Time to go

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

Brian Royal.

Every ball up we lose the ball.

C'mon mate.

Ciao.

I agree Biffen Chocco should be pulling the boots on and showing them how to do it

Oh wait..... it's up to the players to execute - silly me

[baysidedave 246]

Dunn, Spencer, Byrnes, Gillies, Watts, Davey, Jetta, Bail, Rodan, Tapscott, Sylvia, Couch, Thurin, Spargo, Howcroft, Trotter, Misson, Rawlings, Craig, Royal, Greaves.

Neeld wasn't the problem. How can one coach in such a cancerous environment. We need fresh blood, a complete turn over of staff and personnel.

If the current fucias can become demons, we may have a chance in hell.

agree with most except Watts, Sylvia, Tapscott,Spencer, Howcroft, Craig and Misson

[Hannibal 5,814]

The mess in the whole club won't be cleaned up over night. The mess that has been caused by previous administrations just beggars belief but it's there for all to see.

Unfortunately everything is on hold now at the club, there will be a new head of football, a new president and a new coach and still some of the board to go for mine. That is a lot of people sitting in interim positions who know they won't be there next year and the players know this.

Craig really gave the game up if it wasn't already up by saying he didn't blame Watts for waiting and seeing what happens. They're all waiting now except for the few who have a real pride in their performance.

Yes, it's been said many times that it wasn't all Neeld's fault, it was Schwab's poor chains of command, Connolly, the blatant tanking, the handling of Junior and other senior players, the weak list management for years, a sleepy Board, etc.

But, by God Neeld was the nail in the coffin.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Ben-Hur

[Biffen 12,947]

I agree Biffen Chocco should be pulling the boots on and showing them how to do it

Oh wait..... it's up to the players to execute - silly me

In two years he cant even teach them to win a tap,ball up , bounce,a free ,to negate or to actually just win a clearance.

Anyway-his record speaks for itself.

The players dont know where to stand from the first bounce and we begin losing from there.

[robbiefrom13 894]

My issue is that he doesn't look like he wants to be out there half the time, huge sense of entitlement in these blokes, no honor in the fact they're playing for the oldest AFL club.

shudder! (you just reminded me of Schwabby)

fair dinkum, he's thinking about changing his place of work. His contract is up for renewal, and he wonders about maybe moving on. So he's disappointed at how he's gone and how the company is going, and he thinks about his options. You want him to put his blazer on and kiss the statue, and beg our forgiveness for admitting to thinking what any intelligent employee would weigh up today?

But of course, the club has well and truly demonstrated loyalty in its treatment of its longterm servants, hasn't it? How could the players not have soaked this up?

[Bobby McKenzie 2,391]

Dunn, Spencer, Byrnes, Gillies, Watts, Davey, Jetta, Bail, Rodan, Tapscott, Sylvia, Couch, Thurin, Spargo, Howcroft, Trotter, Misson, Rawlings, Craig, Royal, Greaves.

Neeld wasn't the problem. How can one coach in such a cancerous environment. We need fresh blood, a complete turn over of staff and personnel.

If the current fucias can become demons, we may have a chance in hell.

Add yourself to that list Yarra! Maybe drop them all and get the favours the AFL gave to the Suns and the Giants.

[DemonFrog 1,356]

Bring on the 2014 season as I hate the 2013 one.

I said it before and I will say it again Mark Neeld was the worst coach ever!

[ThreeOneSix 954]

Watts in a trade for GWS Adams

Won't complain if we do, happy if we keep Watts as well.

We have bigger issues than Jack Watts.

[rpfc 28,832]

This is the kind of attitude Neeld was allowed to realise during his short tenure.

There will be plenty of turnover in staff and players but to cut a swathe across a number of people is very Neeldesque.

And, yeah, we are terrible because we have no hard running mids, decent leaders, and star quality players.

That comes back to recruiting, retention, and development in order of importance.

We will bounce back.

At some point.

[DemonFrog 1,356]

True Mark Neeld was not the only issue the MFC had but he was the wrong man at the wrong time.

How can a person believe as a Senior Coach they would not need the support of the playing group and don't get me started on his so called game plan. It a fact the MFC went backwards under his ledership.

Well MN has gone and so has the ex-CEO and ex-President which is great news for the future of the MFC, I am actually looking forward to the 2014 season.

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

In two years he cant even teach them to win a tap,ball up , bounce,a free ,to negate or to actually just win a clearance.

Anyway-his record speaks for itself.

The players dont know where to stand from the first bounce and we begin losing from there.

All good Biff I was just starting arguments

There are a lot of factors why the players can't do the simple stuff - Coaching is a big part but you only have to look at Saturdays game to see the effort is not there

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Brian Royal imo was as big an issue as Neeld and still is, we need to recruit the best available midfield coach for next year, not just to develop players but to help the players get some clearly defined roles, can't waste the talent we have on board plus will get at the end of this year.

[Earl Hood 6,115]

Brian Royal imo was as big an issue as Neeld and still is, we need to recruit the best available midfield coach for next year, not just to develop players but to help the players get some clearly defined roles, can't waste the talent we have on board plus will get at the end of this year.

Should we throw a bucket load of cash at Ratten for mid coach? He was good for us once before.

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Should we throw a bucket load of cash at Ratten for mid coach? He was good for us once before.

Ratten, Simon Black, Kirk, or Ling

any of those i think could do the job well, ratten would obviously be my preference due to his experience, Kirk or Ling would be great for culture, and Black would be able to help the midfielders grow as players in a way we are currently lacking, he has been an elite mid for a long time.

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

Yes, it's been said many times that it wasn't all Neeld's fault, it was Schwab's poor chains of command, Connolly, the blatant tanking, the handling of Junior and other senior players, the weak list management for years, a sleepy Board, etc.

But, by God Neeld was the nail in the coffin.

1. Is this what you actually believe?

2. How have you managed to stave off death by embarrassment?

[Hannibal 5,814]

1. Is this what you actually believe?

2. How have you managed to stave off death by embarrassment?

1. What do you think I meant ?

2. You tell me ?

[Deez 298]

jetta, tapscott n spencer show promise

[Sir Why You Little 37,239]

Geoff Walsh was a strong whisper i was told today....

I am hoping that this is the announcement i was told about last week...

Just passing it on.

Edited August 20, 2013 by why you little

[autocol 448]

You blokes calling for Spencer's head will be shoveling huge loads of humble pie into your gobs in the next three years.

[Dees2014 2,377]

I think we need to remember Neeld was the fulcrum of serious internal division within the club. Both Todd Viney and Neil Craig had continuous run-ins with him last year on both selection issues and drafting. Both were against his dislike of Maloney, Martin (surely a wasted talent) and Petterd, which was the direct reason why they left, leaving an even bigger hole in our midfield. They were also against exiting senior players like Green, Bruce and Junior which left a gaping hole in our onfield leadership, and directly lead to the lack of development in many of our first and second round draft picks. Neeld effectively threw away six or seven years of development which should have left us in the top half of the ladder with a brilliant young list.

We were seen for a lot of 2008/2009 as THE up and comer in the competition and the one in the "also rans" who would come out of the pack and challenge for the premiership. We could always over that period go to the football and feel that we could on our day beat anyone. But we did not count on the internal division and the divisive leadership of Cameron Schwab who finally managed to roll Dean Bailey after the disastrous trip to Geelong - something that could have been predicted for such a young list. Schwab was certainly poisonous to a high performance culture, but then adding Neeld to this was not like pooring petrol on a raging fire, but like throwing in an atom bomb. The whole place became disfunctional.

From then on, everything we did destroyed value. Craig and Viney tried to put their fingers in the dyke but to no avail. The worst of the worst was list management. Apparently, both of them believed we should not so easily give up first round draft picks such as Morton and Cook, nor should we be so ready to get rid of our older more experienced players, thereby depriving our list of badly needed experience. Neeld was the source of the impression that the MFC "eat their young". Under him, the regime was totally disfunctional and leaderless, but that same accusation could be directed at the board, particular both former chairmen. The board as a whole was derelict in their duty of ensuring the right leaders were in place and functioning.

Finally, we have, going right back, had a "cargo cult" mentality (remember Peter Moore/kelvin templeton, the Jarman brothers, Joe Gutnick, Jack Watts, and now Jesse Hogan. Even Ronald Dale Barassi - although he did at least lay the ground work for future success). All at one time or other were seen as an instant solution for our lack of the ultimate prize. What we don't seem to understand is that excellent Organisations need to be built from the ground up with a commitment to the best at all levels, in a culture which allows excellent people to thrive and contribute.

We now though through Peter Jackson have an opportunity to build such an Organisation, recognizing that this takes commitment and patience. Fortunately, we have the full support of the AFL, certainly the most successful sporting Organisation in Australia, and recognized as one of the best in the world. Clearly Dimetriou has run out of patience with Melbourne and has decided to fix it once and for all, to which we all should say "hooray!"

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to turn the MFC into the premier Organisation it should always have been. We need patience, and it needs our support. We should also never again put up with the mediocrity as we have so often done in the past.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Dees2014

[Pitchy 196]

Nice one Dees2014. Without a doubt the core of the rotteness was meddlesome Schwab though. His policies killed the spirit of our playing group; sacking leaders, making them tank, getting in Neeld to smash their confidence and force the vestiges of player resistance out the door.

Neeld was like a Frankenstein though, once he was let loose he wreaked havoc in ways his creator couldn't have foresaw.

We were a competitive unit before Schwab won the civil war against Bailey. We beat Freo by 94 points only a few weeks before he was sacked.

[Dees2014 2,377]

Nice one Dees2014. Without a doubt the core of the rotteness was meddlesome Schwab though. His policies killed the spirit of our playing group; sacking leaders, making them tank, getting in Neeld to smash their confidence and force the vestiges of player resistance out the door.

Neeld was like a Frankenstein though, once he was let loose he wreaked havoc in ways his creator couldn't have foresaw.

We were a competitive unit before Schwab won the civil war against Bailey. We beat Freo by 94 points only a few weeks before he was sacked.

Yes I seem to remember there were several television commentators at the time in 2009 arguing whether we would win one or two premierships.

Bailey certainly played a Geelong style, very much high scoring through the corridor - very much suited to our future forward half of Clarke, Hogan, Dawes, Fitzpatrick and Howe. In this quick ball movement and bombing it long will be vital. I would suggest the Bailey style would be very well suited to what looks like our future team as long as we can retain our key backmen like Frawley, who has most recently been rumoured to be off to St..Kilda, which maybe would not be surprising given the family connection. But then again, I'm pretty sure they will be on the bottom longer than we will be.

[DemonFrog 1,356]

Can we sell them all?

Wait lets keep Viney ang Hogan but the rest can go.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Neeld came in with a Malthouse attitude and had neither the credibility or the ability to communicate effectively to have his ideas executed.

It is a shame, some of the ideas were right but the execution deplorable.

[Clark_Kent 315]

I think we need to remember Neeld was the fulcrum of serious internal division within the club. Both Todd Viney and Neil Craig had continuous run-ins with him last year on both selection issues and drafting. Both were against his dislike of Maloney, Martin (surely a wasted talent) and Petterd, which was the direct reason why they left, leaving an even bigger hole in our midfield. They were also against exiting senior players like Green, Bruce and Junior which left a gaping hole in our onfield leadership, and directly lead to the lack of development in many of our first and second round draft picks. Neeld effectively threw away six or seven years of development which should have left us in the top half of the ladder with a brilliant young list.

I'm not much of a Neeld fan but from memory these two left before he got to the club. I might start blaming Neeld for the 2000 grand final loss, and when Jim Stynes ran over the mark as well.