I rate Mathews too...very highly..always have...mongrel player..good coach.

I rate Sheeds also....and would rate him far ahead of the Lyons or the Voss's of this world...at present.. his runs are on the board.

Essendon hasnt always been so cushy either !!

It is a win-win for every body and is almost certain to eventuate.

lol... this is the worst post i've ever read...

- G.Odonnel

Not exactly adding to your reliability here as sauce...

O'Donnell will never coach an afl side. Career AC.

He has more to lose by taking a chance with a poor club, which is the reason why I rate guys like Matthews higher, they were prepared to go to an unsuccessful club and putting everything on the line.

Is that the Leigh Matthews who coached the "poor" Collingwood Football Club, or the Leigh Matthews who coached the struggling "$600,000 extra in the salary cap" Brisbane Lions?

When Sheedy took over at Essendon in 1981, we were a shambles, with terrible facilities and no money. He is the main reason, along with some excellent administration, we have developed into the club he currently coaches. We hadn't won a flag since 1965, Sheeds took over in 1981, played finals in 81 & 82, we were in the grand final in 1983 and won back to back premierships in 1984-85.

Is that the Leigh Matthews who coached the "poor" Collingwood Football Club, or the Leigh Matthews who coached the struggling "$600,000 extra in the salary cap" Brisbane Lions?

When Sheedy took over at Essendon in 1981, we were a shambles, with terrible facilities and no money. He is the main reason, along with some excellent administration, we have developed into the club he currently coaches. We hadn't won a flag since 1965, Sheeds took over in 1981, played finals in 81 & 82, we were in the grand final in 1983 and won back to back premierships in 1984-85.

Hit a nerve Ash?

Football in the early 80's is nothing compared to what it is now and I'm surprised that someone of your intelligence would go with that type of argument. There was very little difference spent between the rich and poor clubs back then, especially if you compare the difference in the modern era, and Essendon's success can be directly attributed to the zoning area's they were allocated. Now clubs who don't perform on and off the ground have to fight for the own survival, something that Sheedy has never had to deal with.

When Matthews started at Brisbane they were are rabble, financially rooted of the ground and shambles on it, to the point were their own players were sending anonymous pizza deliveries to their coach at 3 o'clock in the middle of the night.

One more thing, do you really want to discuss 'salary cap' amounts? Because if you do why don't you do some research into how much total payments were made by clubs like Collingwood and Essendon compared to clubs like Melbourne, Kangaroos and the Bulldogs. The 'marquee player' payments and veteren allowances insured that the 'rich' clubs have had an advantage.

Sheedy is a good coach, but there is no way he will put his reputation on the line by coaching at a poor club, and I don't think he has the nuggets to see just how good he is.

I'd go for Kevin Sheedy, but I have no idea why he would be interested in coaching the MFC.

He is a proven winner, but he is stale at Essendon, a change would give him new enthusiasm and incentive.

Don't think it will happen though. Stick to ND, we won't find anyone better

Stick to ND, we won't find anyone better

Yay I agree! If we change coaches now a premierships gets further away. Essendon went with Sheedy through thick and thin and we need to do the same with the Rev

Yay I agree! If we change coaches now a premierships gets further away. Essendon went with Sheedy through thick and thin and we need to do the same with the Rev

People should not underestimate the importance of stability within a club. This is the first time in a long time that the MFC has been able to achieve stability off the field and the results over the previous years have reflected this.

I'm sure that the board will make the right decision at the end of the year and allow Neale to stay for one more year after this year was ruined by injuries.

People should not underestimate the importance of stability within a club. This is the first time in a long time that the MFC has been able to achieve stability off the field and the results over the previous years have reflected this.

I'm sure that the board will make the right decision at the end of the year and allow Neale to stay for one more year after this year was ruined by injuries.

We are getting our new administration and training facility in 2-3 years. That will make a huge difference to both stability and how the football department is resourced.

Our current facilities are another factor in how disjointed the club's performance has been, or conversely how well ND has performed relative to the resources he's got.

Hit a nerve Ash?

No, not at all.

Both Sheedy and Matthews, in my opinion, are tremendous coaches who both have great records. Both have coached four premiership and played in several in their playing days. Both know what it takes to win a flag. I was just merely putting forward the point of view that Sheedy hasn't always had it so easy at Essendon, and Matthews hasn't always had it tough in his coaching career.

Brisbane a shambles on the field when Matthews took over?

1995 - Played finals, lost a close Elimination final to eventual Premier Carlton.

1996 - Again played finals, this time reaching the Preliminary final.

1997 - Finals yet again, losing to eventual runners up St Kilda.

1998 - Injuries hit hard, finish 16th. Most observers recognise that injuries are the cause, and Brisbane is a better team than the wooden spoon suggests.

1999 - Matthews takes over, make another Preliminary final.

Hardly a shambles.

I've had this sort of discussion with stacks of people who don't rate Sheedy. Only 4 flags in 26 years? What other Victorian club matches that? Carlton, Hawthorn and who? In fact Collingwood and the Kangaroos are the only other Victorian clubs to win a flag in that period. Even if you draw a line through the VFL stuff, and only count the two flags he's won since the competition truely became national [let's say 1991, when the Crows came in], that's two flags in 16 years. Show me a Victorian club that can be guaranted to win 2 premierships in the next 16 years.

Agreed, Matthews is a super coach, but since I can't see Matthews leaving Brisbane any time soon, Melbourne could do alot worse than Kevin Sheedy as coach.

Our current facilities are another factor in how disjointed the club's performance has been, or conversely how well ND has performed relative to the resources he's got.

Very good point.

Good post Ash.

But isn't there a difference between a young Sheedy with his whole coaching career ahead of him can achieve compared to an old Sheedy who has already done it all before?

Yes he has made a huge impact on Essendon but if we think he can come do that at Melbourne we are kidding ourselves.

What about Gary O'Donnell, he has coached under both Matthews and Sheedy. In your opinion Ash would he be a good choice?

Lots of people are asking for Daniher to be re-signed now. Why? He has proved nothing so far this year. Right now we have three of our best 22 out in McLean, Rivers and Robertson. Bartram is probably there too. That puts us at about average with the rest of the competition.

The Kangaroos are winning games without Thompson. If we didn't have Neitz for the year posters on this site will be claiming its time to play for draft picks. The point is injuries will always happen.

DO NOT RESIGN DANIHER BASED ON A BAD RUN WITH INJURIES. Sign him on the improvement we show for the rest of the year!

What about Gary O'Donnell, he has coached under both Matthews and Sheedy. In your opinion Ash would he be a good choice?

Being an assistant to those two reads very well on O'Donnells CV, but I get the feeling he might struggle as head coach. Mark Harvey comes across as a stronger candidate, as does John Longmire. Not that I know any of these blokes that well, it's just the impression I get.

Your other point is a good one about whether to sign Daniher again, and I think the club is making the right kind of noises in that regard. I'm sure Melbourne will wait to the end of the season, assess in it's entirety where the team and Daniher is at, and then make a decision. The season might be over the Melbourne [well finals are], but every game and every decision is vital for the future of Neale Daniher.

Precisely, if we keep putting in and win more than we lose from here on in, how could you not give ND another go. But if we fall away and only win 2 -3 games, that will be curtains for him. CRUCIAL times ahead for ND (Assuming he wants to still coach us !)

there is a difference also between so called stability..and STAGNATION . Stability in business is good and we are getting there. But the 'stability' of the team can go somewhere else for mine. I'd prefere a little unsettling and lifting up personally.

id happily have taken 4 cups in those years.

O'Donnell as I understand is looking to go into football admin etc...not to coach..he's not on the list.

I was about to say that the scope and amount of experience that Sheeds has cant be bought. But of course it could be..pay him!!

No, not at all.

....

I've had this sort of discussion with stacks of people who don't rate Sheedy

....

I never said that I didn't rate him, in fact I said he was a good coach but it's irrelevant to the point I'm trying to make (Actually 99% of your reply is irrelevant). The issue is that I believe he will never risk his reputation that he has built during his time at Essendon by coaching a poor club like Melbourne, the Bulldogs or the Kangaroos. He won't go to one of these clubs because of financial reasons, both personal salary package and the restrictions that would be inforced on him with his coaching staff.

Sheedy will never coach Melbourne.

Same goes for Mark Harvey, although he has openly stated that he'll never go to a 'poor' club, he said this when the doggies were trying to replace Wallace.

I never said that I didn't rate him, in fact I said he was a good coach but it's irrelevant to the point I'm trying to make (Actually 99% of your reply is irrelevant). The issue is that I believe he will never risk his reputation that he has built during his time at Essendon by coaching a poor club like Melbourne, the Bulldogs or the Kangaroos. He won't go to one of these clubs because of financial reasons, both personal salary package and the restrictions that would be inforced on him with his coaching staff.

Sheedy will never coach Melbourne.

Same goes for Mark Harvey, although he has openly stated that he'll never go to a 'poor' club, he said this when the doggies were trying to replace Wallace.

Sheedy and Harvey would never be offered the jobs at MFC .....period.

The issue is that I believe he will never risk his reputation that he has built during his time at Essendon by coaching a poor club like Melbourne, the Bulldogs or the Kangaroos. He won't go to one of these clubs because of financial reasons, both personal salary package and the restrictions that would be inforced on him with his coaching staff.

Are you sure you aren't Robert Walls?

I see where you are coming from, but I don't think that should count against Sheedy. He has never coached a "poor" club cos he has always been good enough to stay at Essendon, which largely due to him, is not a "poor" club.

OK, I'll take what your saying as fact, that Sheeds has no interest in coaching one of the lesser financed clubs. What do you think he will do if he and Essendon part ways at seasons end?

I doubt he'll coach interstate. Collingwood don't need coach. Carlton are just getting back on it's feet, they can't afford him. He won't go to Richmond while Greg Miller is there. But he has said he's like to continue coaching. Perhaps he'll have no alternative but challenge himself and see how the other half lives.

PS : Where does Malthouse come into this discussion. Apart from his early stint in the mid 80's at the Bulldogs, he seems to have steered clear of the poorer clubs. Yet he also is a successful coach. Perhaps it's not so much the coach, but the financial status of the clubs that dictates success.

Are you sure you aren't Robert Walls?

I see where you are coming from, but I don't think that should count against Sheedy. He has never coached a "poor" club cos he has always been good enough to stay at Essendon, which largely due to him, is not a "poor" club.

OK, I'll take what your saying as fact, that Sheeds has no interest in coaching one of the lesser financed clubs. What do you think he will do if he and Essendon part ways at seasons end?

I doubt he'll coach interstate. Collingwood don't need coach. Carlton are just getting back on it's feet, they can't afford him. He won't go to Richmond while Greg Miller is there. But he has said he's like to continue coaching. Perhaps he'll have no alternative but challenge himself and see how the other half lives.

PS : Where does Malthouse come into this discussion. Apart from his early stint in the mid 80's at the Bulldogs, he seems to have steered clear of the poorer clubs. Yet he also is a successful coach. Perhaps it's not so much the coach, but the financial status of the clubs that dictates success.

I acknowledge he is a good coach and I also understand that part of my attitude towards him are because of a couple of incedents that he's been involved in, and these are:

- The throat slicing gesture. Completely unprofessional.

- His stance towards the MFC wanting to add a player to our list after Troy died and then seeing him publicly campaign for Rama's rookie listing, complete hypocrisy

- His comments re: flooding. Sheedy was one of the first coaches to use the tactics, examples of this was his tactics against Allen Jakovich

Needless to say I have a very poor opinion of him, I think he is a hypocrite, but I have to agree with you he is one of the top coaches. Thankfully he won't be at Melbourne next year for all the reasons already mentioned in this thread. He'll probably go into some sort of management position with Essendon or Collingwood, Eddie would move heaven and earth to get him there.

Malthouse is an interesting one, at the Eagles he virtually had a state team, they were that good. But at Collingwood I think he managed to get an avearge side playing good, consistent football.

In a word - no.

Daniher for Sheedy?

Not in your wildest wet dreams.

Talk about going backwards at a fast pace...a very dumb idea.

Then again let's have an ageing coach communicating with 17/18/19 olds that are our future.

He's already had a hip job for pete's sake. He's at retirement age no matter what his own inflated opinion is of himself.

Bring on the Zimmer frame for the 3rd. quarter address.

NEVER!

to be honest i really don't wanna see danners go.

he was everybody's favourite last year, now suddenly he 'deserves' to go even though we all blame injuries for our poor start. i refuse to buy into throwing away a decade of coaching experience unless it is of top quality, and i really don't think there are many candidates better than danners.

that and he loves the club.

My initial reaction (and that of the other Demon member in this house) was no.

And this is despite all the undeniable good he has achieved throughout his massive coaching career.

I would never call Sheedy a bad coach, ever......

But after 25+ years would be really want to start again?

Does he still have that drive that made him what he is today?

And if he does can he take that drive and win anywhere other than at Windy Hill?

Is he still "in tune" (for want of a better expression) with modern football?

Just curious.......

to be honest i really don't wanna see danners go.

he was everybody's favourite last year, now suddenly he 'deserves' to go even though we all blame injuries for our poor start.

No, he was not everybody's favourite last year.

It's wrong to paint all those who think there's a better coach out there than ND to be posters who've jumped on the 'get rid of Daniher' bandwagon after an injury-plagued start to '07.