He's describing MFCSS - for those who are unaware - MFC Supporter Syndrome.

"What can go wrong, will and it will actually be worse and if it looks like it is getting better, it's not, it's just an illusion to make our pain more pronounced."

He's not wrong, but the problem is that after last week everyone thinks he is talking causation; our negativity caused us to lose, our 'vibes' got in the way.

I don't believe he thinks that, and anyone who does can f___ off.

He just loves waxing lyrical and found his way over to an argument best left for when we don't get outplayed by the worst team in the league.

- 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!

This is spot on Demon Andrew. Perfect summation of being a MFC supporter over the past 50 years.

I have had plenty of ongoing disappointments and false dawns, but this time I am way past that. I'm angry. Paul Roos is right - we have becoem negative - and we have every reason and right to be so.

But I don't lay it on our club and coach this time. I lay it at the feet of our players.

I reckon it is time the MFC best 22 - whoever they may be this weekend - play not for the club, the "boys", the jumper, etc... blah, blah, blah. They need to play for US - the disillusioned members and supporters. They need to pick up our rage, negativity and ice cold demeanour and run right through any and all opposition. I hate dirty football and do not want our players flinging around elbows and fists but I expect and demand that they represent us supporters with a fierce and determined brand of football that represents US.

I don't mind negative. Hell, I have probably been the most negative poster in the past 12 years.

But when the negativity is flippant, and based on a superficial/irrational thinking and subjectivity...it should be basically ignored.

Too much black or white for mine. He was the messiah 12 months ago; and yesterday's news now.

MFC supporters just cant stick fat with a solid process and take the hits that come with it. We are soft eastern suburbs of Melbourne types that complain when our son gets tackled to hard.

Roos says on the one hand our negativity may affect at least a small group of players, yet he goes on to say Richmond's Cotchin tells him he'd never heard of 9thmond. That seems a contradiction, but I suspect Cotchin either never reads anything or was telling porkies.

I suspect Roos' comments arise from his being connected, until now, only with successful clubs in recent years. Nowadays (unlike the past) it is easy for disgruntled supporters to send emails or tweet etc. Must be a bit of a shock to his system. It is human nature to bleat when things are going badly and say nothing when we win. Surprised he mentioned any of this - I suspect his own confidence is low.

Edited August 25, 20159 yr by sue

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.

Over 50 years since the last flag! I have been expecting a fix for much of that time.

Start the game like maniacs......2 tackles in the first 20 minutes of football!

Sorry that is unacceptable. I love my team but that is simply not good enough.

Paul Roos, try this. The supporters have every right to be negative because the players are not trying. The players need to give 100% if they don't they will play at Casey until they do.

I think every Melbourne member/supporter has every reason to be negative with this team.

I don't expect them to win every week but I do expect them to try and win.

I just don't see it.

Regardless of what sport I have played at what level I always went out there with the intention of winning, nothing less would be acceptable, and I expect the same thing from professional sports men.

Yes I am negative and will remain so until I see a team trying to win at all costs.

Pi$$ed off with these comments.

Negativity and lack of confidence are very different.

My feeling going into Sunday's game was that I wasn't confident of winning that game, given that we usually play poorly against the lower sides.

It wasn't a case of 'theres no way we will win today"

Post from the Paul Roos thread!

Melbourne supporters have become negative for a reason Paul: its not because we lose, its because our players don't put in for 4 quarters.

And, we do not deserve to be whacked by ranting on public television.

You, want us to be positive right?

Well, tell the players to get the first plane back from Bali and put in a decent effort for the next 2 weeks!

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+.

An interesting choice of example.

Since our 2007 implosion Western Bulldogs have had only one season worse (on wins count) than Melbourne's very best season in that period.

Right now they are right in the hunt for a top-4 finish.

And we are getting consistently better attendance numbers than them, year by year.

Got any more examples of how the Melbourne fans are 'negative'?

Also Roos was never held up as a 'messiah' by the rank and file on here and in the outer at the G.

That was (another) media creation.

The question underpinning all this negativity is: how can a footy team be so bad for so long?

I confess. It's all my fault. I went to my first game in 1965 as a little kid to watch the unbeaten Dees lose their first match of the year to the bombers. From that point onwards everything went to hell for the dees. I have followed them ever since and you all know how that's gone.

I will fall on my sword now and remove the burden of my support from the team. I thought hell would freeze over before I made this decision but it's clearly the only way I can assist the dees and their legion of the deluded.

I cannot believe what i am reading and hearing in the media today

The MFC cannot face it's own Demons!!

This was the perfect time..but no..Let's blame the members for our pathetic performances

That is not what Roosy said

But it is now the club spin

PJ i wanted you to stand firm....

No finals since 2006, haven't won more than 50% of games in a season since 2006.

In the bottom 4 in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014

Wooden spooners - 2008, 2009

Only finished above the easy beat expansion teams in 2012, 2013. So mark that down for another two homorary wooden spoons.

I wonder why we are negative?

I dont think what he said was all that bad, just very honest

Maybe the negativity stems from our negative game plan for the past 4 years. We have no flare no excitement, we just don't score, we don't play positive football. I loved watching Melbourne through the Neil Danners era, we took the game on we had the mentality that if you kicked 14 goals we will kick 15. Now we have I will stop you kicking 10, it hasn't worked in 4 years, Dean Bailey 2010/11 at least our guys took the game on.

Our players over the past 4 years have looked hamstrung by the negative game plans of Neeld and Roos.

That's what is negative and he is right it has flowed through to us because we are sick of watching crap football, losing I can cop if we are not good enough but not giving us a chance to win is unforgivable. Every game we lose is because we have lose players behind the footy as soon as I see this I know we are done.

I dont think what he said was all that bad, just very honest

I think that most think he is blaming our mindset for the losses, how anyone could think a coach would think that is beyond me...

You are being taken for a ride by a couple in the media if you think Roos is blaming us for losses.

I dont think what he said was all that bad, just very honest

Correct. But the club have watered it down rather than facing it...

The majority of responses on this thread epitomise the negative cloud that engulfs many of our supporters.

The rush to email Roos et al after the loss was absolutely pathetic & moronic.

"I wonder why?"

I'll tell you why - BECAUSE YOU'RE F*****G WEAK.

Weak minded individuals, that majority of us.

It might be unpalatable, but it's true.

Have some bloody backbone and stop falling apart with every disappointment.

I know a good few Melbourne supporters, but I prefer to sit alone at the footy cos they're bloody insufferable.

I think that most think he is blaming our mindset for the losses, how anyone could think a coach would think that is beyond me...

You are being taken for a ride by a couple in the media if you think Roos is blaming us for losses.

Correct, he's talking about supporter culture.

We are the new Richmond.

We give our players half a season or so, and then we eat our own.

The majority of responses on this thread epitomise the negative cloud that engulfs many of our supporters.

The rush to email Roos et al after the loss was absolutely pathetic & moronic.

"I wonder why?"

I'll tell you why - BECAUSE YOU'RE F*****G WEAK.

Weak minded individuals, that majority of us.

It might be unpalatable, but it's true.

Have some bloody backbone and stop falling apart with every disappointment.

I know a good few Melbourne supporters, but I prefer to sit alone at the footy cos they're bloody insufferable.

If we are all that bad why do you bother

(a) continuing?

(b) continue on Demonland?

The majority of responses on this thread epitomise the negative cloud that engulfs many of our supporters.

The rush to email Roos et al after the loss was absolutely pathetic & moronic.

"I wonder why?"

I'll tell you why - BECAUSE YOU'RE F*****G WEAK.

Weak minded individuals, that majority of us.

It might be unpalatable, but it's true.

Have some bloody backbone and stop falling apart with every disappointment.

I know a good few Melbourne supporters, but I prefer to sit alone at the footy cos they're bloody insufferable.

You should Post to yourself as well...

So many good points on these posts. We still get good attendances compared to our membership totals so I can't see how we can all get labelled as too negative.

From my point of view, while I don't like losing, I can accept it if the players appear to be giving their all. I don't think they have in many games this season. I constantly see players trotting after opposition players until they receive the ball, and then speed up, but by then it is too late and the opposition have plenty of time to dispose of the ball. So many times the opposition (especially Carlton at the weekend) are 3 metres in the clear to take a mark....while we appear to be constantly under pressure for our possessions.

I couldn't get excited about the win at Geelong (apart from being thankful that the Gee-long supporters at work would not get to be sickenly patronising as normal after an easy win against us) as I knew they would revert to type, which they have.

I lived in Sydney for a number of years (in the 90's) and went to see the Swans play. They were a bit of a basket case for most of the time I was there, but I would say they gave everything out on the field. They'd get beaten but it wasn't through lack of trying. If we could just find out how to instil that desire in Melbourne fc.

We will be thinking hard before becoming members next year. It gets embarrassing to be associated with such a group.

If we are all that bad why do you bother

(a) continuing?

(b) continue on Demonland?

Majority, my dear old dee, majority.

I'm addicted to the club.

And I enjoy discussing the club and reading about it.

The informed, considered and intelligent opinions make it worth wading through the drivel.

But it is a question I ask myself frequently.

The answer seems to be that the club brings me hope and joy, outside my normal life.

I get precious little of that from fellow supporters, because they're all so bloody miserable.

You should Post to yourself as well...

You don't even make sense WYL.

You're unintentional comedy at the best of times.

This isn't one of those.