Peter Jackson - On The Couch Monday 29th July, 2013

[Soidee 1,496]

My thoughts on Peter Jackson and the interview:

• Jackson was reasonably impressive in the interview and he has made some good/tough early calls. However, I would also say the key calls have been fairly easy/obvious (i.e. sacking Mark Neeld and asking the AFL for assistance).
• While I think it is all well and good for Jackson to rubbish the club’s culture and the previous administration at the beginning of his term, I would be disappointed to see it continue for much longer, as I think enough is enough and we need to move forward. Once the decision on the Priority Pick is announced, I hope we don’t hear words like ‘impediment’ come out of his mouth anymore.
• Jackson’s comments about our older leaders, where he was referring to McDonald, Bruce and Green, were spot on.
• I think he is largely wrong in apportioning significant blame for our current position on our player development. I think we have just drafted players without the talent to cut the mustard. For instance, I don’t believe the argument that Jack Watts and Colin Sylvia would be much better players at other clubs (although it might appear that way because they are playing in better teams). Conversely, I don’t think we would be here if we called Dangerfield, Darling, Martin and Naitanui in previous drafts.
• Jackson’s comments about Chris Connelly were fair, but I thought he could have been a bit more diplomatic in answering the question. My view is that we need to move on from the tanking episode with fresh people and he could have said that he “believes the best way to move forward was with a fresh start”.
• I am not as anti an untried coach as the majority. Given his comments, which have really locked us in, I hope we can get a first choice candidate (Roos, Williams or Eade) and we don’t need to go for a B grader in Ayres or Knights.
• Overall, I am more circumspect about Jackson’s appointment that the majority here on Demonland. So far Jackson has done a lot of potting of the previous administration (and mostly justified) and I want to see him give us a little more reason for hope/excitement going forward.

I am of a similar view, I am looking forward to Jackson strutting his stuff and getting the best people possible to this club. Jackson now has to get on with it and cease the blame game. Jackson has rightfully caned the previous administration however, he must now do what is required and I do not want to hear about our failed incompetent fools anymore. Just get on with it.

[DemonOX 8,559]

A point of interest about OTC, Paul Roos had virtually no input into the discussion. It was the other two has asked the majority of questions.

Does Roos normally ask question or get more involved in the guests OTC Jarka?

I thought he gave bugger all to the interview but don't know what he normally does.

Edited July 30, 2013 by DemonOX

[P-man 13,309]

And until a premiership is delivered, what then? Cross your arms and ask, "where's your vision?" Said without having even listened to him in the first place? Real mature approach.

Get around the guy for heaven's sake. Of course actions are what matter most, but there's no harm in throwing your support behind him. Some Melbourne supporters just seem [censored] scared of what is the right thing to do these days, as all avenues seem to lead nowhere. The right thing to do is get behind PJ. The club hasn't got much else going for it right now.

[Sir Why You Little 35,320]

And until a premiership is delivered, what then? Cross your arms and ask, "where's your vision?" Said without having even listened to him in the first place? Real mature approach.

Get around the guy for heaven's sake. Of course actions are what matter most, but there's no harm in throwing your support behind him. Some Melbourne supporters just seem [censored] scared of what is the right thing to do these days, as all avenues seem to lead nowhere. The right thing to do is get behind PJ. The club hasn't got much else going for it right now.

Well said P Man.

Jackson is here to do a job. A bloody hard one & i expect him to do it.

He doesn't give a flying f about the glory days of the 50's and nor he should.

Nor should a Melbourne person get a job just because they are nice or know the right people.

Jackson won't put up with that B Grade garbage.

I worked for Packer in 86. That was his attitude.

Get the best people, pay them well and then you can work them hard.

GTV was a great place to work back then. We knew we were the best.

Edited July 30, 2013 by why you little

[hardtack 10,186]

He doesn't give a flying f about the glory days of the 50's and nor he should.

...

GTV was a great place to work back then. We knew we were the best.

What was that about the good old glory days? Been a while since I've heard channel 9 referred to as GTV ;-)

[Sir Why You Little 35,320]

What was that about the good old glory days? Been a while since I've heard channel 9 referred to as GTV ;-)

General Television Victoria...

Run by the Goanna. Nobody got near him. He sold the Network to Bondy at an inflated price and bought it back at a vastly reduced rate 2 years later!

Edited July 30, 2013 by why you little

[titan_uranus 23,134]

Some of what PJ said last night is the kind of thing we've needed to own up to, admit, and remove from our club.

We too often look to MFC people to help us. As PJ said, we need the best people, not the best Melbourne people. Cameron Schwab appeared to favour previous Melbourne people in his attempt to revitalise the club. I don't agree with that, and as such I applaud PJ for admitting it and noting to Healy that we won't be doing that anymore.

He also admitted what many on here have suspected for a long time - in the Bailey/Schwab/Connolly era, we focused far too much on taking high-end draft picks, clearing out older players, stocking up on talented youth, and waiting 2/3/4 years for them to drag us off the bottom. It reinforces much of what those of us on the 'development' side of the 'drafting v development' debate have been saying. We simply assumed that these players would, of their nature, fix us, without investing properly in their development, both physically and mentally. The mentality developed from 2008-2010, that it would all change in time, meant that we instilled in the club a culture that accepted far too little as being satisfactory.

His admission that to be a great football club you have to have a great football team was refreshing.

He was totally honest and completely devoid of spin. That is in utter contrast to Schwab.

With his honesty, his accuracy, his fairness and his business sensibility, he is totally different to previous people brought into this club. He is not just sacking people, as some are saying, he is re-structuring the club. It's not just about hiring a GMFO, it's also about changing the internal structure, internal reporting, and role delineation (e.g. making Harrington redundant). The decisions he is making are all designed to bring the MFC in line with the league's leaders. How this could be construed as anything other than what we need is beyond me.

[Binmans PA 26,664]

Agree with you big time. After x amount of months, this needs to end. If I hear about how terrible things were 12 months down the track, then I will have run out of patience with PJ. If it reaches that stage, he will have entered Mark Neeld territory.

I think this rev up will only really work if he stays there on a short term basis. It might be awkward for PJ to stay there as a long term CEO if he has to face a board who knows he is openly contemptuous of the club's previous culture.

I understand this thinking. It's very cynical, but understandable given our history. To an extent I find it pleasing that PJ seems to be taking his time on appointing the right people. They haven't run out and rushed the appointments ala Neeld. We have the AFL's support and PJ seems to have the right contacts. I think he'll be a long term CEO. The AFL understands we need stability over the coming five years. They need us off the bottom. We need to be off the bottom and flourishing as the next tv rights deal approaches.

[Sir Why You Little 35,320]

Some of what PJ said last night is the kind of thing we've needed to own up to, admit, and remove from our club.

We too often look to MFC people to help us. As PJ said, we need the best people, not the best Melbourne people. Cameron Schwab appeared to favour previous Melbourne people in his attempt to revitalise the club. I don't agree with that, and as such I applaud PJ for admitting it and noting to Healy that we won't be doing that anymore.

He also admitted what many on here have suspected for a long time - in the Bailey/Schwab/Connolly era, we focused far too much on taking high-end draft picks, clearing out older players, stocking up on talented youth, and waiting 2/3/4 years for them to drag us off the bottom. It reinforces much of what those of us on the 'development' side of the 'drafting v development' debate have been saying. We simply assumed that these players would, of their nature, fix us, without investing properly in their development, both physically and mentally. The mentality developed from 2008-2010, that it would all change in time, meant that we instilled in the club a culture that accepted far too little as being satisfactory.

His admission that to be a great football club you have to have a great football team was refreshing.

He was totally honest and completely devoid of spin. That is in utter contrast to Schwab.

With his honesty, his accuracy, his fairness and his business sensibility, he is totally different to previous people brought into this club. He is not just sacking people, as some are saying, he is re-structuring the club. It's not just about hiring a GMFO, it's also about changing the internal structure, internal reporting, and role delineation (e.g. making Harrington redundant). The decisions he is making are all designed to bring the MFC in line with the league's leaders. How this could be construed as anything other than what we need is beyond me.

That just about sums it up.

[Mono 454]

I found his interview interesting. He certainly doesn't dress it up. Confident buggar too.

But, not sure what he was on the show for. Nothing to talk about really that was new, and few questions from Heally and Sheahan; none from Roos. Heally's question/comment about CC/tanking got smashed, and no questions about ASADA (either Dons or MFC). Boys a bit afraid to ask questions maybe?

So, self promotion? or a little dramatic tension vis a vis Roos/coaching?

[Tatu 416]

I am of a similar view, I am looking forward to Jackson strutting his stuff and getting the best people possible to this club. Jackson now has to get on with it and cease the blame game. Jackson has rightfully caned the previous administration however, he must now do what is required and I do not want to hear about our failed incompetent fools anymore. Just get on with it.

get use to it..... He's going to be blaming the previous board right up to the day he relocates us....

[beelzebub 22,706]

I found his interview interesting. He certainly doesn't dress it up. Confident buggar too.

But, not sure what he was on the show for. Nothing to talk about really that was new, and few questions from Heally and Sheahan; none from Roos. Heally's question/comment about CC/tanking got smashed, and no questions about ASADA (either Dons or MFC). Boys a bit afraid to ask questions maybe?

So, self promotion? or a little dramatic tension vis a vis Roos/coaching?

Can only imagine he was there because he was invited. Gets to show and tell and offer the club up as "under repair " watch this space etc.

Interesting dynamics all the same.

Ex Melb player ( [censored] ) come Syd swans fav boy.

Card carrying member , , would be about as fed up as rest of us

Mr Fixit come to renovate the club

Swannies Boy wonder , coaching heir apparent if some are believed.

More convoluted than a cheap crime novel lol

[jumbo returns 6,619]

get use to it..... He's going to be blaming the previous board right up to the day he relocates us....

Bingo!

[Ted Lasso 17,308]

get use to it..... He's going to be blaming the previous board right up to the day he relocates us....

A strong Melbourne football club would be of much better financial and promotional value to the AFL than another relocation team, this is why the AFL is bending over backwards to get us right quickly when they could have simply suggested move to tassie or something.

[Tatu 416]

A strong Melbourne football club would be of much better financial and promotional value to the AFL than another relocation team, this is why the AFL is bending over backwards to get us right quickly when they could have simply suggested move to tassie or something.

thats cute....

[Ted Lasso 17,308]

thats cute....

Well it's true, we represent the capitol city of Victoria, the home of AFL.

we are more important than a Stkilda or North Melbourne.

[Sir Why You Little 35,320]

get use to it..... He's going to be blaming the previous board right up to the day he relocates us....

i think getting 50-60,000 to the MCG for home games is a better strategy for even the AFL myself.

[jumbo returns 6,619]

i think getting 50-60,000 to the MCG for home games is a better strategy for even the AFL myself.

Strategy? That would be a [censored] miracle!!!

[Ted Lasso 17,308]

Strategy? That would be a [censored] miracle!!!

Miracle that might seem a bit closer when we get back to being a top 4 team.

[Sir Why You Little 35,320]

Strategy? That would be a [censored] miracle!!!

we pulled those crowds in the late 80's and 90's reasnoably often. It can be done if the club decides to get serious about becoming elite. Edited July 30, 2013 by why you little

[jumbo returns 6,619]

Miracle that might seem a bit closer when we get back to being a top 4 team.

I hope so, D26, I hope so.....

[jumbo returns 6,619]

we pulled those crowds in the late 80's and 90's reasnoably often. It can be done if the club decides to get serious about becoming elite.

I remember them, mate, I remember....hell, we were all there....

What the bleep has happened????

[Biffen 12,523]

we pulled those crowds in the late 80's and 90's reasnoably often. It can be done if the club decides to get serious about becoming elite.

We will come out of the woodwork in droves once the team starts winning.

The slopes will be empty .

[bluey 923]

get use to it..... He's going to be blaming the previous board right up to the day he relocates us....

Yep, cheap talk, that's about it so far, said nothing nobody else has not promulgated over the years.

Interim is interim, non committal, fly in and fly out, reminds me of our Gazza, lets see some action before sinking our super into ostrich oil.

[old dee 23,256]

We will come out of the woodwork in droves once the team starts winning.

The slopes will be empty .

But will they be still young enough to go by the time it happens Biff?