http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/negativity-comes-from-melbourne-fans-not-club-coach-paul-roos-20150825-gj7jt6.html

Seems it's us who are the negative ones, I wonder why? Probably because we've been served up total and utter crap for a decade! Do they really expect us to still be positive FFS!!!

I am negative - yes but hang on, two weeks now the players haven't bothered to show up... Why should I not be positive...

Our fans are positive enough to keep buying memberships each year despite our performance. Melbourne have the strongest fan to member ratio of any Victorian club.

Maybe we are negative, but we still buy our memberships so maybe we earn the right to critique the product from time to time.

More wins = less negativity. Maybe that equation needs some consideration.

Im to blame

Ive disgraced my family the club and football

Looking back my loyalty to the club since 1964 was just hubris

I will go and play ian Drury "reasons to be cheerful" and look forward optimistic ally to taking on the dockers

This will help the players

Sorry guys. My bad we played like [censored] for almost a decade.

Well, PJ has indicated that there are solid reasons for our negativity so let's not bruise too deeply because the coach gave us a whack.

They're both right, we are pessimistic and on the efforts of the last nine years we have reason to be, so roll with it petals, suck it up and support the club.

Look at the fan boards for any club. The all exhibit the same tendencies as us.

Difference is, we have been so bad for so long, our behaviour seems more entrenched. (Probably is.)

- 51 seasons without a premiership

- 2 grand final appearances in that time

- 12 finals appearances in the last 51 seasons

- a litany of off-field disasters including a failed merger that we (would like to think was thanks to vote-stacking) voted in favour of, the 'not tanking' tanking scandal

- a host of failed draft picks who were meant to help us become a better side

- top draft picks walking out of the club on a regular basis (thompson, scully)

- past greats being struck with bizarre illnesses causing their deaths at a young age (i still blame jolimont oval)

- past players and board members taking potshots at the club on a regular basis

- no dedicated 'home base' because we gave ours away to first richmond and then every other club

- a general sense of nothingness to the club

- tried and true 30k supporters who have stuck fat through the litany of failures being told they're 'negative' on a regular basis

damn right we are!

They probably just tallied up the data from the club questionnaire.
And read the email where I elaborated on the questionnaire.

Seriously, if we had been as successful as Hawthorn for the last 50 years would we be negative?

No Roosy the negativity comes from the club, you gave it to us. If you want us to be positive it starts with you.

We'll see how negative we are in the last round on Father's Day... There'll be 5,000 people at etihad. We should all boycott the game and show we've had enough of this [censored] the players dish up week in week out. Can't believe Roos has gone down this path... Us supporters have been nothing but patient for 10 f###ing years. Is it not enough to ask that our players show up and put in effort ? I soppose Nathan Jones and co. drive to the game and think "[censored] our supporters are negative, I might not lay a tackle in the first 20 minutes of a game" f##k me. Without the 35k members there wouldn't be a football club... Roos needs to have a good hard look at himself for these comments, it's a disgrace. God help me that all I want is my football club to play 4 quarters week in week out and for YOU paul to do your job and get these players up week to week... Really disappointed in his comments, Ive sat through a lot of b####sh!t in the last 10 years... Sat through the freezing cold and wet to see us kick 2 goals to 12 in a half against Geelong last year, losing to GWS by 11 goals last year, being the only side to lose with 40 seconds left, sorry for been negative Paul.. We've been through a lot and you obviously don't reconigse that, you only want to reference to the past when it comes to defending yourself and reputation. Get your sh!t together and work out how to get this side playing week in week out with effort for %100 of the game... Not blaming us loyal supporters/members who go to the footy week in week out.. The club is lucky we have 35k members and have stuck fat through the years... Btw we contribute to your 1.5 mil a year and retirement fund in Hawaii so give us some respect.

Edited August 25, 201510 yr by JV7

I don't post often on here because of the pessimism around this place that has grown monumentally since 2012. Sure, there is just cause, but Roos and PJ have a fair point.

Look at Footscray, as an example.

- Have 1 premiership in 90 years in the VFL/AFL, and that was 61 years ago.

- Only 2 appearances in a GF in that time

- Club was all but killed off in 1989

- Last pre-season they lost their captain, sacked their coach and there CEO quit.

Yet time and again they dust themselves and off and go again. Sure, they're still a work in progress but they never really give up week to week. Even when talent would dictate they can. They may not have a large supporter base, but they're supporters are loyal.

I'm not saying we need to copy them, just take a leaf out of they're book to back the players that are here. Failure hurts, I know but there needs to be a change to the 'typical Melbourne' mindset if we are to succeed and that goes from the President down. That is what we are in the middle of and it's a culture shift which will take time and a bit of patience. We are only 2 years into fixing something that was breaking for 10 years+.

Saw this in the HS article http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/paul-roos-negative-environment-comments-were-aimed-at-melbourne-fans-not-the-club/story-fni5f91a-1227498611901

“Jackson said he did not feel any unrest from Demons’ fans.

“Not at all. I got a few emails after last week, the frustration, and you respond to the members and they say, yeah, we know we’re on the right path,” Jackson said.

“There’s no unrest with the fans, not what I’ve seen, with Paul Roos or Peter Jackson or the direction the club is going ... they’re taking their frustrations out on the players

Once you respond and explain that we’re rebuilding and what we’re doing, they almost apologise about having sent the email in the first place.’’

What would be nice is if we ALL got an email explaining in detail what we as a club are doing PJ.

That may help reduce the negativity oh and if the players could put 100% effort in week in week out and not when they feel like it that may help too!

I don't post often on here because of the pessimism around this place that has grown monumentally since 2012. Sure, there is just cause, but Roos and PJ have a fair point.

Look at Footscray, as an example.

- Have 1 premiership in 90 years in the VFL/AFL, and that was 61 years ago.

- Only 2 appearances in a GF in that time

- Club was all but killed off in 1989

- Last pre-season they lost their captain, sacked their coach and there CEO quit.

Yet time and again they dust themselves and off and go again. Sure, they're still a work in progress but they never really give up week to week. Even when talent would dictate they can. They may not have a large supporter base, but they're supporters are loyal.

I'm not saying we need to copy them, just take a leaf out of they're book to back the players that are here. Failure hurts, I know but there needs to be a change to the 'typical Melbourne' mindset if we are to succeed and that goes from the President down. That is what we are in the middle of and it's a culture shift which will take time and a bit of patience. We are only 2 years into fixing something that was breaking for 10 years+.

Sorry DW, long term losing clubs like StKilda & Footcray/WBDogs have supporters resigned to not being successful.

Clubs with winning cultures have supporters that will not tolerate failure, yes that includes Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon and do they kick up a stink when the side under performs? Too right they do.

FU Paul Roos we are negative when the side does not put in the effort required. If you want to accept the last 3 weeks first half performances it is time to move on.

It is your job to get the players up and if they are are the supporters will be positive. This is your failure not the supporters. Give us a winning team and hold onto your socks for you will be swept up with unbelievable positivity.

We have 35000 paid up members for a side that does not give 100% effort, The club is lucky to have us. Keep critising the supporters and you won't have a club, not that you'd care.

It's a double edged sword: if he says the club is negative, he turns his staff on him, sponsors away, etc etc. If he says the fans are negative...well, none of us are going to stop going to the football, are we?

There IS a veil of negativity from fans. Case in point: myself and Demonland.

Let's not pretend like we're a beacon and hope.

And I never saw him say we're not justified in being negative.

i plead guilty as charged

i expect to be shot at dawn by slobbo......such is life

Sorry DW, long term losing clubs like StKilda & Footcray/WBDogs have supporters resigned to not being successful.

Clubs with winning cultures have supporters that will not tolerate failure, yes that includes Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon and do they kick up a stink when the side under performs? Too right they do.

FU Paul Roos we are negative when the side does not put in the effort required. If you want to accept the last 3 weeks first half performances it is time to move on.

It is your job to get the players up and if they are are the supporters will be positive. This is your failure not the supporters. Give us a winning team and hold onto your socks for you will be swept up with unbelievable positivity.

We have 35000 paid up members for a side that does not give 100% effort, The club is lucky to have us. Keep critising the supporters and you won't have a club, not that you'd care.

Sure, I want to be freakin' ruthless and beat everyone but there has to be some realism involved. We have expect quick fixes for years. You mention Richmond 's winning culture and yet look Richmond in the Late 80s/ Early 90s, so inpatient they never gave a coach enough time to actually do something. They also have won a premiership in 35 years or played in a GF for 32 years,

Sure we can be critical of the club, the coach and the players but there are times were you need to back the club. If we fail, we try again until we get it right. If you don't want to support your club then don't pay your money and go somewhere else.

Roos' comments about the supporters are possibly the silliest and most ill-informed comments I've ever heard from a senior coach. He's running out of things to blame and is really struggling now.

It's a comment that you might expect from a ferel opposition supporter or from someone of primary school age.

Maybe he's been having a few chats with Dr Who.

.

Edited August 25, 201510 yr by Macca

Roos slammed that conversation into reverse gear at 100 miles per hour. Talk about back peddling.

He said it was the "whole club, everybody". Now it's supposedly just the fans.

Sorry, Paul. I'm not buying it.

Ah....

So it's our fault

Not the players...not the coaches..not the club !!

If thats the case I'll have the money too

Ffs...what a cop out Melbourne.

Thats me done til next year (maybe...if can be bothered )

Wouldn't want to bring the club down further.

Fukkin clowns MFC

Tbh this whole situation is really pizzing me off to the point of re-evaluating my 5 memberships which is something I have never done before.

It's a sad situation.

Edited August 25, 201510 yr by DemonOX

Come on, people, positive thoughts!

Melbourne will beat Freo by 200 points on the weekend.

Jesse Hogan to kick 20 goals, before being chaired off the ground by surprise guests Allen Jakovich and Liam Jurrah.

The amazing thing is Hawthorn can only manage around 28,000 people to a Friday night game against Port, I'd hate to see their fans when things are bad.

We've been bloody resilient for a fan base that have been through so much and have a fraction of the supporters and members that a team like Hawthorn has.

I don't think Roos will be on AFL360 next season.

Im to blame

Ive disgraced my family the club and football

Looking back my loyalty to the club since 1964 was just hubris

I will go and play ian Drury "reasons to be cheerful" and look forward optimistic ally to taking on the dockers

This will help the players

You have an accomplice DR

Obviously it has been me since 1960 that has been me dragging down the Club.

If only I had known in 1965 I was the reason.

Could have switched to Hawthorn.

Probably saved the MFC and had a much more enjoyable footy life for the last half a century.

Perhaps we should all leave now and the club will have clear air in 2016 as their would be no one in the stands to worry the poor darlings.