WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - BRENDAN McCARTNEY

[WERRIDEE 5,256]

You say Craig gave us nothing. What he actually did was give us a steadying presence by taking over for half a year, he also helped develop quite a few players and gave us some respectability when Neeld was running the place in to the ground. Craig had delisted Sellar at Adelaide, had barely played him. The recruiters wanted him and Craig only backed Sellar's character. Considering it was our last pick in a horribly compromised draft it wasn't much of a loss. Sellar gave us more than Tynan and Taggert that's for sure. Tall depth spuds like Tommy Walsh and Spangher were on Sydney's list when they won a flag.

He was at Essendon for a year and players raved about him. Crameri quit Essendon to play for him. Mooney and Scarlett signed on in a flash to work for him then quit the day after he did. He's made Libba, Macrae, Stringer and Bontempelli look like future stars of the comp in their early years.

I'm not going to claim we've signed some super savior. Not even Roos is that. But if we've signed McCartney for a development or assistants role where he can develop players then we will have done very well.

You say he got lucky at Geelong. I'll say Geelong put the right people in the right jobs and that's why they got lucky as a club. Kenny Hinkley is obviously a great coach at working with attacking players and getting hard work and hard football out of them. It's why he was the perfect assistant for Geelong especially with their forwards. McCartney knows how to bring youngsters along developing them in to complete footballers so that's the job you get him for.

Who did Craig develop?

Walsh was always injured and Spangher is a handy premiership player.

Crameri got paid over twice the amount he was getting at Essendon to play for the Bulldogs. Both Mooney and Scarlett don't strike me as coaches and it looks like they both made the wrong decision. We'll see how the young Bulldogs go next year.

[Sir Why You Little 35,359]

WERRIDEE who would you prefer to be appointed?

[P-man 13,353]

WERRIDEE who would you prefer to be appointed?

*thinking music*

[WERRIDEE 5,256]

WERRIDEE who would you prefer to be appointed?

That's a hard one, preferably someone not recycled. Somebody that could be moulded into a Roos proto type. I think it would be hard for anyone who has coached for 16 years to change his philosophies and follow Roos's strict game plan. The Bulldogs, Geelong and Essendon don't play anything like Melbourne.

[Sir Why You Little 35,359]

That's a hard one, preferably someone not recycled. Somebody that could be moulded into a Roos proto type. I think it would be hard for anyone who has coached for 16 years to change his philosophies and follow Roos's strict game plan. The Bulldogs, Geelong and Essendon don't play anything like Melbourne.

i have no problem with McCartney.

I always found his pressers very interesting.

He was trying to change the dogs culture.

For that reason i would think Roos would be more than happy to work with him.

Big differene between Senior Coach and Assistant/Development Coaches.

[P-man 13,353]

That's a hard one, preferably someone not recycled. Somebody that could be moulded into a Roos proto type. I think it would be hard for anyone who has coached for 16 years to change his philosophies and follow Roos's strict game plan. The Bulldogs, Geelong and Essendon don't play anything like Melbourne.

Someone like Simon Goodwin perhaps.

Why do we need another Roos understudy? I'll take the guy with experience who has previously been voted assistant coach of the year and been a part of premiership success, even if you fail to acknowledge those credentials.

You relentlessly pot McCartney but can't provide a single alternative suggestion, and you wonder why you're being mocked.

[DeeSpencer 23,689]

Who did Craig develop?

Walsh was always injured and Spangher is a handy premiership player.

Crameri got paid over twice the amount he was getting at Essendon to play for the Bulldogs. Both Mooney and Scarlett don't strike me as coaches and it looks like they both made the wrong decision. We'll see how the young Bulldogs go next year.

Spencer played the game of his life under Craig before injury. Fitzpatrick had a great end to 2013. Watts a pretty solid end to the year. Clisby looked like a player. But the main one is Garland who had a big relationship with Craig. I think you'll find Nathan Jones was a fan of his as well.

Anyway it's not about specifics. Craig largely did his job which was to support Neeld. Unfortunately it's hard to support a guy who's self destructive. But I actually would've had a lesser opinion of Craig if he hung Neeld out to dry at first opportunity.

McCartney has worked with Goodwin. I'll think they'll make a really nice duo. Obviously they have to follow on from what Roos does, but note that Sydney won a flag with Longmire when he tweaked the game plan but kept the successful frame work and culture.

You're drastically overrating footy game plans if you think we brought Roos in for some special defensive master plan. We brought him in to make us a successful club that people want to work at and to have a winning culture.

[WERRIDEE 5,256]

Someone like Simon Goodwin perhaps.

Why do we need another Roos understudy? I'll take the guy with experience who has previously been voted assistant coach of the year and been a part of premiership success, even if you fail to acknowledge those credentials.

You relentlessly pot McCartney but can't provide a single alternative suggestion, and you wonder why you're being mocked.

I didn't think I had to make a suggestion I just don't think he is the great get that everyone suggests he is and I typed the reasons why I don't think he is. I would prefer someone with a Sydney background.

[P-man 13,353]

I didn't think I had to make a suggestion I just don't think he is the great get that everyone suggests he is and I typed the reasons why I don't think he is. I would prefer someone with a Sydney background.

Most of those reasons are a load of unsubstantiated dribble. "Hated by everyone" at the Bulldogs. "Lucky" to be at Geelong for ten years. Complete nonsense. When you cement with saying we may as well get Neeld back, you can't honestly be expected to be taken seriously.

You strike me as the type of poster who knocks everything to claim bragging rights if things don't pan out. Like that actually means something. It's ridiculously easy to just be negative and pot everyone.

There are plenty of reasons to like about a McCartney appointment that you are refusing to acknowledge. That's why you are coming across as a twit.

[DEE fence 4,606]

I really rate the support staff from Geelong, talked a few times to some of the Costas, their good word on him means a fair bit to me.

[Cards13 9,117]

I said it a bit earlier but basically my mum is friends with his wife and him. She knows nothing about footy and I tried to relay as much as i can remember her saying in the first post. She wouldn't lie to me, and I basically pried it out of her cos she didn't know the significance, and no one could lie like that with those details, and especially not her.

It was all said to her during a night together out either friday or thursday.

Nothing really more I can add. I was so excited I posted straight away.

I'll never get another scoop, well maybe off Brendan hopefully So of course i'm a tad happy i actually got one. And stoked he is coming!

I'm telling you exactly what I was told and it's all good

Relax mate. Always protect your source and dont let them get to you. If it doesn't pan out it is not your fault ffs it us a footy forum.

[nutbean 8,837]

Interesting posters questioning him with regard to his failure at the doggies.

I won't be as bold to suggest who failed whom at the doggies however...

We didn't hire Neeld as head coach because he was a poor assistant

St Kilda didn't hire Watters as head coach because he was a poor assistant

The list goes on...

McCartney is very well credentialed.

I think posters need to understand that highly respected and effective assistants don't necessarily go on to make good head coaches but that does not detract from the fact that they are very good assistants. (Have a read of the tributes to Neeld from Collingwood players when he left to come to us)

If Roos thinks he is a good assistant to have then it is it good enough for me.

As an aside - This is why I like a succession plan. Whilst Goodwin will not be completely left to run the ship solo in 2016, Roos will definitely step back and let Goodwin take the reins to see how he performs and mentor him so there is not a shock to the system in 2017 when Goodwin becomes the head coach in his own right. I read an article on the Swans handover to Longmire and the same pattern they followed - the move from Longmire to Roos was seamless as the players already experienced a year of Longmire running the ship even though Roos was head coach. ( the one disclaimer in all this, is Roos has got to like what he sees of Goodwin in 2016 in his L plates head coach year)

[Elusive Tunbridge 795]

I will have the last laugh when he fails.

Your response to life, the universe and everything.

[Machsy 2,858]

What a sad individual.

[daisycutter 28,728]

What a sad individual.

c'mon, he's entitled to his opinion

[CityDee 738]

People dont get head coaching gigs if they are muppets . Doesnt always work for first timers in the big chair but as a assistant fantastic pick up for the dees .

[chook fowler 18,610]

c'mon, he's entitled to his opinion

It's not opinion but unsubstantiated venom.

[Arrow 1,257]

It's not opinion but unsubstantiated venom.

Spot on. There is no doubting McCartneys ability to develop young footballers, the knock on him was that he demanded too much and was 'too honest'. Quite frankly, the decision to sack him was so stupid but it will now be to our benefit. 6 mature players at the Dogs held all the power at that club and it shocks me that some of those younger players can look them in the eye. Watch Jason Akermanis on Open Mike as he explains exactly whats wrong with the culture & leadership at that club.

Brendan will have a huge chip on his shoulder and hopefully a sour taste in his mouth.. Brett Ratten was treated similarly and now has Hawthorns midfield better than ever. If we can get that sort of development from McCartney we'll be laughing.

[Machsy 2,858]

c'mon, he's entitled to his opinion

"I will have the last laugh when he fails"??

[stinga81 210]

If it happens it will be a good appointment IMO, and a ready made replacement for George Stone.

[juzzk1d 1,354]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it reported somewhere that some of the senior players at the Bulldogs were frustrated that McCartney spent majority of the clubs time and money developing the younger brigade rather than looking more at the big picture?

[Nasher 33,246]

"I will have the last laugh when he fails"??

Come on, you've been around long enough to know that it's more important for one to be able to brag that they were right than it is to get the best outcome for the MFC.

[ManDee 7,101]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it reported somewhere that some of the senior players at the Bulldogs were frustrated that McCartney spent majority of the clubs time and money developing the younger brigade rather than looking more at the big picture?

I would have thought that was the big picture.

[juzzk1d 1,354]

I would have thought that was the big picture.

Me too

[Pates 9,562]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it reported somewhere that some of the senior players at the Bulldogs were frustrated that McCartney spent majority of the clubs time and money developing the younger brigade rather than looking more at the big picture?

That seems a strange frustration, what could be more bigger picture than developing the younger players?

On the proposed appointment, at the end of the day the reason why he was given a gig at being a senior coach was because he was so highly rated as an assistant. Good get if true.