for two pre seasons? My god.

Edited April 13, 2013 by AdamFarr

[Little Richard 6,265]

So why are you a supporter of his? Reasonably contradictory statement, especially given our "culture" and defensive side haven't improved an iota.

The point of that is that I don't think I am a fan of him anymore. I think sacking him is a serious move that could hurt the club but at the same time he isn't doing it for us and that's obvious. I don't know what the solution is but I am losing faith in the coach.

[olisik 4,060]

So Neelds recruiting has been a disaster, Mitch Clark, Jack Viney, Chris Dawes, Jesse Hogan ok the last two we havent seen but i pretty excited about our forward line next year with Clark, Dawes and Hogan. M Jones has been good and would sit in our top 3 in our b&f Terlich looks ok. The recycled players we gave up nothing, the only player that cost us a decent pick was Dawes. Our midfield needs addressing but you cant fix all our flaws with 2 drafts.

I really believe we will see a massive light in the back half if the year. We dont accept losing like we have today was different than the first two weeks, we played a much better team and for three quarters we went ok, we just relaxed for the third quarter and got smashed.

Actually for Pederson we gave up Gysberts who was a pick #11

Which was originally a pick #5

so we turned a pick #11 into Pederson

We also turned a pick #4 (Morton) into Rodan

[RickyJ45 407]

Since this has already turned into a thread about Neeld, my two cents.......don't even think about it MFC unless you identify a candidate to replace him and you have +90% chance of getting that person. To go with a caretaker will just put us back on the treadmill and we are bound to end with the wrong coach again.

Agree 100% with you here. No half assed efforts here. Get a Roos, Ratten, Clarkson or even an Eade. Nothing less would be a certain improvement.

[stuie 7,374]

Pretty much. What the hell have we been working on for two pre seasons? My god.

It annoys me that people (including Neeld) were saying we were good in the first half... We got a few goals from frees and unforced errors, and we were nowhere near manning up, WC missed a few easy shots so the margin was extremely flattering to how we played. They smashed us in the tackle count, particularly in the first quarter and watching the game again tonight it's painfully clear the players have no idea what they're meant to be doing, and have to be playing a zone because MOST Eagles players had no one within 2 metres of them at any given time.

Edited April 13, 2013 by stuie

[Adam The God 30,421]

Agree 100% with you here. No half assed efforts here. Get a Roos, Ratten, Clarkson or even an Eade. Nothing less would be a certain improvement.

Roos and Clarkson are the only two I'd touch out of that list. I'd have Ratten back as a midfield coach though.

[Adam The God 30,421]

It annoys me that people (including Neeld) were saying we were good in the first half... We got a few goals from frees and unforced errors, and we were nowhere near manning up, WC missed a few easy shots so the margin was extremely flattering to how we played. They smashed us in the tackle count, particularly in the first quarter and watching the game again tonight it's painfully clear the players have no idea what they're meant to be doing, and have to be playing a zone because MOST Eagles players had no one within 2 metres of them at any given time.

Neeld has denied we're playing a zone. He may not want to call it that, but it's that or deliberate unaccountability. It makes absolutely no sense that a coach would come in, looking to strengthen defence, but play zonal defence. This teaches a side about manning space, not accountability or winning one on one hard ball. Neeld must finally feel how Bailey must have felt. Neither of them are up to it either.

[Chook 15,022]

Actually for Pederson we gave up Gysberts who was a pick #11

Which was originally a pick #5

so we turned a pick #11 into Pederson

We also turned a pick #4 (Morton) into Rodan

Errors of the Bailey era all of them. Can you blame Neeld for trying to rid us of them?

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I went to the Presidents Lunch Yesterday.

The body language amongst board members was pretty bad.

When watching the game I sit very close to McLardy.

He had the sourest look on his face all day and not once did he cheer or smile when we were being competitive in the first half, almost like he was there under sufferance

He was sitting next to new board member Geoff Freeman and didn't speak to him. Freeman got up and stood at the windows behind, just to be away from him.

I certainly think the sharks are circling. If a sub standard performance happens next week, I believe there will be a challenge for the Presidency.

After that, there will be more blood letting. Yes Neeld will go, but it won't stop there.

When you have a board made up totally of Foundation Heroes with money to burn, they won't care who they get rid of.

This club is being run by a group of puppets, with the Foundation Heroes pulling the strings.

The next 2 weeks will be very interesting.

[CBDees 3,167]

Actually for Pederson we gave up Gysberts who was a pick #11

Which was originally a pick #5

so we turned a pick #11 into Pederson

We also turned a pick #4 (Morton) into Rodan

On paper we were losers; but on the ground, have Morton and Gysberts' performance with us over the last 12 months been superior to Rodan or Pererson's at Port or North? Easy to crystal ball this but the reality is that [with an exception of Hogan] we seem to be better at selecting high draft picks [i.e. Terlich, Kent, M. Jones] than we do selecting low ones.

[TheoX 1,222]

2 weeks ago

[jnrmac 20,189]

Goes back way longer, right into the Daniher years - Daniher thought he was so close to winning a premiership, he drafted used tyres from other clubs and failed to build up any decent forward to replace Neitz. This is way too complicated just to blame on the coach. I can understand why Neeld recruited the players he did. He realised that none of our middle core have seen any real success ever in their careers. Can you expect them to be good leaders.

Give me Daniher any day over Neeld or Bailey. At least he could coach.

[demonglory 70]

So Neelds recruiting has been a disaster, Mitch Clark, Jack Viney, Chris Dawes, Jesse Hogan ok the last two we havent seen but i pretty excited about our forward line next year with Clark, Dawes and Hogan. M Jones has been good and would sit in our top 3 in our b&f Terlich looks ok. The recycled players we gave up nothing, the only player that cost us a decent pick was Dawes. Our midfield needs addressing but you cant fix all our flaws with 2 drafts.

I really believe we will see a massive light in the back half if the year. We dont accept losing like we have today was different than the first two weeks, we played a much better team and for three quarters we went ok, we just relaxed for the third quarter and got smashed.

I agree with you drdrake. The players we moved on such as Moloney, Gysberts, Morton, Bennell, Martin and Bate would never bring us the success as a team we all crave. I understand a lot of supporters are angry but I think Neeld is the right coach to move our team forward. It is impossible to change all the inadequacies at MFC in a 12 month period. With the new players that have come in I think we have actually found some real ball players. Viney, Matt Jones and Terlich have all impressed me and will be good for us going forward. Toumpas is finding his feet but is quality no doubt about that....Right now Neeld is trying to find the right team balance and this will probably take another 5-6 weeks. We have still 5-6 good players to come in and cement their positions and we still need to give Byrnes, Rodan and Pedersen a bit more time to settle into the team. I do not think all is lost for the year at all. The first half against WC was really really good and we just need to find that intensity for four quarters

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

6 years ago.

[The heart beats true 18,145]

I went to the Presidents Lunch Yesterday.

The body language amongst board members was pretty bad.

When watching the game I sit very close to McLardy.

He had the sourest look on his face all day and not once did he cheer or smile when we were being competitive in the first half, almost like he was there under sufferance

He was sitting next to new board member Geoff Freeman and didn't speak to him. Freeman got up and stood at the windows behind, just to be away from him.

I certainly think the sharks are circling. If a sub standard performance happens next week, I believe there will be a challenge for the Presidency.

After that, there will be more blood letting. Yes Neeld will go, but it won't stop there.

When you have a board made up totally of Foundation Heroes with money to burn, they won't care who they get rid of.

This club is being run by a group of puppets, with the Foundation Heroes pulling the strings.

The next 2 weeks will be very interesting.

This is fascinating to read. So do you think McLardy knows Freeman is next in line?

Do you think it's a problem that Foundation Heroes have more control around the club? It's not by chance that some of those people ended up minted. I'd imagine some of them could be ruthless business people.

[Theo 276]

I don't know whether Neeld is a good coach or not but his decision making may well cripple this Club.

Jamar's 3 year contract beggers belief.

Recruiting players that were finished or couldn't get a game at other clubs and therefore using up all our ND and PSD draft picks. This meant that we lost Jack Hannath and some other young kids that we could be developing.

Dennis Cometti said on MMM yesterday that he believes we went backwards and ended up with negative result after trading and drafting.

G.Lyon didn't disagree and was himself critical of Byrnes and Pederson's games yesterday

[Dee Fan 3,247]

This is fascinating to read. So do you think McLardy knows Freeman is next in line?

Do you think it's a problem that Foundation Heroes have more control around the club? It's not by chance that some of those people ended up minted. I'd imagine some of them could be ruthless business people.

I think you'll find the board members became foundation heroes not the other way around.

[MH. 88]

It is impossible for any lucid thinking person not to realise that we have a terrible coach. The performances simply could not be any worse. He makes Dennis Jones look like Norm Smith.

After round 3 last year, their first in the AFL, GWS had a greater percentage (albeit it marginally) than we have now. A bunch of Kids with no AFL experience, who were getting mercilessly slaughtered, performed as well as Melbourne is now. It is simply beyond belief.

I accept that there will be people that are reluctant for change and I'm not advocating a sacking today, but I have zero doubt that a change has to happen sooner rather than later. This club regularly makes atrocious decisions, which is one of the reasons they'd be reluctant to act on the coach, but regular poor decisions shouldn't paralyze the club in the face of what is without question a diabolical appointment. There comes a point in time where you have to cut your losses.

Even the spin that Neeld is now putting into the public domain is comical.

[tonatopia 278]

It's gotten to the point where I almost(!) don't want to win it.

Sad isn't it. I am so desperate for change that I would be happy if we lost along as it means the removal of neeld and mclardy.

We need change desperately.