Old habits die hard, says McDonald

[Supreme_Demon 3,020]

G'day Fellow Demons Supporters!

The latest article on the Demons website is rather interesting. Here's the link: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/tabid/7415/D...px?newsid=56809

I think James McDonald makes some good points. The players were under Neale Daniher's game plane for about 10 years so it was hard to just change to Dean Bailey's game plan so quickly.

Either way, its still not an excuse.

I just hope the players WIN for Macca in his 200th game for the MFC on the weekend against the Bulldogs.

[Sir Why You Little 34,958]

G'day Fellow Demons Supporters!

The latest article on the Demons website is rather interesting. Here's the link: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/tabid/7415/D...px?newsid=56809

I think James McDonald makes some good points. The players were under Neale Daniher's game plane for about 10 years so it was hard to just change to Dean Bailey's game plan so quickly.

Either way, its still not an excuse.

I just hope the players WIN for Macca in his 200th game for the MFC on the weekend against the Bulldogs.

All i ask is why players slip back into bad habits in the first place. Whats the point. Its turning crap into an excuse. Macca is a true gun this way of thinking must be erased very soon

[beelzebub 22,370]

yep..the problem is between the ears !! surprise suprise !!

[deestroy08 0]

I just hope the players WIN for Macca in his 200th game for the MFC on the weekend against the Bulldogs.

Ohhhh goodness, me too.

Congratulations to Junior on an excellent achievement. Very rarely would you find any complaints about his game and incredible work ethic.

.. and also congratulations to him on his recent engagement.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

G'day Fellow Demons Supporters!

The latest article on the Demons website is rather interesting. Here's the link: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/tabid/7415/D...px?newsid=56809

The players were under Neale Daniher's game plane for about 10 years so it was hard to just change to Dean Bailey's game plan so quickly.

Either way, its still not an excuse.

The actual result is an embarrassment but the prospect of a significant loss first up was not out of realms with a young side with a couple of players missing , new coach and game plan.

If you think a new game plan can be learnt and properly executed (particularly by a young side) within the space of a pre season you are dreaming.

I just hope the players WIN for Macca in his 200th game for the MFC on the weekend against the Bulldogs.

Totally agree. The other players particularly some of our senior leadership team owe him big time. Its a pity some of them are so long in the tooth in their bad habits they wont change.

[beelzebub 22,370]

So now we get to the nitty gritty of the situation.. They lost the plot !! literally !! or got panicked into foregoing it. ..and that my dear friends is a mental issue.

DB has his work cut out this wont be any overnight fix...no sireee bub !!

[warren dean 193]

Excuses, excuses! Neale Daniher took over in 1998 after an abysmal few years (except 94) under Neil Balme. In 1997 we won only 4 games. We were immediately competitive the following year. We made the semis of the equivalent of the NAB Cup and then lost Round 1 in Perth against the Dockers by 16 points on a day of extreme heat. We then came out and towelled up the mighty North Melbourne by four goals ( a year in which they finished first and should have won the flag)! He instituted a whole new game plan which the players learnt in a school room situation over that preseason and we played some very good footy from the start.

Bailey has come into a very similar situation and as yet hasn't manged to engineer the required changes. It may take time to adjust but the result should never be an 18 goal disaster such as that witnessed last weekend. If the players after 6 months of training still don't get what the plan is then change the players or the plan. Play the young guys who are less familiar with the old plan and should therefore be easier to indoctrinate with the new. Don't re-promote the old guard to leadership positions if all they want to do is reinforce the old plan. Remember, despite all of our injury problems last year, we defeated finalists in Collingwood and Adelaide, and lost to eventual prelim finalist North by 1 point and Grand Finalist Port by 5 points. This is not a team without some talent and new game plan or not that result was totally unacceptable.

[beelzebub 22,370]

........ If the players after 6 months of training still don't get what the plan is then change the players or the plan. Play the young guys who are less familiar with the old plan and should therefore be easier to indoctrinate with the new. Don't re-promote the old guard to leadership positions if all they want to do is reinforce the old plan. ............

was having similar thoughts myself.

Changes are required to go forward...wholesale ones..

its a bit...your either with me or agin me !!

[diesel 420]

Excuses, excuses! Neale Daniher took over in 1998 after an abysmal few years (except 94) under Neil Balme.

Balmes' cattle weren't up to his possession game style, ND uncomplicated it so the transition was always going to be easier. ND also benefitted from the return of a host of players who were injured in '97. Don't forget by '99 we were shizen again.

[Scoop Junior 3,055]

It may take time to adjust to a new game plan, but that doesn't explain the woeful skills on display, the poor application, the missed tackles and the failure to work hard both ways. It's just a cop-out to use excuses like a new game plan. We were utterly pathetic in all aspects of footy. Even without a game plan you should still be able to execute basic football skills.

Warren Dean while we did achieve those results last year, it doesn't mean much. The most annoying comment I hear Melbourne players make is "On our day, we're capable of beating anyone". Well so what. Anyone can beat anyone on their day, that's the nature of the competition. Good teams are those that perform consistently over the course of the season. Crap teams are those that perform every now and then. For the last 23 H&A matches we've simply been that - a crap team.

[Yencks 8]

Excuses, excuses! Neale Daniher took over in 1998 after an abysmal few years (except 94) under Neil Balme. In 1997 we won only 4 games. We were immediately competitive the following year. We made the semis of the equivalent of the NAB Cup and then lost Round 1 in Perth against the Dockers by 16 points on a day of extreme heat. We then came out and towelled up the mighty North Melbourne by four goals ( a year in which they finished first and should have won the flag)! He instituted a whole new game plan which the players learnt in a school room situation over that preseason and we played some very good footy from the start.

Bailey has come into a very similar situation and as yet hasn't manged to engineer the required changes. It may take time to adjust but the result should never be an 18 goal disaster such as that witnessed last weekend. If the players after 6 months of training still don't get what the plan is then change the players or the plan. Play the young guys who are less familiar with the old plan and should therefore be easier to indoctrinate with the new. Don't re-promote the old guard to leadership positions if all they want to do is reinforce the old plan. Remember, despite all of our injury problems last year, we defeated finalists in Collingwood and Adelaide, and lost to eventual prelim finalist North by 1 point and Grand Finalist Port by 5 points. This is not a team without some talent and new game plan or not that result was totally unacceptable.

this is the reason why i wanted daniher to stay on, i was thinking that he was gonna do an overhaul and fix up everything that had gone wrong, and i thought that he was the best person in the business to try and create a quick turnaround for the 150th year...i now am glad hes gone, i love him, but we needed change

yes, he did a great job at ressurecting us, but it is 2008 and the game has changed so much, it doesnt allow it to happen so much anymore because the games speed and skill level has increased significantly over the last 10 years and for a coach to implement a modern game plan succesfully can take time.

i also think that hawthorn were much better than expected...give the team a couple of weeks, they were playing very quality opposition on sunday, there is absolutely no doubt about that, the hawks will be a force to be reconed with this year

[mo64 5,262]

The actual result is an embarrassment but the prospect of a significant loss first up was not out of realms with a young side with a couple of players missing , new coach and game plan.

If you think a new game plan can be learnt and properly executed (particularly by a young side) within the space of a pre season you are dreaming.

Totally agree. The other players particularly some of our senior leadership team owe him big time. Its a pity some of them are so long in the tooth in their bad habits they wont change.

"Young side with a couple of players missing". Are we talking about Hawthorn or Melbourne. No excuse.

Who's to say that the new game plan will actually work. Including the preseason games, we've played 2 quarters of competitive football. Maybe Bailey should get the players to focus on the basics of football, rather than clouding their simple minds with a convoluted game plan.

[Rogue 585]

It may take time to adjust to a new game plan, but that doesn't explain the woeful skills on display, the poor application, the missed tackles and the failure to work hard both ways. It's just a cop-out to use excuses like a new game plan. We were utterly pathetic in all aspects of footy. Even without a game plan you should still be able to execute basic football skills.

Hard to disagree.

Some of our decision making and execution was amazingly bad.

[buzzyoung 2]

my man..

this is exactly correct.

Im sick and tired of my club looking for excuses..

remember Joe G

vote him in..HUGE demon fan..oh Ive never been a member and oh ..I occasionally go to a game..BUT I will save your club..HMMM???

Joe is thinking..page 1 herald sun for 2 weeks..radio...footy show..

jeez my shares will go thru the roof...jezz these guys must be stupid.

and I will make this club great again..heres 2 million..

THIS CLUB NEEDS TO GET BACKBONE..WE NEED TO PASSIONATE..

I HATE GOING TO GAMES AND PEOPLE NOT SINGING OUR SONG AS LOUD AS THEY CAN.

IMAGINE IF THIS WAS COLLINGWOOD!!!!!!!

THERE WOULD BE A REVOLUTION

[Deemonic 7]

Essendon seemed to have no trouble with a new game. It's just another cop out!

[Gouga 512]

Essendon seemed to have no trouble with a new game. It's just another cop out!

Matthew Knights said on Footy Classified that Essendon hadn't done too much work on the game plan. This pre-season was just about getting fit, improving defensive skills, increasing speed and learning about each other.

Sounds like a good approach to me. Get the players at a certain level and then implement the game plan.

Right now I think Melbourne has lazy, unfit and most importantly unconfident (is that a word?) players trying to implement a new game plan. No wonder it is failing.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Before we get excited they were fit and ran overside that stopped in its tracks. There is no doubt Knights has been working on a game plan all pre season.

He got a wonderful gift from North Melb when they decided to stop dead in the tracks in the last quarter. I would like to see Essendon and how they play under a bit of pressure.