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Great work by the MFC. Very happy to have secured someone senior and experienced with great knowledge to oversee a relatively young coaching staff. Suck on it Tom Scully, enjoy Kevin Sheedy, you [censored]!

In 2011 we had 3 people in the head coach/fitness/development also and the feedback was we needed someone to oversee everything. We needed to beef our football department and when we are doing that, some still are negative. "Too many cooks spoil the broth". you can't be serious.

I cannot believe people are whacking the club for overpopulating our coaching department. The main knocks on our players in the past have been culture, toughness, fitness and professionalism. Adelaide may not have won a flag but they were a tightly run ship who were fit and committed.Put Craig and Neeld together, coming from 2 of the powerhouses of the competition our players are gonna find out what gets done at serious footy clubs. This is something all fans have to be happy with

He would provide good tackling training.

That's the problem jacey, these pessimists don't allow themselves to enjoy pleasures and would much rather inflicting and receiving pain (on a subconscious level anyway). They are both sadistic and masochistic. They are the one's who will not be fully content after winning a premiership, because they will immediately think 'well it shouldn't have taken this long in the first place'.

I don't quite get the "too many cheifs" sentiment. So Collingwood can have a Mick Malthouse or Rodney Eade or whoever else ends up in that role as a mentor/resource to Bucks, the same with Thompson for Hird, etc etc..............but for the MFC, we now have too many chiefs. Take a look at some of the football departments at other clubs......................we aren't top heavy, we are finally catching up!!!! I would have thought the injection of talent, experience, and professionalism being injected into the FD should be roundly applauded, not talked down. Really, what has changed In: Craig, Neeld, Misson, Rawlings, Satterley, Greaves Out: Bailey, West, Williams, Connolly, Hocking, Apart from Neil Craig, and the new supporting line coaches, we haven't exactly gone bezerk on spending. Ross Lyon for $1M a season, or Neeld & Craig for a similar or slightly higher amount? It could be argued that Connolly should have been let go if he was no longer needed in the FD, and it appears as though they have found him a job, but other than that, I don't see anything reckless being done. Time will tell whether this new structure works but, I fail to see how there can be any negativity at this stage with the appointments.

The good thing about a thread like this is that a topic is raised about him, we all discuss it, with the overwhelming majority expressing our support for Burgan and the work he has done. I think that the response here is a feather in his cap. It also shows that almost any topic can be discussed, no matter how stupid (or otherwise) we think the OP was.

I don't post here very often, so feel free to tell me to mind my own business. However.... Mods- how on earth have you let this thread grow legs?? Surely such unfounded criticism of a club employee is against the rules? (i haven't bothered to check) Burgo is an accomplished and high respected journalist that we are lucky to have. He's not Andrew Denton and isn't pretending to be. Does the OP think we should pull out the cheque book and wheel Michael Parkinson out of retirement to do the odd 2 minute interview?

Quite right Redleg but I'm a little tired of winning the pr battles in spring and summer and losing the impoortant ones in autumn and winter. Still, I hope that we can now win in the trades and draft periods to allow us to be well prepared for the big stuff later. I haven't been following this Neil Craig thing all that closely but I knew we were in with a chance when, as others have pointed out above, sportsnews first started crowing that the Blues had him. And finally, on a more sobre note, I really hope that all of this news brings some succour to Jimmy and helps him through his illness. He placed his reliance on Garry Lyon and his friend is doing him proud.

Maybe gOLLy could a start a thread on Kim.....

Build it, and they will come...

One suggests they never claimed to be accurate....just first.

If it's true that we have beaten several other clubs and the AFL for his services it is an enormous pr win to us. It shows we are moving ahead and will leave no stone unturned in order to improve. The players must be excited with the new people coming in many of whom are leaders in their field.

So we can assume from this that he's not headed to Carlton?

I personally think his age is a bonus. We have a young list and from what I can gather hes an ultimate professional when it comes to preparing for games. Have never seen him in the papers on the social scene and more importantly have he has never brought the club into the spotlight for any negative stuff. If the young guys prepare and behave like he does it will well and truly put the club in good stead.

I like him. Thought it was real funny in his interview with Beamer how he had to do a double-take (too [censored]!) of the intro, and even funnier that they decided to leave that in and not edit it out.

Matt isn't a professional presenter, that's not his role, he is responsible for the content on the website which has improved significantly since he started. Maybe he isn't polished or as attractive as you are after but if you go back and look at the lack of content, articles, interviews pre him I think you may feel differently. The interviews with new staff, the increase in pieces such as the stats and tactical pieces on the site last year were all due to him pushing increased content. Have a chat with Matt, I think you'll see the positives in having him there

I like him. He's not a flashy media performer but he seems genuine to me.

I just hang up. Either that or I start saying "maaatt Damon" over and over

To those in the media and on here who rubbished Garry and said his short stint would achieve nothing, please take a moment to relect on the changes at the MFC recently. Not saying he takes all the credit but he clearly has had some major input.

Does any body else find trade week an overhyped let down?

Sorry, I'm trying to figure out if that is a negative or a positive post.

Adding more players doesn't necessarily add more value.

Really impressed with what Neil Craig has to say in this SMH article. Craig chooses Demons as his new AFL club

SPEND $$ TO MAKE $$$ Victories will makes debts a thing of the past...We are Melbourne....I think the Old Demon has opened his eyes, had a good stretch, dropped that big morning Fart after a long deep sleep & now that old Demon who has been gone since '65 is back Refreshed and ready to flex large Muscle and reclaim his mantle as no. 1 Football Club in the land.. Fitting that a statue of Norm Smith will be ercted in 2012. We are Melbourne...The rest of the AFL community is in for a big suprise starting from next year....Money on it.

Not, to quote Tom Waits, as hard as Chinese Math?

The thing that's making me feel very good is that Neeld must have really impressed the hierarchy at the club in order for them to be so willing to allow him to have all of these resources at his disposal; I cannot recall any club ever doing what is being done at the MFC right at the moment. And the thing that impresses me possibly even more than that is that the likes of Craig and Misson are so sure of Neeld's abilities and potential, that they have been only too willing to jump on board! In the words of the late "Big Kev"... I'm excited!!

Is it just me or is this guy just a bit of amateur hour. Jordie's sister did so well the other night and deserves the mantle. Thoughts.....

I too thought with Misson on board we did not need Craig but clearly his job is bigger than fitness. In a sentence, we are fair dinkum now. Craig is a huge win for us since several clubs were after him. That we're able to afford this set up is a credit to the board for its work over the past three years. This could be seriously exciting.

Originally I didn't think it was necessary to have NC as an overseer or whatever the role is .They way he chose us has swung me over . I'm a bit old fashioned in that if they don't want to be here then I'm not interested. I like to think passion still has a part in this game . Hope we have spent enough on the football dept now to keep all Demonland freaks happy . Now i want to see some of these boys come out looking and playing like men . Baby-sitter Bailey has done his job. Gary Lyon has done his . i think we have a group that will respect that we now demand immediate results and immense pride in everything we do . We have depth on and off field. Next year I want us to win games we shouldn't and crush those teams we should beat .

Is a class act. We couldn't appoint just anyone in this role (which involves collaboration with Misson, Viney and Neeld). We needed to make sure it was someone with tremendous character.

Garry Lyon & Cameron Schwab seemed to have stepped up to the plate since the Geelong Debacle....Well done to both. As i stated a couple of weeks ago...The internal runnings of the MFC needed attention yes, but are no where near as bad as the Newspapers painted... i really am confident that in 2012 there will be a huge improvement right through this club. The list can play...They need to learn from our coaching and fitness people how to sustain it over many weeks.

As far as I know he's a writer. I remember reading a lot of his stuff when he was working at AFL.com.au (mainly on the drafts) and it was impressive. The stuff he has done on the MFC website has been good too... a million times better than what was being put on there before he came on board.

I like him. The official Melbourne site was horrible a few years ago. The amount of content it has got now is awesome. Hope he stays working for the club.

garry has been great but all the recruits have also mentioned schwab - has done awesome things at our club

Rock bottom is when you vote to merge the club, this is a blimp.

Untrue. Kozi will find a way to accidently injure his teammates. This is a guy who hasn't finished in the top 10 bnf at Saints for 10 years and gets good coin. Unless its a Bate and a Warnock which are kinda of 2 needs Saints might look for (+ clears a spot on the list) and 300k a year with Saints picking up the rest of his salary, it's a no for Kozi.

You should get out of your 1950's time-warp. Club administration hasn't been that simple for decades. The lack of input from highly qualified people has been our biggest failure.

Press release up on Melbourne site. This is fantastic news for the club. Boy oh boy Voldermort will be choking on the sydney rock oysters.

Ha - Brilliant Cop That Carlton We are now winning the 50/50's - Huge change is in the wind Lets Go Demons

Yep. Those ones especially. It must have been bad for them, but their experiences of that bygone era still cloud their vision.

...and the sport science stuff that can help him hit the ground running. Not just physios but bio-mechanic knowledge. He should be the most 'looked after' junior player in the country.

Exactly. His role is more holistic than just the interviews, he's responsible for the entire content and it's improved significantly since he took on the role - there are actually articles worth reading on there now and they're presented in a timely manner. I'm happy with his work even if he isn't the most polished interviewer in the known universe.

Just to add, in the couple of times I've spoken to Matt he was very open to ideas and feedback, so perhaps less keyboard warrior action and a more proactive approach would get an improved result for anyone that is potting him.

There's a bit of Andy Maher about him. But he asks the questions you expect of an inside reporter and writes well. I don't think he's in any danger. If we need to trim back on staff in our communications department then we might be an issue, but otherwise I'm still a Matty B fan.

I actually think he is painful to listen too. Cringeworthy for a professional organisation.

Lol, I'll pay that!

Now that's not fair. I won't have you denegrating the good folks at Champion Data like that.

I have said it before and Chris Dawes endorsed it. People love to throw up the "we should go after this bloke with everything" and "the club is being derelict in their duties if they don't get him"...........but Unless a player truly wants to move, and not only that, has the want and desire to improve and work hard for his new team then they are not worth a pinch of salt. Dawes doesn't want to go anywhere because of the Collingwood environment. I bet my ass Kosi is the same. If as the OP suggests we need to play to a long strong forward target then what is to stop the club using a player that we already have on our list for this purpose until Cook / Fitzpatrick develop? Why not use Jamar or Martin? Why not even use Fitzy and/or Cook and teach them at the best level how we want to play? WHAT IS WITH THIS IMPATIENT NEED TO TRADE WHEN WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR A TOP FOUR OR PREMIERSHIP WINDOW??? Back the coach we have to develop the players we have and use the draft process for the big blokes. If we are to trade, lets get a midfielder instead. But again, find me a QUALITY midfielder who WANTS to leave and that we can provide a suitable trade for???

So you are worried about the communication breakdown that occurs? With Junior this obviously applies as he was apparently not told the club was thinking this would be his last season. But... Woewodin and Powell were nearly a decade ago. With Daniher, Corcoran, and Fagan in charge. I was unaware Miller had a communication issue with his departure. I klnow he had a few things to say to the board about how the FD was being run but that is another (and I believe more pressing) concern. Robbo, Yze, and White were ageing players who felt they deserved a free year on good coin after all their successes(?) for the Dees. We were always going to move forward on a youth policy before the expansion clubs came in and we did. If they didn't see the writing on the wall then the communication breakdown was their fault. I don't see a history of bad treatment of senior players; I see an isolated case of a captain being removed and the padding out of this 'larger' issue with the names you have thrown in.