I have an idea.

I should preface this with like I did for Dean Bailey I really feel for Mark Neeld now. Who knows if he stepped in to a team with better resources or one that didn't have such a damaged culture, he (or they) may have made great coaches. I think Neeld knew the culture was the biggest issue when he started and was the first coach we've had to say he wanted to address it from the outset. To have Jimmy's passing, the racism row, losing sponsors, tanking saga etc in his first season made it the toughest job in footy before the ball is even bounced! But for whatever reasons and whoever's fault it is I just can't see it turning around for Neeld now.

I think it is clear our next coach has to be someone experienced - if Paul Roos is a possibility then it has to be explored. Personally I don't think he would want to... but if there's any chance maybe this could help us get it over the line. From what I've heard the AFL would encourage it if they saw the ground moving. The idea below centres around Roos - it could work for any high profile coach (I'm just using him as a hypothetical) although I'm not sure if anyone else could garner the same kind of support.

Welcome to the world of Pozible - a crowdfunding platform and community for creative projects and ideas. If you haven't heard of it, you may have heard of the US version Kickstarter.

How it works:

They offer creative individuals, groups and organisations a way to raise funds through selling tangible and intangible rewards by hosting a project on Pozible. The projects must have a funding goal and a time limit (from 1 - 60 days) set by the project creator. During this time you spread the word about your amazing idea to your fans, friends, family and any strangers and sponsors you can wow with your pitch. Supporters simply register and help fund the project.

If the target is not reached / project is not possible, then the money goes back to all the donors / contributors.

So think about this:

We have a campaign "Paul Roos to coach Melbourne in 2014"

Melbourne has 31,700 odd members currently signed up.

Obviously many of these are kids with no money but many also have deep pockets

All love the club, are desperate for something positive, something that gives hope, something real.

If our current members all gave an average of $50 to a campaign such as this, it would raise $1.5M

This is not even factoring all the disillusioned, the past members yet to sign, MCC members who aren't signed up and many other supporters we have (think about the sea of red and blue we could get back when we played finals)

And if Roos said he didn't want to coach at the end of it, all the money is returned.

How much money would you be prepared to part with if you knew it would only be used if it guaranteed Paul Roos would coach the club?

It's all a hypothetical but I know I'm damn sure I'd put more than $50 in.

I don't know exactly how this stuff works but I assume the $$ would go to the football department's budget and the club would work out Roos contract separately. But it's more the symbolism of it - if something like this took off, it would get massive media coverage. If anything is going to, it could be the sort of thing that would entice Roos back into coaching. But at the very least, it would show the football world that although our on and off field team have been a basket case, the supporters are not. And we are going to do whatever it takes to turn it around.

Is Pozible Possible? Be interested to hear people's thoughts?

That actually might work. When things are this bad we need something to look forward to and we all know the best draft prospects is not the answer!

I'd put in a $100.

So think about this:

How much money would you be prepared to part with if you knew it would only be used if it guaranteed Paul Roos would coach the club?

None

Whilst i think Roos would be great , I am already sick of the amount of mfc faithful that think Roos coming in would be the answer to all our problems.

deelusion: There is only one way to test this market and that is by setting this up.

Are you able to do this? The marketing of this venture would be the easy bit once it is up and running...... crazy things can happen when you combine social media and traditional mediums. Personally I think this idea is well worth the effort.

Bates Mate - I agree. The problems go so much deeper than the coach / football department. At the same time I think to the end of the season and assuming Neeld is not there, who can give the players, supporters, potential sponsors, future board members confidence that they can turn it around. Everyone has heard the same words eg "patience" "experience differential" etc since Daniher's last years.

Unless it's from the mouth of someone who has done it before (not just been in the same room) it comes across as hollow as we've been there too many times before. There are others than Roos - Clarkson? Lyon? Woosha? Scott? But I'm not sure any are looking to move. Maybe making it about more than just Roos would be smarter - but I don't think it would cut through on social media in the same way.

GNF: To be honest I don't know a lot about this but I assume it's fairly easy to setup. Pozible look after the $$$ until the pledge amount is reached. Most have a good video that use to spread the word online. Maybe Russel Howcroft knows how to do that!

I think it could work. But it also feels like it is the wrong time - to do this in the first half of the season or before there is an announcement that Neeld won't be there in 2014 might cause more problems (if that is possible).

I think it's a bad Ruze.

Not while the current President (Board) is still in place. I think Paul Roos or any decent coach would be thinking the same. That's if they were asked to give it a thought and offered a massive contract. Can't see that happening anytime soon either. Not without a huge AFL bucket of $$. Then we'd be effectively run and owned by the AFL so they would anoint their 'preferred' option anyway and it may be someone other than Roos

Not while the current President (Board) is still in place. I think Paul Roos or any decent coach would be thinking the same. That's if they were asked to give it a thought and offered a massive contract. Can't see that happening anytime soon either. Not without a huge AFL bucket of $$. Then we'd be effectively run and owned by the AFL so they would anoint their 'preferred' option anyway and it may be someone other than Roos

Ok so maybe I need to stop flogging a dead horse... it's just frustrating to see one dark day after the next and not have a way to contribute to it turning around. I'm sad to see Neeld go... in the same way I was sad to see Bailey go. Maybe if given time things would have eventually turned around - we will never know.

I don't see Roos as the answer to all our problems. But assuming he is interested in coaching us (a big assumption), his record speaks volumes - not merely in terms of the premiership but in his ability to create a culture that is still so strong at Sydney. Does anyone else think that Watts, Gysberts, Trengove, Blease etc would be different players if they started and played their careers at Sydney? Would Jetta, Kennedy, Richards etc would be the players they are if they had of come to Melbourne??

Roos isn't the only one to have create the Sydney culture... but he certainly had a lot to do with it.

If this is a bad idea, just say so and i'll put this away. But to me it's one way of demonstrating that even if our admin and footy department are a mess, our fans and members (the only constant in a football club) are strong passionate and ready to (again) put their money on the line for the club.

almost scary in someways

pm me sat lotto numbers....ill share

Ok so maybe I need to stop flogging a dead horse... it's just frustrating to see one dark day after the next and not have a way to contribute to it turning around. I'm sad to see Neeld go... in the same way I was sad to see Bailey go. Maybe if given time things would have eventually turned around - we will never know.

I don't see Roos as the answer to all our problems. But assuming he is interested in coaching us (a big assumption), his record speaks volumes - not merely in terms of the premiership but in his ability to create a culture that is still so strong at Sydney. Does anyone else think that Watts, Gysberts, Trengove, Blease etc would be different players if they started and played their careers at Sydney? Would Jetta, Kennedy, Richards etc would be the players they are if they had of come to Melbourne??

Roos isn't the only one to have create the Sydney culture... but he certainly had a lot to do with it.

If this is a bad idea, just say so and i'll put this away. But to me it's one way of demonstrating that even if our admin and footy department are a mess, our fans and members (the only constant in a football club) are strong passionate and ready to (again) put their money on the line for the club.

DFA your passion for the club is great and it sounds like you want to get very active and involved in terms of helping and fund raising etc. I think at this point however, many died in the wool supporters and just mainstream ones are suffering from something i would term "Major Failure Fatigue" or MFF.

I think many supporters just want to see "A competitive AFL level effort" which will bring them hope. Then we need to see this hope turn into results on the field in terms of wins, at least against other bottom of the ladder clubs or out of form ones. From there they want to see sustained and real improvement each year until we reach finals....etc etc. For most supporters that is reality. They want real on field results and sustained success. Especially after so many horrible years in the wilderness. They've dipped into their pockets so many times they're all out of desire to dip some more until the club starts returning something on their previous investments.

A bit like a shareholder if you like. If a company keeps coming back and asking for "more, more and even more" each time, while spewing out woeful EOY results over 3, 4, 5, 6 years +.....well i think you get the picture.

What i'm trying to say is, never give up....but just don't expect too much excitement around the place right now. Many Demonoids have probably already invested significant folding stuff already and want to see "something" in return before they consider dipping into their coffers again, at least in terms of contributing outside of normal membership/club fund raising pathways anyway.

Also many people might be a little hesitant of a satellite type program that's run outside of "official" club sanctioned programs i would think. So it might be better to take any ideas direct to relevant club people responsible for marketing.

One aspect that i'd like to see the club try and get up as a possible option in the next decade, once we're back on track and seeing some success, is to locate and build an all encompassing Club facility. Bricks & Mortar, with a training oval, club rooms, stats of the art training facilities as well as admin/office inclusive. As much as i appreciate the AAMI set up, it still doesn't feel "Club like" or have that club feel to it IMO. It's a bit of this, a bit of that with the admin/office staff sitting up the road at the G.

Ideally this should be at the G i guess so that we're training on our original home ground. The G should really be our "Skilled Stadium" albeit we share it with others. But unless we had sustained premiership success in the next 5 to 10 years i can't see that getting off the ground. Eddie would not be pleased! But then again....stuff Eddie lol

Edited June 19, 201312 yr by Rusty Nails