“… the club's training facilities at Junction Oval, and the need to train at a variety of grounds over summer, was an issue.” Harris told melbournefc.com.au.

“It's well known that new state-of-the-art facilities are due for completion at Olympic Park within two years, but we do have this comparative disadvantage.

"While it is very disappointing that Chris will be playing elsewhere next year, the club ought to be quietly satisfied that it had got itself from being a rank 'no hope' outsider to being very competitive in the pursuit, and ahead of many clubs who failed to even get his attention,” Harris continued on melbournefc.com.au. "This outcome will only sharpen the need for the whole club to work together to ensure we have fully competitive facilities and resources.

“With a new coach and new football manager, a healthier playing list and with pick four still in our hand, we have plenty of reasons to look forward to the 150th anniversary year in 2008."

Mr Harris you made our club sound like we were from the bronx!!! Chris Judd isnt as big as the MFC!! I dont understand the comment " the club ought to be quietly satisfied that it had got itself from being a rank 'no hope' outsider to being very competitive in the pursuit, and ahead of many clubs who failed to even get his attention,” Why were we a " No hope outsider" in the 1st place??? His pretty much said Judd is too good for our club!! Very disapointing and i`m sure the players would agree that No 1 player is better than a Team of players..... TOOL!!!!!!!

Satisfied?

Jesus christ...

Harris must go. I emailed the club already regarding this digracecful press release.

If the MFC are 'satisfied' with this outcome, then we will never see another flag in our lifetimes

It'd be rather undiplomatic for the CEO to publicly tell Judd to shove it. Leave that to us.

It'd be rather undiplomatic for the CEO to publicly tell Judd to shove it. Leave that to us.

Should have said:

"We're disappointed Judd did not choose our club, and it is unfortunate that we've invested so much energy into this process only to be told that our facilities are not good enough, given that Chris Judd and his manager were fully aware of the situation with our facilities before we started this process.

The club is bigger than the individual and we look forward to season 2008".

Better than:

"Oh, Judd you're a superstar, thanks for spitting on us. We'll forever be greatful that you considered us for a brief moment".

From some1 high up at our club.. The response should have been alot better, not degrade the club as JUDD did.. Gee image what the young players would be thinking.. In one way, im glad we didnt get him.. It might kickstart the demon heartbeat

In one way, im glad we didnt get him.. It might kickstart the demon heartbeat

exactly what i was thinking

it might be just me.. but the one thig thats very hard to intimate in the written word is sarcasm.. To me that read as a whole [censored] take on the event. He wasnt being self effacing..he was "MOCKING" self effacing.

read it again peopel.. rid yourselves of any contempt...just read it.

maybe just me again.. I think its quite funny.

I don't think the comments were all that flash. I understand the motives - re-enforcing positivity - but I think that less is more in such a situation.

All it does is convey acceptance of mediocrity. I know that's not what was meant, but unfortunately it comes out a bit like that. I don't think we should've bagged Judd or anything, but a one liner would've been enough. Something like "it is disappointing that Chris won't be at Melbourne but we'll move on with our plans of building for a premiership".

Being too positive carries with it undertones of mediocrity. Being too negative and bagging Judd reeks of sour grapes. The right approach IMO was just to dismiss it quickly and move on. Most of the comments were fine, except the bit about the club being "quietly satisfied".

...

off topic but scoop id forgotten bout your avatar in the best avartar comp. it wouldnt have won, but damn i like the DMB.

From what I read of it it seemed like Harris was intimating that Judd's interest in the MFC was a bit of a sham to start with. He didn't actually say that Judd has not chosen us, or that he has chosen someone else, but instead that "he will be playing elsewhere next year".

More specifically, the part where he says "it had got itself from being a rank 'no hope' outsider to being very competitive". This seems very much like they do not believe that his intentions were 100% noble when he met us and that it was all for show.

Why would we mention that we were originally a 'no hope' outsider? If they truly believed in the process then they would not have referred to anything before that process strarted, but simply would have said something like "we presented a powerful case and were strong contenders for his services".

Seems like we think there is something dodgy happening.

nah it sounds like we're a little kid who is proud that we convinced him that we werent as bad as he thought we are. that we were pretty pumped to come second not last.

they dont realise that anything after first loses. port adelaide didnt finish second, they lost.

"While it is very disappointing that Chris will be playing elsewhere next year, the club ought to be quietly satisfied that it had got itself from being a rank 'no hope' outsider to being very competitive in the pursuit, and ahead of many clubs who failed to even get his attention,” Harris continued on melbournefc.com.au. "This outcome will only sharpen the need for the whole club to work together to ensure we have fully competitive facilities and resources.

Steve Harris should realise the only reason he chose to look at Melbourne was his support of them as a youngster, it certainly hasn't been from anything he or Gardener have done to the club. They both are as useless as Szonby. This just shows you that the club has not advanced in the slightest. Near enough is good enough, we are a crap club, that no one respects and you can see why.

Anther thing is... Y hasnt he given Carlton the flick due too there facilities??? Carlton`s isn`t any better the juction oval really!!! The whole thing has been a show, and we were the clowns.. His going too Collingwood and has been since day 1!! eddie everywhere would have had this sorted since day 1.

"it is disappointing that Chris won't be at Melbourne but we'll move on with our plans of building for a premiership".

U should've done the media release. Sends the perfect msg without bitterness and a suck ass to Chris.

From what I read of it it seemed like Harris was intimating that Judd's interest in the MFC was a bit of a sham to start with. He didn't actually say that Judd has not chosen us, or that he has chosen someone else, but instead that "he will be playing elsewhere next year".

More specifically, the part where he says "it had got itself from being a rank 'no hope' outsider to being very competitive". This seems very much like they do not believe that his intentions were 100% noble when he met us and that it was all for show.

Why would we mention that we were originally a 'no hope' outsider? If they truly believed in the process then they would not have referred to anything before that process strarted, but simply would have said something like "we presented a powerful case and were strong contenders for his services".

Seems like we think there is something dodgy happening.

I wasnt really goinngto worry too much about all this Judd stuff now...but I think youre on to something !!

Judd is managed by Connors who would know perfectly well what Melbournes situation is/was . I dont buy any of this facilites cr@p. I dont for one minute think there was ever an issue with Judd picking whats betst for Judd..id be surprised really if anything else.. we would all ( for the main ) be looking after ourselves..so its not an issue either. But youre right XoB...all is defintely not what it seems !!

Harris must go. I emailed the club already regarding this digracecful press release.

Good on you

Good on you

We could do worse, we could have Ellis back!

can you post the email on demonland as an open letter? was it as good as some of your posts on here?

Until WCE agree to what the club Muppet Judd decides he wants to play for offers them, no deal is done. YOu can't expect Steve Harris to say nothing or to come out and bag the bloke. What his press release said is letting us all know that Juddy is rapidly turning into a tool and a sooky sooky lala but if the Eagles don't agree to what the pies and the blues offer, maybe he will have to put up with our crap facilities. I know we have virtually no hope now but no deal is done and it ain't over til its over.

Compare what Harris said to what came out of the Essendon camp today:

http://essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=5402

In particular:

"We won’t just put a line through this and walk away, we will sit close and see what happens," Mr Auld said.

"There is a lot to happen between now and the end of trade week and if that means Collingwood and Carlton can’t do a deal we will just have to see what happens then."

Compared with:

"...but we do have this comparative disadvantage"

"...it is very disappointing that Chris will be playing elsewhere next year"

We could have been a bit more positive like Essendon. Sure, we have a 0.00000001% chance now, but if Dylan Howard is to be believed, then WC was a little bit interested at our deal, and if they can't deal with Coll or Carl, then maybe.

I wasnt really goinngto worry too much about all this Judd stuff now...but I think youre on to something !!

Judd is managed by Connors who would know perfectly well what Melbournes situation is/was . I dont buy any of this facilites cr@p. I dont for one minute think there was ever an issue with Judd picking whats betst for Judd..id be surprised really if anything else.. we would all ( for the main ) be looking after ourselves..so its not an issue either. But youre right XoB...all is defintely not what it seems !!

SPOT ON! I have posted the same!

Steve Harris "grateful for the opportunity" approach has existed since the intitial meeting and to me totally ass about! I have been through several job interviews in 30 years of business (both as interviewer and inteviewee) and never seen employer be greatful to prospective employee for agreeing to be interviewed!

No need to excuse this. what is actually shows is lack of understanding of requirements for CEO of the MFC. Role is to rebuild the MFC to the status and clout our club should have in AFl &MELBOURNE (Board needs to follow through from Footy dept changes as noted in previous topics). same priority as fixint the facilities!

I know we have virtually no hope now but no deal is done and it ain't over til its over.

can you post the email on demonland as an open letter? was it as good as some of your posts on here?

I did it like 5 minutes after I heard about Judd and 1 minute after I read the press release

Not the best time to write a letter, but I dont care

Stuff him I say, if our facilities aren't good enough for him he can go and get [censored], we won't get him now, but still, I'd boo him if he played for us now...

Madness - your avitar is pure gold!!! The only smile I have had on my face all day!