New coach Paul Roos shocked by Demons' scars

[DeeSpencer 25,723]

The only thing I don't like is if he keeps repeating how bad things were then the players might not move on and might feel like they are coming from so far back they can't progress quickly.

I understand the need to keep realistic expectations and things under check but that can be done without referring to the past so much.

When Neeld came in he talked of rebuilding the rebuild. Now Roos is getting very close to harping on a lot about healing the scars. At some stage that has to switch to just getting on with football.

I like Roos, I like that he is forthright and assertive. But the downside is that you can appear hypocritical very quickly. For example he lashes out at the Watts debut, which was a mistake but was hardly fatal, with a better effort by some senior players to make sure Watts would physically protected and accepted to the group it could've been ok, but then in the same article compares Watts to Adam Goodes. You would think if you are trying to keep things low key for Watts you don't compare him to a Brownlow medal winning Australian of the year.

[rjay 24,959]

I guess it may be a bit of hair splitting (or nit picking if you prefer) - if plan A has contingencies and some flexibility, it is in essence what some would refer to as plan B.

I think many refer to Plan B when they haven't got a clue what Plan A is in the first place. The plan would talk about when to slow the tempo of a game etc. these are the contingencies and make sense. But having a defensive plan and then moving to an attacking plan would be A & B to me and almost impossible for players to get a handle on. I think over the last number of years it was hard to establish what we were doing and players like Watts and Howe to name a couple had no idea where or what they were required to do.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

The only thing I don't like is if he keeps repeating how bad things were then the players might not move on and might feel like they are coming from so far back they can't progress quickly.

I understand the need to keep realistic expectations and things under check but that can be done without referring to the past so much.

When Neeld came in he talked of rebuilding the rebuild. Now Roos is getting very close to harping on a lot about healing the scars. At some stage that has to switch to just getting on with football.

I like Roos, I like that he is forthright and assertive. But the downside is that you can appear hypocritical very quickly. For example he lashes out at the Watts debut, which was a mistake but was hardly fatal, with a better effort by some senior players to make sure Watts would physically protected and accepted to the group it could've been ok, but then in the same article compares Watts to Adam Goodes. You would think if you are trying to keep things low key for Watts you don't compare him to a Brownlow medal winning Australian of the year.

The only comparison he made between Watts and Goodes is his running capacity. Didn't say he was Adam Goodes, plays football like Adam Goodes or will be a brownlow medallist like Adam Goodes. All he said was that Goodes and Watts had similar tanks, which would allow Watts to have the ability to run both ways. Nothing wrong, or hypocritical, with that.

[P-man 13,366]

More Neeld bashing.

Narcissistic, lazy, unaccountable footballers who'd drink their own bath water. No wonder Scully left.

Roos should have conducted himself with more diplomacy in the interview.

Don't expect to see Clark appearing any time soon.

Come off it jumbo. When did he [censored] in your cornflakes?

All he was in that interview was honest and forthright, and it is very welcomed. The closest he came to anything resembling Neeld bashing was criticism of how Watts has been used in the past, which everyone acknowledges has been far from stellar. He could've really let rip if he wanted to.

Roos understands these are people, not units. I have confidence that he will get the balance right over time in steering them towards his style.

[rjay 24,959]

The only thing I don't like is if he keeps repeating how bad things were then the players might not move on and might feel like they are coming from so far back they can't progress quickly.

I understand the need to keep realistic expectations and things under check but that can be done without referring to the past so much.

When Neeld came in he talked of rebuilding the rebuild. Now Roos is getting very close to harping on a lot about healing the scars. At some stage that has to switch to just getting on with football.

I like Roos, I like that he is forthright and assertive. But the downside is that you can appear hypocritical very quickly. For example he lashes out at the Watts debut, which was a mistake but was hardly fatal, with a better effort by some senior players to make sure Watts would physically protected and accepted to the group it could've been ok, but then in the same article compares Watts to Adam Goodes. You would think if you are trying to keep things low key for Watts you don't compare him to a Brownlow medal winning Australian of the year.

I think you are well off the mark here 'master'. He is hardly close to harping on about anything nor hypocritical. His point re Watts was he didn't want Saleem, Hogan, Toumpas, Viney etc. to be handled in the same way. It really had nothing to do with Goodes, that was a separate point.

As for the players; I know you go to training and you can see how the mood of the place has changed already so rather than harping on I would suggest he has taken action to get the group moving forward.

[dee-luded 2,959]

If anyone thought I was blaming ND then im not. After he left we would have never imagined what would unfold. Anyway its good to see Roos isnt just throwing players in and he is obviously going to be very very careful with Mitch.

I hope he's going to be very cautious with all our inexperienced players, & those who are undersized for the hurly burly.

[daisycutter 29,621]

I hope he's going to be very cautious with all our inexperienced players, & those who are undersized for the hurly burly.

and the rumpy pumpy too d-l

[DeeSpencer 25,723]

I think you are well off the mark here 'master'. He is hardly close to harping on about anything nor hypocritical. His point re Watts was he didn't want Saleem, Hogan, Toumpas, Viney etc. to be handled in the same way. It really had nothing to do with Goodes, that was a separate point.

As for the players; I know you go to training and you can see how the mood of the place has changed already so rather than harping on I would suggest he has taken action to get the group moving forward.

I know they were separate issues talking about young players and Watts' playing role but the public perception will still lead to Roos is trying to make Watts in to Adam Goodes 2.0. And in reality he is. But the issue of putting pressure on Watts is still one it would be wise to stick clear off.

I'd hate to be looking back in 3 years and have Watts new coach (at another senior club I'd say) saying well Melbourne put pressure on him with his debut that was shocking, then they tried to make him live up to being the next Adam Goodes.

I agree the players at training are completely different but the games haven't started. Once the games start if a few losses mount if we still have Roos going on about old scars and healing and things that wont be helpful. I recognise he needed to stem the bleeding, give the players some respect and confidence but the continuation of that is move on to talking about how they can perform.

What I'm saying is come Friday it's time for footy talk not for talk about what has come and gone in the Neeld regime.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Come off it jumbo. When did he [censored] in your cornflakes?

All he was in that interview was honest and forthright, and it is very welcomed. The closest he came to anything resembling Neeld bashing was criticism of how Watts has been used in the past, which everyone acknowledges has been far from stellar. He could've really let rip if he wanted to.

Roos understands these are people, not units. I have confidence that he will get the balance right over time in steering them towards his style.

You come off it, P- man.

Our players are still coach killers and if Roos has enough nouse, he'd have already worked that out. Honest and forthright? Do you need constant repetition of how shite we were?

Time to just do.

[Moonshadow 17,676]

and the rumpy pumpy too d-l

Hope there's no pitching woo either dc.

[Slartibartfast 17,335]

The closest he came to anything resembling Neeld bashing was criticism of how Watts has been used in the past, which everyone acknowledges has been far from stellar.

I'm not sure that's right, I think the comment of the "mental scaring" of the players relates to the impact of (particularly) two years of Neeld and the previous FD. And it's a vicious criticism, one I've never heard before. And whilst we focus on Neeld I don't think the other coaches were much good.

I can understand people not being happy with this type of approach but like Hannibal it's just straight talk. Just as you can take that as a criticism you can take his comments about the general player fitness as a positive of Neeld.

Jackson has done the same in his AGM speech and has slammed Schwab, McLardy and the previous Board without really mentioning them.

But it's the reality and I don't understand peoples concern. I didn't notice too many criticising Neeld when he did the same about Bailey or Stynes about Gardner.

What is clear is that when Roos and Jackson came in we were in a terrible condition that is being quickly rectified.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

You come off it, P- man.

Our players are still coach killers and if Roos has enough nouse, he'd have already worked that out. Honest and forthright? Do you need constant repetition of how shite we were?

Time to just do.

So the fact that Neeld put the senior players off side early on by telling they had little to offer, changing expectations continually through the year (and particularly the pre-season) and implementing a game plan that doesn't work is not something you are willing to subscribe to?

And I agree, it's time to just do, but Roos can't ignore questions and interviews for the rest of the year. "Sorry guys, jumbo from Demonland thinks we should just do now so, if you don't mind, I won't be answering any questions or giving any interviews again until November because, you know... it's time to just do and nothing else...."

[Guest]

I know they were separate issues talking about young players and Watts' playing role but the public perception will still lead to Roos is trying to make Watts in to Adam Goodes 2.0. And in reality he is. But the issue of putting pressure on Watts is still one it would be wise to stick clear off.

I'd hate to be looking back in 3 years and have Watts new coach (at another senior club I'd say) saying well Melbourne put pressure on him with his debut that was shocking, then they tried to make him live up to being the next Adam Goodes.

I agree the players at training are completely different but the games haven't started. Once the games start if a few losses mount if we still have Roos going on about old scars and healing and things that wont be helpful. I recognise he needed to stem the bleeding, give the players some respect and confidence but the continuation of that is move on to talking about how they can perform.

What I'm saying is come Friday it's time for footy talk not for talk about what has come and gone in the Neeld regime.

Agreed. I hope the talk of the 'scarring' of the players ends as soon as we hit NAB cup. For now, I don't mind so much so long as there is no direct rubbishing of past employees. We have heard nothing but rubbishing of the past from previous regimes to justify their stinkitude.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Brilliant article.

[daisycutter 29,621]

Hope there's no pitching woo either dc.

had to look that one up moonie. then i had to look up fly girls and carpet munchers

i really do need to get up to date

1.

pitching woo

To flirt. To mac. To exhibit your game. To woo a hottie.

Can be spelled pitchin woo as well.

I was pitching woo at some fly girls down at Embers, but they were all a bunch of carpet munchers.

[P-man 13,366]

You come off it, P- man.

Our players are still coach killers and if Roos has enough nouse, he'd have already worked that out. Honest and forthright? Do you need constant repetition of how shite we were?

Time to just do.

You're being critical for the sake of it and seem obsessed with defending the indefensible, i.e. the complete disaster that was Neeld.

Of course it's time to do. He can't do anything in an interview except talk.

He also didn't just talk about how shite we were. He gave his honest assessment of the playing group and his approach going forward. What would you have liked him to say, exactly?

[P-man 13,366]

I'm not sure that's right, I think the comment of the "mental scaring" of the players relates to the impact of (particularly) two years of Neeld and the previous FD. And it's a vicious criticism, one I've never heard before. And whilst we focus on Neeld I don't think the other coaches were much good.

I can understand people not being happy with this type of approach but like Hannibal it's just straight talk. Just as you can take that as a criticism you can take his comments about the general player fitness as a positive of Neeld.

Jackson has done the same in his AGM speech and has slammed Schwab, McLardy and the previous Board without really mentioning them.

But it's the reality and I don't understand peoples concern. I didn't notice too many criticising Neeld when he did the same about Bailey or Stynes about Gardner.

What is clear is that when Roos and Jackson came in we were in a terrible condition that is being quickly rectified.

My reading of the comment about mental scarring relates to years of shiteness that precedes Neeld. The club has been in a hole since 2006, it merely poked its head out for a few years under Bailey.

I can see how it could be read as a comment about Neeld as a coach, but I don't think it is a direct criticism, merely a statement, and an obvious one, about years of being belted taking its mental toll.

[CBDees 3,167]

I am impressed that there was a double-page article on Roos in both Melbourne's morning papers. Let us hope that this favourable publicity translates into more membership sales and supporters at games.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

You're being critical for the sake of it and seem obsessed with defending the indefensible, i.e. the complete disaster that was Neeld.

Of course it's time to do. He can't do anything in an interview except talk.

He also didn't just talk about how shite we were. He gave his honest assessment of the playing group and his approach going forward. What would you have liked him to say, exactly?

What would I have liked him to say? Okay, I'm not Roos, so how about this….

'……the players are really working hard to improve their skills. They're working as a team, committed to each other and to the cause of finding success for themselves and the supporters, members, indeed, the bigger family that is the MFC….'

Obsessed? Rubbish. Time to let go.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

So the fact that Neeld put the senior players off side early on by telling they had little to offer, changing expectations continually through the year (and particularly the pre-season) and implementing a game plan that doesn't work is not something you are willing to subscribe to?

And I agree, it's time to just do, but Roos can't ignore questions and interviews for the rest of the year. "Sorry guys, jumbo from Demonland thinks we should just do now so, if you don't mind, I won't be answering any questions or giving any interviews again until November because, you know... it's time to just do and nothing else...."

Puerile commentary.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

What would I have liked him to say? Okay, I'm not Roos, so how about this….

'……the players are really working hard to improve their skills. They're working as a team, committed to each other and to the cause of finding success for themselves and the supporters, members, indeed, the bigger family that is the MFC….'

Obsessed? Rubbish. Time to let go.

He may not have used those exact words but I've seen him give those sentiments in interviews over and over again.

[Guest]

What would I have liked him to say? Okay, I'm not Roos, so how about this….

'……the players are really working hard to improve their skills. They're working as a team, committed to each other and to the cause of finding success for themselves and the supporters, members, indeed, the bigger family that is the MFC….'

Obsessed? Rubbish. Time to let go.

Sounds just like something we would have heard from the Schwab era... Nice, feel good words that mean nothing. Cliche 101.

[rpfc 28,534]

My reading of the comment about mental scarring relates to years of shiteness that precedes Neeld. The club has been in a hole since 2006, it merely poked its head out for a few years under Bailey.

I can see how it could be read as a comment about Neeld as a coach, but I don't think it is a direct criticism, merely a statement, and an obvious one, about years of being belted taking its mental toll.

Yes, but I think he was relating the way the players were treated onfield aswell; the players were incredulous that we would only have one gameplan. They didn't trust him that that was the case because of the multitude of ways the multitude of coaches have asked them to play in the past.

I have had this discussion in the past and there will be some diehards that remain - you only have one gameplan. You can change tactics for sure, but not the way you are instructed to play. It's hard enough to get 20 blokes playing one game style well, let alone another or a few.

[P-man 13,366]

What would I have liked him to say? Okay, I'm not Roos, so how about this….

'……the players are really working hard to improve their skills. They're working as a team, committed to each other and to the cause of finding success for themselves and the supporters, members, indeed, the bigger family that is the MFC….'

Obsessed? Rubbish. Time to let go.

So essentially an empty and obvious platitude straight out of the PR machine that gets spun all the time.

I can almost guarantee you that if I dug through Roos' interviews and speeches since joining the club, I could find an excerpt along those lines.

This was actual and real INSIGHT into Roos' impressions of the players and the club and you're denouncing it.

I think most have let go. Time for you to do the same and not jump at shadows. Roos' and Jackson's candour is a good thing.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

So essentially an empty and obvious platitude straight out of the PR machine that gets spun all the time.

I can almost guarantee you that if I dug through Roos' interviews and speeches since joining the club, I could find an excerpt along those lines.

This was actual and real INSIGHT into Roos' impressions of the players and the club and you're denouncing it.

I think most have let go. Time for you to do the same and not jump at shadows. Roos' and Jackson's candour is a good thing.

I have let go - that's the difference between you and me.

You can remain sycophantic and nod your head and say 'right on….!'

All needed to be held accountable. We get it. Cut it. Sever. Finish. Do.