I'm not sure if it's been referred to here but Russell Howcroft introduced Peter Jackson to a group of members yesterday in the Ryder (?) room. I never expected to attend a MFC meeting where the depth of feeling from the membership base was as ugly, aggressive and in a sense disrespectful to our appointed officers as at the Dallas Brooks Hall in 1996, but in its own way it was even worse. This was not a meeting that was organized with well drawn battle lines but a regular event where a Board member informally addresses the members.

Jackson said nothing different in this meeting to what he'd said all day in his media blitz and while the members welcomed his honesty and common sense they turned on an inept Howcroft. It started with Jackson telling us of a dysfunctional Football Department with no clear lines of responsibility or reporting and an administration which was similar. These comments, while not mentioning Schwab or the Board, were scathing as he outlined that the clear principles of Governance and operations had been ignored, misunderstood and abused.

A member of the audience turned to Howcroft and asked how this Board had allowed all this to happen in the 4 or 5 years of their watch. Howcroft dodged the question saying as a member based organization we could all stand for election. He has an unfortunate manner and his smugness and lack of empathy with the mood of the audience led to interjection and abuse being hurled at him and the rest of the Board.

Jackson clearly understands footy. He immediately engaged the members. He knows what a good footy club looks like. He understands Boards, Administration and corporate structure. He knows this Board is a failure.

In 2008 Jim Stynes and Don McLardy approached the Gardner Board and told them they were out of ideas and needed to move on for the betterment of the MFC. To the Gardner Board's eternal credit they recognized a better Board, read the tea leaves and saved the Club from a battle that would achieve nothing.

It's time for Don and his merry men to look in the mirror, remember history and now identify a better Board and stand aside. They have reduced this club to its lowest ebb in history and made it the most unattractive of propositions. They can do one good thing - find a better alternative and move on.

What makes this absolutely painful is that some of us have recognized the clear failings of Don, Schwabby and his merry men for ages. Anyone with any training or experience in how business work could see this. And yet this Board who have so much individual talent couldn't.

I'll never understand that. There is no doubt their hearts were in the right place but the damage they've done is incalculable.

Don't often agree with you Bob but I cannot find anything to fault in the above.

I have been saying this board is in the end responsible for our current position.

The majority have been there five years.

Time to move on people and this "well if you don't like it stand" is a poor response.

So you are the best of a bad lot mr Howcroft is that the answer?

It pains me to say it, if the same board and CEO were not appointed by Jim, then perhaps the issues would have been more widely accepted eariler on.

Jim was such a powerful and loved figure that the emotional attachment to everything he touched made these guys above critacism

Thanks for the info Bob

Pretty damming stuff - and I have no reason to believe you would lie

The one thing that gives me hope is that there are still people out there with a passion for this club and maybe we can turn our darkest hour in to our finest hour (in the words of the great leader Winston)

Wow, just wow.

The sooner someone with the credentials gets together a ticket the better.

If there was a good team, I'd be out there at every game collecting signatures from members for an EGM.

In 2008 Jim Stynes and Don McLardy approached the Gardner Board and told them they were out of ideas and needed to move on for the betterment of the MFC. To the Gardner Board's eternal credit they recognized a better Board, read the tea leaves and saved the Club from a battle that would achieve nothing.

It's time for Don and his merry men to look in the mirror, remember history and now identify a better Board and stand aside. They have reduced this club to its lowest ebb in history and made it the most unattractive of propositions. They can do one good thing - find a better alternative and move on.

What makes this absolutely painful is that some of us have recognized the clear failings of Don, Schwabby and his merry men for ages. Anyone with any training or experience in how business work could see this. And yet this Board who have so much individual talent couldn't.

I'll never understand that. There is no doubt their hearts were in the right place but the damage they've done is incalculable.

Don and co. might have left the place in a bigger mess as they received it in and it might be time to hand the reigns on to someone else. Just as long as they don't hand back the keys to the inept board of cronies who put us in the position in the first place.

I stood next to Howecroft at training this year, from what I heard it is fair say his knowledge of football and what was happening with the then "tanking" enquiry was limited.

My belief is the board needs to be spilled, Peter Jackson needs to drive professionalism and accountability throughout the organisation, instil better values and make some clear staff choices.

Then we need a priority pick, a handout from the AFL and a few Hail Marys.

What makes this absolutely painful is that some of us have recognized the clear failings of Don, Schwabby and his merry men for ages. Anyone with any training or experience in how business work could see this. And yet this Board who have so much individual talent couldn't.

I'll never understand that. There is no doubt their hearts were in the right place but the damage they've done is incalculable.

Who are 'some of us'. How do you recognise the 'clear failings' being on the outside ?

I am intrigued also by Peter Jackson comments on structures when I am sure Neil Craig was brought in to help clear up the reporting lines/structures. Also having come from a successful club in Adelaide he should know a bit.

It pains me to say it, if the same board and CEO were not appointed by Jim, then perhaps the issues would have been more widely accepted eariler on.

Jim was such a powerful and loved figure that the emotional attachment to everything he touched made these guys above critacism

This board has been soft since its inception and I am not surprised that they wont accept resposibilty for the mess we are in

Try to raise some more Money off the members Don see how far you get .What a joke!

Don't often agree with you Bob but I cannot find anything to fault in the above.

I have been saying this board is in the end responsible for our current position.

The majority have been there five years.

Time to move on people and this "well if you don't like it stand" is a poor response.

So you are the best of a bad lot mr Howcroft is that the answer?

the problem Isn't this board, it's 20 something Years since we had a good & visionary board.

this is the problem, of consecutive failing boards & admins for generations of players past. not developing to their true potential. This Board however good or other, is trying to clean things up, & in the process, lets hope they eventually turn this "Once Great" footy club back into a Footy Club again, & NOT an Organisation.

.

So who's putting their hands up for the job?

Any takers?

Jackson was great speaking before the game yesterday, he appears to be relishing the challenge and spoke like a man who is staying.

He identified the inexperience across the board, he said all the right things in regards to Neeld - as to not put any pressure on Neeld.

On face value at least, he seemed very forthcoming, at ease and sure of himself and the direction the club needs to go down.

I think we are in good hands with Jackson as a CEO.

And, I don't think Neeld will see out May.

I'm not sure if it's been referred to here but Russell Howcroft introduced Peter Jackson to a group of members yesterday in the Ryder (?) room. I never expected to attend a MFC meeting where the depth of feeling from the membership base was as ugly, aggressive and in a sense disrespectful to our appointed officers as at the Dallas Brooks Hall in 1996, but in its own way it was even worse. This was not a meeting that was organized with well drawn battle lines but a regular event where a Board member informally addresses the members.

Jackson said nothing different in this meeting to what he'd said all day in his media blitz and while the members welcomed his honesty and common sense they turned on an inept Howcroft. It started with Jackson telling us of a dysfunctional Football Department with no clear lines of responsibility or reporting and an administration which was similar. These comments, while not mentioning Schwab or the Board, were scathing as he outlined that the clear principles of Governance and operations had been ignored, misunderstood and abused.

A member of the audience turned to Howcroft and asked how this Board had allowed all this to happen in the 4 or 5 years of their watch. Howcroft dodged the question saying as a member based organization we could all stand for election. He has an unfortunate manner and his smugness and lack of empathy with the mood of the audience led to interjection and abuse being hurled at him and the rest of the Board.

Jackson clearly understands footy. He immediately engaged the members. He knows what a good footy club looks like. He understands Boards, Administration and corporate structure. He knows this Board is a failure.

In 2008 Jim Stynes and Don McLardy approached the Gardner Board and told them they were out of ideas and needed to move on for the betterment of the MFC. To the Gardner Board's eternal credit they recognized a better Board, read the tea leaves and saved the Club from a battle that would achieve nothing.

It's time for Don and his merry men to look in the mirror, remember history and now identify a better Board and stand aside. They have reduced this club to its lowest ebb in history and made it the most unattractive of propositions. They can do one good thing - find a better alternative and move on.

What makes this absolutely painful is that some of us have recognized the clear failings of Don, Schwabby and his merry men for ages. Anyone with any training or experience in how business work could see this. And yet this Board who have so much individual talent couldn't.

I'll never understand that. There is no doubt their hearts were in the right place but the damage they've done is incalculable.

Well said Bob. You are right on the money. It is time supporters stopped making excuses and we must move to be a better position soon.

After hearing Jackson's raw assessment of our club, I immediately saw how far we are from other clubs in terms of getting the right experienced people to do their jobs in a professional environment where sustainable success is the no1 priority. People who are bringing and applying their high level of knowledge to make the club run and play to the best in the AFL. Jackson is an honest, professional, insightful CEO. We'd do we'll to keep him beyond the 6mth contract he has, assuming he'd want to stay. Gotta say, he makes Cam Schwab look like a childish amateur.

It's time for Don and his merry men to look in the mirror, remember history and now identify a better Board and stand aside. They have reduced this club to its lowest ebb in history and made it the most unattractive of propositions. They can do one good thing - find a better alternative and move on.

That may be far easier said than done. Who do you know that is smart, steeped in corporate ways, succesful, wealthy, has time to devote and is motivated enough to drink from the poisoned chalice? Oh yes, you need to find several of them not just one.

I feel that this Board would walk, as the previous one did, if there was a viable alternative. I would imagine they are devastated at the current situation.

PS. Lets also not forget one positive while we are sinking the boots in, this board, together with their mates and other supporters, wiped off a $5million debt left by the previous Board. I don't blame the previous Board for that, as they, as do all Boards, tried to do their best. Nobody deliberately goes onto a club Board to stuff the place up.

By all means, run for the board. By all means, get a ticket together.

But don't expect a group of Demons to go searching for their alternatives. I am certain that Jackson will restructure the FD and the admin and that inexperience an duplicated roles will fall victim to that.

I am also confident that McLardy will step aside. But to ask the board to find their own ousters?

If there are some impressive Demons out there with enough time to dedicate to the cause then they can make their intentions known and run for the board. I refuse to believe that renewal requires a bloodbath.

This board is not the enemy, not will their ousters be our saviour.

We are in this mess together and we have to maintain whatever small amount of influential, dedicated Demons that we can.

I want to see a new President maintain the bulk of the current AFL-endorsed board, add whatever individuals impressive enough to the board, keep/hire an industry standard CEO, and structure an efficient FD with a head coach that everyone gets behind.

That is the platform for 2014 and the long march to relevance.

Who are 'some of us'. How do you recognise the 'clear failings' being on the outside ?

I am intrigued also by Peter Jackson comments on structures when I am sure Neil Craig was brought in to help clear up the reporting lines/structures. Also having come from a successful club in Adelaide he should know a bit.

I might be wrong but didn't Peter Jackson say that there were no less than 4 lines of reporting all coming back to the CEO from the football dept, and that the CEO shouldn't be so close to football operations. That suggests more a deficiency with CS structures than Neil Craig.

Schwab backed off after the Geelong massacre but perhaps it wasn't restructured enough.

So who's putting their hands up for the job?

Any takers?

You should run Jack. I'd support you. I'm not being facetious. I reckon you have the right mix of a level head and passion for our footy club that seems to be missing from some on our current board.

I might be wrong but didn't Peter Jackson say that there were no less than 4 lines of reporting all coming back to the CEO from the football dept, and that the CEO shouldn't be so close to football operations. That suggests more a deficiency with CS structures than Neil Craig.

Schwab backed off after the Geelong massacre but perhaps it wasn't restructured enough.

That of course doesn't explain the onfield perfomances.

It was Jimmy's Board & whilst Jimmy was a healthy President i believe there was harmony and unity.

But since Jimmy died the Board lost there purpose and direction. Don is not a leader. That has been proven with his last 2 written responses to the members.

We need new blood. Brand New. Hard & tough people who understand success long term. Jackson was not picked for nothing. He knows...

So who's putting their hands up for the job?

Any takers?

i would be willing to talk to people.

I have no experience at Board Level but i love this club so i am prepared to get involved Jack.

Discuss whatever over a long lunch...sure.

It is the supporters and members who will save this mess right now.

I do not know the answers, but am prepared to listen & learn.

The issue is as much about what can an alternative board offer - so far, no one has stood up other than David Schwarz and said they want to be involved.

Not to mention there's been any mention of WHAT they would do...and god knows we've been promised a few things in the last couple of years...

I hate to say it because I'm not a fan, but if ever Melbourne needed Neil Mitchell it is now.

We desperately need someone with a strong and visible public persona in our corner.

Schwarz would be fine I feel as he brings football knowledge and a strong public presence, but Mitchell brings the arrogance, contacts and cache that you need these days to create a real impression and help deliver results.

The issue is as much about what can an alternative board offer - so far, no one has stood up other than David Schwarz and said they want to be involved.

Not to mention there's been any mention of WHAT they would do...and god knows we've been promised a few things in the last couple of years...

I hate to say it because I'm not a fan, but if ever Melbourne needed Neil Mitchell it is now.

We desperately need someone with a strong and visible public persona in our corner.

Schwarz would be fine I feel as he brings football knowledge and a strong public presence, but Mitchell brings the arrogance, contacts and cache that you need these days to create a real impression and help deliver results.

Neil Mitchell is only interested in one thing.................... Neil Mitchell. He will not promote anything, which does provide him with the direct kudos.