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I don't have a problem with people criticising Neeld & speculating that he isn't the MFC's next premiership coach. If you watch the team play it is a frustrating process. The players are slow & unthinking, they get sucked in too easily to the contest, in the odd occasion that they win the ball there is no spread, only handballs to stationary targets, the skill level is atrocious, often the get out plan is to go long up the line (on the full). We struggle to win contested ball even against the effing expansion sides & can not seem to score for large chunks of matches just like under DB. Brent Moloney was a B&F last year & won 19 Brownlow votes but his form has gone so far backwards he is pretty much a fringe player who seems unhappy at the club. These are all issues for which I believe Mark Neeld needs to bare some responsibility. Therefore I can't criticise any poster that pots Neeld for these problems. I'm willing to back him in to turn these things around. To bring some balance to the argument it is hard to think of a first year coach that has had a tougher initiation. He inherited a fractured club after the departure of DB & the aftermath of the soul destroying 186. Tom Scully's departure was still a foul stench in the air when Neeld took the chair. He had the tough task of trying to overhaul the FD & onfield leadership of the club after Brad Green's disastrous 1 year stint as captain. Liam Jurrah's problems, Jim Stynes lost his battle with cancer, the club lost a major sponsor through sheer dickwittery, sub par fitness, massive injury lists & adjustment to a radically different gameplan were always going to be tough factors for Neeld to negotiate. Its been an extremely tough initiation. On that basis I'm prepared to cut him some slack & measure my expectations accordingly. Expectations come into it as well. Neeld has probably inherited a more impatient fanbase than most other coaches, the prevailing logic is seemingly that the MFC has served its penance in the cellar under Bailey. It has become apparent in 2012 that the recruiting has not been great. Morton is still a fringe player, Maric was delisted, Watts isn't close to being a KPF in the mould of Riewoldt, Blease is fringe, ditto Strauss, Scully bolted, Gysberts has played 1 game, Tapscott has struggled & Cook is a million miles away. These were all supposed to be key planks in a rebuilt Demons team. Of the 07-11 drafts you'd say that only Trengove, Grimes & Clark are definite keepers, it's an effing disaster! Combine this with injuries to Jurrah, Clark & Jamar as well as the declining form of the likes of Green, Sylvia & Moloney is it any wonder we're [censored]? Nuffies will point to last year that we won 8.5 games but in reality we were going backwards. We beat Adelaide & Freo at their lowest ebb, were underwhelming against GC x2, scraped home against a couple of the worst Brisbane & Port sides ever assembled, our 2 good wins were against Richmond (who went past us later) & Essendon in the middle of a form slump. The only decent side we got within a bull's roar of was the round 1 draw with Sydney (who we beat by 74 points in our previous meeting. The rest of the year was marred by thumpings, tactical ineptitude & basically failing every test possible. They also point to Neeld's quotes about being the "hardest team to play against" & wonder why it hasn't been the case in his first year. Like it was some iron clad promise to do it overnight. While it's doubtful anybody could've done a worse job this year than Neeld it's equally doubtful whether anyone could've done better in the same set of circumstances. He has a power of work to do, the drafting and trading period will tell us a lot about his intent. He has a three year contract to get us up to competitive standard. To sack him before that would be a sign of an inept, directionless club. No credible coach will want to touch us with a barge pole & you'd be worried about the mental state of anybody keen to work for such a rabble. I don't profess to know if he is a coaching mastermind but I'm happy to back him in & see how it unfolds. He has my conditional support, I think everybody else owes him that too at this early stage.

Who? Essendon were 8-1 when Melbourne defeated them. Hardly their lowest ebb. Perhaps some are also saying that this year is an extension of the rot that set in last year? Imagine that. Perhaps saying that Neeld doesn't deserve the sack after 5 minutes in the chair isn't the same as the whole "I believe in Neeld" crew? Imagine that.

I'm pretty sure Hawthorn had Buddy,Hodge,Sewell,Crawford,Croad and Cyril. We have Nathan Jones and a injured Mitch Clarke. Your mistaking excuses for facts. Our list compared to a premiership list is horrible. God I'm so sick of hearing this crap about Neeld it makes demonland easy to stay away from at the moment. Some on here our just too thick to see what our list is.

Moron button.

Malthouse's first year as coach of Collingwood was in 2000. They finished second last. At the end of his first year he traded, pensioned off, or delisted the following players: Gavin Brown Gavin Crosisca Paul Williams Shane Watson Sav Rocca Stephen Patterson Mark Orchard Mal Michael James Wasley Craig Jacotine Brad Oborne Dale Baynes Brad Smith In total there were 13 players that played senior footy under Malthouse in 2000 that weren't at the club come preseason 2001. Oh well, so much for that theory. Btw, it couldn't have done too much harm, as they lost the Grand Final 2 years later by 9 points to one of the greatest teams in history.

I'm amazed at people who complain about 'excuses'. At the end of this year there will be only 1 club where there are no 'excuses' - the winner of the flag. Every other club will have 'excuses', or 'reasons'. I'm happy to accept 'reasons' as log as they are reasonable. So far, Neeld's appear reasonable to me. He could easily add in the horror list of distractions and injuries without stretching reasonableness.

Experience is a critical factor & one thing Neeld can't teach is experience. Nuffies tend to sugarcoat last year. Sure, we won 8.5 games but in reality we were going backwards. We beat Adelaide & Freo at their lowest ebb, were underwhelming against GC x2, scraped home against a couple of the worst Brisbane & Port sides ever assembled, our 2 good wins were against Richmond (who went past us later) & Essendon in the middle of a form slump. The only decent side we got within a bull's roar of was the round 1 draw with Sydney (who we beat by 74 points in our previous meeting. The rest of the year was marred by thumpings, tactical ineptitude & basically failing every test possible. 186 was the straw that broke the camels back but there were other embarrassing losses too; we lost by 10 goals to a crap Bulldogs team when finals were on the line. Nuffies also point to Neeld's quotes about being the "hardest team to play against" & wonder why it hasn't been the case in his first year. Like it was some iron clad promise to do it overnight. They fail to recognise just how crap the list is. Much is made of CAC's inability to net us a star from 2000-2006 but out of the rebuild years 07-11 we only really have Trengove, Grimes & Clark as keepers with the latter two having a fair share of injury woes. Apart from that the list is stacked with tweeners, failed picks & injury prone kids who lack experience. Blease 18/84 matches since drafted Gysberts 19/62 Strauss 15/84 Tapscott 25/62 The above are all early draft picks who haven't played nearly enough games. This is a major part of the problem.

Yeah, not sure I agree with that. If Schwab could see we were going in the wrong direction and interfered in trying to right the ship, I'm not sure I have a problem with that. In fact, I commend it. It's his role to have the right people in place to do the job, and if he sense they aren't doing it right, he needs to take action. Maybe the action taken wasnt the best course, but these things are never clean and agreeable. By now it is obvious Bailey wasn't heading in the right direction. And what damage? Maybe damage to the perception of him from the outside. It's obviously not damaged his ability to perform his role, judging by his recent results. And what wounds? Who is wounded? The players? Suck it up & play. Don't worry about the CEO - the tail does not wag the dog. And I doubt they care, as long as he is not interfering with the football dept. The coaching staff? There's barely anyone left! Anyway, you've answered the question yourself. I suggest if any senior players have an issue with him, it's in their best interests to concentrate on their own performance instead, or else they'll soon be on the scrap heap. The board? They reappointed him!

What is Gysberts lacking? Fitness. Can he work on that at Casey? Yes. Dropped.

The writing was on the wall for Brad. And he's man enough to recognise when to finish rather than hang on and let a very good career finish with less sizzle. He's probably also in the know of the club's intentions in manouervering post season. He's put the club first. A club that's allowed to let him play and represent melbfc 255 times and be one of the greats for the club.That's a sign of man who has his head screwed on right. Hopefully the club has a role for him in some regard to remain with the club. Oh, btw Green has stated in his press conference after talking to his family and peers, that it was "the right time"...but I don't expect people like Bluey, or even Greg Denham to absorb this fact.

The two things that frustrate me with the interpretation is that prior op is variable & punishes the ball winner for "slowing down" play. Jones on the weekend was a classic example, he roved a tap, was gang tackled almost before he had the ball & was ridden into the ground with no chance of getting rid of the ball. Holding the ball. The other is incorrect disposal & how seemingly "making an attempt" constitutes disposing the ball properly. The result is an ugly rolling maul with players just dropping & throwing the ball & 44 players confined to one area of the ground. It's awful to watch. It seems as though the "logic" is: win the ball = punished. Drop or throw the ball at the slightest hint of physical contact = making an attempt, play on!

Some nuffies treacle coat this year by claiming that winning 3 games this year (2 of them against GWS and GC and playing Essendon at their lowest ebb) is in reality going forward. Imagine that.

So as you were sitting on your couch and you found out that Barry Prendergast had left, I assume you sent your resume into the Club chasing the position, but then had to turn down the job when it was offered to you because you were too busy being a comedian

Ahhhh, the optimism of youth! I like it YDE. Don't let the bastards grind your energy down!

Lost me.

This thread is purely for the blue sky junkies, of which I'm not always a member, but I need to dream. Also, despite this season being our annus horribilis, the following prospects aren't completely without merit. I consider this season over come grand final day and thus the curse of this season will also be over - just in time for trades/drafts. And I'm sick of talking and reading about tanking. Club politics isn't really my thing, even though I have contempt for some previous key stake holders. In another thread I've shied away from getting Cloke purely because of the cost, but today I'm going to embrace the idea on the basis that the list management team headed by Tim Harrington have carefully planned for free agency and can manage such a "purchase". I'm also going to assume that we get Viney in the second round. Possibilities: 1/ In - Cloke (Collingwood), Caddy (Gold Coast), pick 3, pick 4, Viney Out - Sylvia, pick 13 to Gold Coast 2/ In - Cloke (Collingwood), pick 3, pick 4, pick 13, Viney Naturally this thread isn't concerned with likely delistings or later picks/acquisitions, just pointy end picks and substantial ways of improving the list. The beauty of getting Cloke is that he costs nothing other than the wage. Team: Def: Nicholson, Frawley, Rivers H/B: Grimes, Tom McDonald, Garland Cen: Caddy, Viney, Toumpas H/F: Watts, Cloke, Howe For: Jurrah, Clark, Blease Rucks: Jamar, Trengove, Jones I/C: Martin, O'Rourke, McKenzie, Gysberts New: Cloke, Caddy, Viney, Toumpas, O'Rourke. While not perfect and still with room to improve, this is pretty much a spud free zone. You don't see names such as Bate, Dunn, Petterd, Morton, or teases such as Moloney and Sylvia. It also doesn't allow for others such as Taggert, Tynan, Strauss, Tapscott ... Toumpas and O'Rourke are very highly rated inside and outside contested ball winning mids with pace and elite kicks. Unlike Trengove they're quick and unlike Scully they're great kicks and will be stronger bodied. Toumpas captained SA in the u/18 national championships. Both are predicted to be top 10 draft picks. Most rate Toumpas top 5 and TAC Future Stars on Channel 9 ranked O'Rourke as they're second best prospect. Viney and Toumpas will add instant character and leadership qualities. Trengove and Grimes will welcome young leaders and mids of their ilk. Also, rather than being 17 year olds like Flower and Healy, or even schoolboy draftees of more recent times such as Andrew Walker, Callan Ward, Dangerfield and Jack Watts, these players will play nearly all year as 19 year olds. They'll not be 'A' graders overnight, but they'll impact our group with their class immediately. Note: all three of these guys have better credentials than the highly rated Toby Greene of GWS and he's averaging 26 disposals in his first year. He was a teammate with Viney at Oakleigh Chargers and another first round draft pick only last year. Every single supporter knows there are no guarantees with drafting, but assuming we draft well it's like having Beams, Shuey and Selwood walking into your club. I've seen Viney and his approach to football and the only other mid of recent times that I can liken him to is Joel Selwood. He has the same manic attack on the ball. We lack pace, but straight away we'd gain three young mids with pace. Look at the spine, or goal to goal line: Frawley, McDonald, Viney, Cloke and Clark. It has the potential to be one of the best in the league. Look at the forward-line. With the addition of Cloke I've put Watts back into the forward-line. The two best defenders go to Cloke and Clark, but the opposition have still got to cover Jurrah and Howe as other agile marking options, plus a 196cm Jack Watts. We still need a quality crumbing forward, but I've put Blease in there for now. That is a ridiculous forward-line to match up on. The back-line is a little top heavy, even though Garland and Frawley are good at playing on 'smalls'; and we need an elite kick out of defence, such as Suckling, or Guerra, but it's got the makings of a decent back-line. If you can't sway Caddy to come to the club then pick 13 may be retained and a dynamic and fast little player such as Ben Kennedy may still be around. He's a terric small with a booming kick who plays midfield and kicks goals. A midfield in 3-4 years of Jones, Caddy, Trengove, Viney, Toumpas, O'Rourke and possibly Gysberts provides a mixture of pace and hardness, and has the ingredients to be the envy of the competition. Obviously we may not choose Toumpas, or O'Rourke, but that's the type of quality that will be on offer. Forget Cloke's poor year. He's a gun key forward and we've seen enough to know that he and Clark would be a nightmare for the oppostion, especially with quality flankers around them. Supporters mustn't give up hope that we can draft well. At the top end this draft is quality, especially for midfielders. As Terry Wallace said on the weekend, we have a chance to do what the Saints did in 2000 when they picked up Hamill from Carlton, Gehrig from West Coast, and Riewoldt and Koschitzke with draft picks. Current first round mids/utilities gained from drafts: Hodge, Ball, Dal Santo, Hayes, Goddard, Wells, Judd, Murphy, Griffen, Cooney, Thomas, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Selwood, Bartel, Deledio, Cotchin, Stanton, Thompson, Dangerfield ... Just look at the names. All of these players were first round draft picks. And you can add 'in demand' players such as Boak, Caddy and our own Nathan Jones as other first rounders. This year there will be players of similar quality and we have a chance to get two (three if we use pick 13), plus Viney if he comes in the second round. The possibilities to change the course of this club are enormous. Do other supporters share my belief that this club can be transformed quicker than a lot of the general public, or media commentators envisage ? Btw, I know I'm not the only supporter with this type of hope. I'm just one of many. But just as certain there will be some that consider such blue sky scenarios only fit for the land of the fairies. If we can't get Cloke we need some other mature key forward to improve our structures and to help Clark. I'm excited by the opportunities ahead. *If mods would prefer this thread on the draft board naturally they'll move it. I posted here because it's a mixture of blue sky with our core list, as well as drafts/trades.

I don't know about anyone else but I am quite disturbed by Jeff Geischen's comments in this article: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/gieschen-rule-hasnt-changed-20120808-23ums.html For him to contend that Cyril Rioli didn't warrant a free kick in the dying minutes of last Friday night's game demonstrates he has completely lost touch with the way holding the ball ought to be interpreted. For mine it was a clear-cut case of prior opportunity and a good tackle resulting in the ball being dispossessed illegally. My advice to the AFL would be to look at whoever is acting in the similar role for the VFL, and get them involved at AFL level. Because if you ever watch a VFL game you'll quickly realise that their umpires: reward the tackler if there has been prior opportunity; don't wait 10 seconds before blowing the whistle when it's obvious a ball-up should ensue; don't ping blokes who are first to the ball and get wrapped up straight away; and generally umpire with no ego and just use their common sense as they seem to have a good feel for the game. Not an MFC issue obviously, but I wanted to see if others feel similarly because for me it's one of the most frustrating things about the 2012 version of our great game.

Late last year I mentioned that I watched this young man strut his stuff in the finals of the under 18 comp. He rucked, played back and starred in the forward line during the finals. He was picked upas a rookie and it is intended that the Bulldogs will announce that he will play against Richmond this weekend.All the best to this Timorese born young man.

I doubt anyone needs a reminder that our captains are just babies, but this point really drives it home. Especially when in my mind Grimes is the "senior" captain but has played 5 less matches than his younger co-captain. Best of luck in your 50th Jack.

Gieschen is hopeless. He's borderline incompetent. Maybe he's outright incompetent. He's just invented a new rule out of thin air: the "blindsided" rule. Last year he invented the "natural arc" rule for when kicking. Gieschen has championed this concept of "interpreting" the rules, when he should be going the other way. The idea that rules need "interpreting" is bulls---. If they need interpreting, they're poorly written. What hope do the umps have in consistently applying the rules when the top bloke doesn't seem to know what day it is?

this is the fundamental disagreement - they have nothing to GAIN by doing it either, they can ONLY lose (a loss being forced to take Viney for a pick higher than his value) Sheedy: Melbourne will clearly take Viney at 3, I'm 95% sure, so lets screw them over by nominating him, it will be fun Chocko: Well what if that 5% is justified and they say 'fine take him'? Sheedy: We'll be forced to take him Chocko: Even though we have 6 or 7 blokes ahead of him on our shopping list? You want to risk that just to F with the Demons Sheedy: Yeah if it turned out like that it would suck wouldn't it? Chocko: It certainly would you senile old turd. Get back to the media room while the big boys talk about recruitment.

His preparation might not be up to scratch? There are standards and expectations now... I like Gys and I hope he lifts.

I think that this post kind of contradicts itself, Pates.

I don't agree with these assumptions at all ... Chances of Gold Coast nominating Jacky Viney 5% - GC have had a horrible year and can't afford to get too smart and they don't want Viney full stop. Chances of GWS nominating Jack Viney 95% - Sheedy, Silvagni and Allan's modus-operandi is being too smart, vindictive and conniving. And just for good measure ... Chances of MFC taking Viney at pick 3 if he's nominated = 100%

You forgot the major glaring problem with the Jones decision apart from what you said and the thing that DRIVES ME INSANE. Schmidt made the decision and he was on the boundary line side of the contrast- Jones back was facing him as he was on his side with the ball locked in facing the Southern Stand.Schmidt had no idea if the ball was in Jones grasp or 3 feet away from him. "Not getting the ball out" should not defined by whether it clears congestion or not but whether or not the player no longer has control of the ball - not to mention that the umpire cant see if opposition players are holding it under or into the player who pulled it in. Not knowing where the ball is, is no basis to make a decision If you are on the wrong side of the contest, Mr Umpire, you are guessing- I repeat guessing. Schmidt - on the Jones decision you were guessing as you could only see Jones back and nothing more. GUESSING - ARRGGGHHHHHHH

As I've mentioned in another thread, Malthouse at the end of his first season as coach traded, retired, or delisted 13 players. These players included former captain Gavin Brown (retired), stalwart Gavin Crosisca (retired), Shane Watson (retired), Paul Williams (traded) Mal Michael (traded), and Sav Rocca (traded). Do you have your answer ? Malcolm Blight walked into Adelaide and ruthlessly delisted Tony McGuiness, Andrew Jarman, Greg Anderson and Chris McDermott, two of whom were former captains, including the incumbent. He went on to coach them to two flags, but having read a post of yours on another thread it seems the flags wouldn't have given you much comfort. Right now Melbourne is a soft target and the media will take any opportunity to rub our noses in it. When Blight prematurely sacked players it was considered brilliant and visionary, when we do it we're kicked in the head as being disloyal, or ill-considered. Hogan in today's The Age couldn't even get Junior's age right. He was a couple of months off 34, not a couple of months beyond 32. Ultimately this is a results driven business. We'll keep getting our heads kicked until we start putting wins on the board. My advice to supporters is to give Neeld his turn at developing the list and club he wants. In due course you'll get your chance to see whether it has paid dividends, or not. Second guessing his every move at this early stage is fruitless and pointless. And stop listening to every negative comment in the media. They're usually without foundation.

Yyyyyyeeeeesssss....

Just as Geelong did when they played Cameron Ling?

With so much crap clogging the boards may as well bump a good thread. My blue sky scenario: Draft: Grundy, Toumpas, Garlett & Viney Recruit/Trade in: Cloke, T Banfield, L Greenwood Moloney & Jamar to return to form. Clark & Jurrah injury free as well as Gysberts & Taggert to be most improved at the club. Team B: Greenwood - Frawley - Garland HB: Rivers - T McDonald - Grimes C: Trengove - Moloney - Viney HF: Howe - Cloke - Watts F: Banfield - Clark - Jurrah R: Jamar - McKenzie - Jones I: Sylvia - Gysberts - Taggert - Garlett Depth: Martin, Gawn, Grundy, Toumpas, Blease, Strauss, Nicholson, Sellar, Evans, Tapscott, Davey, Davis, Bail, Bartram, Tynan, Magner

Excellent post and anybody that can get "dickwittery" into their post deserves two likes, but alas it's not an option.

Ball !!!

Or at the very least one 'Mark Neeld circlejerk superthread' where the 'I believe in Neeld' crew & the 'OMG I can't believe we're not the hardest team to play against yet. Sack Mark Neeld!' mob can continue masturbating in & stop clogging up the boards with 50 threads on the same effing topic?! Oh as well as permabans for anyone who let's their ego get the better of them by posting a new thread on it!?

How were they travelling in 2005? They were [censored] & their nuffy equivalents were calling for Clarkson's head. Sound familiar? Sure there were. Clarkson inherited a list of Crawford, Croad, Sewell, Campbell, Osborne, Bateman, Mitchell & Hodge who were all key parts of their premiership side. He also added the likes of Franklin, Roughead, Lewis & Rioli in the drafts. Neeld is 5 minutes in & has inherited crap. Ever heard of Kevin Sheedy, Mick Malthouse? Masters of deflection & excuses. Their subtlety would probably be lost on the likes of you though. I don't know about that. But perhaps the club should offer a service for some supporters to voluntarily have "nuffie" stamped on their forehead?

You shouldn't be "worried" about this. The AFL landscape with these new franchise sides demands that they'll snap up the odd veteran to serve in that type of role. Good luck to Brad if he can get a gig doing that. We should be more "worried" about assembling a forward line that can do the business against the Hawthorns, West Coasts and Geelongs of the footy world.

Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney made what was virtually the identical point on AFL Insider about his team. However, if that's the basis on which one is comparing 2012 with 2011 then one needs to have the stats for both years. My guess is that this only answers part of the question with training and conditioning, injuries and the need to adjust to a completely different style of play also being factors with some of them being interrelated.

Young Dee and Old Dee bonding and talking up a brighter day. It warms the cockles

I can't agree reading from the same handful of people that our list is awesome and we won 8 games last year is highly entertaining. It's right up there with the shire in terms of entertainment value.

Agree with your sentiments cfh I wrote the below last night. But alas today is looking similar "Must be me but Demonland is depressing the crap out of me tonight. Being negative is natural in our current position But the vitriol from some people leaves me in dismay. Tomorrow I hope will be better. Goodnight. "

Where's your evidence for this? Please list the dispirited players and the evidence that that informs you they are dispirited.

Just about clears our name actually...cool. Will Mike Shehan comment? Or Roosy??

Forget Gys and Blease - Viney is well ahead of them. Howe and Sylvia are predominantly forwards at this stage and while I can see Howe being a midfielder in 2013 and onwards (Ryan O'Keefe please?) Viney will have him next year pretty well covered as a midfielder. McKenzie is an interesting one and the only possibility to push Viney out of the top 5, assuming Moloney is fit, firing, signed up, and in a good head space (which is quite a bit of assuming). I still would rate Viney in the top 5 in Rd 1, 2013.

lol I honestly don't know why you, and those that would 'like' this post, continue to give input on this place. It's as if one has found a bar full of likeminded people and pop in, say something designed to raise the ire, get into a fight, then [censored] off after the vast majority keep the person from being pummelled as they know the uselessness of getting into such a situation. The only issue with doing this here is that software moves rapidly and has evolved to include a function that allows people to filter out the ramblings of those so inclined. So I guess the pub will soon start to ignore you in ever increasing numbers until the other place is back up and running again. *Click on your username at the top of the page and select 'Manage Ignore Prefs' - put in the appropriate user and don't thank me, thank Andy (Demonland) for the software upgrade.

If it is you might want to reconsider your choice of avatar photo

ashdemons22 = Ash Close?

Great servant to this club and would like to say thanks for his efforts, good luck in retirement Greeny, sorry I have another commitment and wont get to farewell you against Freo but hope to take my kids to your final training run to say goodbye

That wasn't leaked, it was blasted by Mifsud through his mates.

I reckon Neeld will revolutionise Melbourne and be the turning point in our history, he may not be the coach who takes us all the way (or he might) but he will change the way we approach football and for the better.

Pretty much what he has been accused of at Freo and at Melbourne is interfering in the football department. The Geelong saga last year got put down to the players giving up in a game as they were sick of the interference from Schwab and the position it put Bailey in. Really though you could easily put this down to a desperately Bailey who meant well but eventually needed a fall guy for his own shortcomings. However the Cameron Schwab when Bailey was coaching was very vocal and talked a lot of footy in his whiteboard wednesday segments amongst other things like his twitter and very football based blueprints. He has now stepped away from doing as much and let the football department represent itself, coming out only when necessary such as the Jurrah issue and Neeld racism issue. He's let McLardy be a spokesman for the administration and I agree McLardy has done a decent job in asserting himself at the right moments. Unless we have been duped the facts are that Schwab and his crew have done a decent job off the field with AAMI park, Casey and the bank balance. However, if there is suggestion of ongoing interference it is so disabling for the club that I'd change my opinion on him. I'm inclined to think Schwab has become wiser and learnt from his mistakes, be they real of perceived and that the likes of Todd Viney, Neil Craig, Healy and Mark Neeld will be strong characters who can enforce boundaries and keep strong relationships. All in all its much easier to commit to Schwab now with a steady (yet abysmal) on field and football department than it is when things are up in the air. But from the outside looking in I'd say he is the best candidate for CEO.