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Look he's finished as coach. I wouldn't bother dancing on his grave. He has not got a clue whats going on and has no idea how to fix it. This list has gone so far backwards under this guy its now a tragedy. Jackson needs to move and put him out of his pain.

Maybe Garry Lyon can sit out on the next coach being appointed.

I don't know if it's neeld to blame, or not, i just know this forum is more interesting than our games. It feels like we are all prisoners talking through the walls to each other

Disclaimer: I really think Grimes in particular had stepped up the captain stakes this year & still have faith Trenners will once he's 100% right. I don't wan this to degenerate into another thread bagging the footy department for their choices for captain. I think the whole footy world can see we've put a lot of pressure & responsibility on 2 very young blokes, rightly or wrongly, and most of us agree it is wrongly. This is a thread to celebrate my favourite player Nathan Jones! I've been a huge Jones fan since day 1, he's been much maligned prior to recent years, I think too much was expected from him too early, especially given the culture he walked into (sound familiar). Today he gets his chance to lead the boys officially and I reckon he is going do a sensational job of it!! I don't care what jumper he followed as a kid, right now he is the bloke who really bleeds for the club, literally & figuratively. Good luck Jones, you have worked very hard & deserve it, go smash em today boys!!!

I sure picked a bad week to quit smoking...

So proud of the boys today. Just couldn't fault their effort. Fantastic performance; absolutely no shame in being beaten by such a highly esteemed opposition. Well done lads, you did the club proud.

Where to from here? Straight to Paul Roos' house with the war chest.

"You have got to get your footy right first and build the rest of it afterwards," Jackson said. "Apart from Neil Craig, people are generally inexperienced at their job, not everybody, but generally," Jackson said. "The CEO should support football and not be in football," Jackson said. Halle-[censored]-lujah.

I seriously feel sorry for Mark Neeld..The Job of lifting this club is far too big for an inexperienced coach. 100 less possessions and HALF THE TACKLES...This team needs the best coaches in the land. Mark Neeld i am sure you thought you could do the job, but it is to big for you No shame in leaving mate....i will buy you a beer. As i said elsewhere the problems of this club were never properly addressed after 186 That is the job of Peter Jackson to start pulling the layers back. Mclardy & the Board must walk ASAP.

Yep. I'm off the Neeld bandwagon for good. His so-called "reality bus" was all a big sham.

Lyon is already hiding under a rock, his tune has changed massively over the last six weeks, as he now refers to himself repeatedly as viewing the Club "as a supporter", and not as one of half a dozen people on the sub-committee that appointed this Coach. While there is inevitable pain that comes with appointing a new Coach, I still believe that our job was the best of the ones available at the end of 2011. A list four years into a rebuild that had shown promising signs, stacked with 1st and 2nd round draft picks, most of who had 40-60 games under their belt. The new Coach also was to receive significantly increased funding in the footy department and was going into a club that had wiped a truckload of debt in as quick a time as any club has. Were there issues? Certainly. A need for a more consistent defensive mindset was the most pressing one. But with a young list a teaching Coach could introduce that side and built on an already solid attacking area. Unfortunately the Neeld appointment was the result of a deeply flawed process and has clearly produced a deeply flawed Coach. The biggest issues, most of which have built on each other: - Sacking the Leadership Group before having Coached a game (no doubt on the advice of those who the Leadership Group wanted removed before 186) - Appointing two young Captains way before they were ready - Introducing a robotic game plan not suited to the list that had been recruited - Mixed messaging in public (hardest team to play against vs rebuilding a rebuild) - Mixed messaging in recruiting and list management (Sellar/Pederson/Rodan/Byrnes In for Moloney/Rivers out vs rebuilding a rebuild) - Reduced levels of fitness since the start of 2012 - Reduced levels of skill since the start of 2012 There has been enough evidence to suggest major problems both on and off field when it comes to the Coaching. I've had reservations since last year which were made bigger by what we saw in Round 1 but today was just completely unacceptable. And to hear in a post match press conference that the "body strength" of Gold Coast got us - please. 100 less disposals, 30 less contested possessions, around half as many tackles. Unacceptable. The easy answer is to wait until the end of the year, but a change must be made immediately, our club cannot continue without any accountability for the massive drop in the last 18 months.

Won the clearances, rebound 50's.... And clangers.... Sorry for my earlier posting. "Don't worry we will win this" was auto corrected on my iPhone. What I meant to say was "good to see some rainfall in western Victoria, hope it passes through with good snow coverage for falls creek and mt hotham." Alright I've gotta admit though, as an overly optimistic, trusting supporter, the positive's I can draw from today were "when our playing group see Clark, grimes, trengove, hogan, Dawes, toumpas and potentially Dion prestia and/or daisy Thomas in the team, we will all walk taller" well pessimistic me found the voice to say "well Jordy Mckenzie will probably be grey headed by then, sellar could pull in a mark and nicho/macca could kick a drop punt to position." Then the "well I told you so" voice in my head reminded me that I used to follow Geelong as a wee 9 year old, but after gazza snr retired, jumped on board a wooden spoon demon outfit. I still remember the fight the dees put up against nth Melbourne on The Friday night prelim in 98 after smashing Adelaide who later won it, I still remember dismantling every team in 2000 with our run, dare and risk taking, (bar the scum), our 2002 semi final loss to the crows where I honestly think we had the group to go all the way, and lets not forget losing to freo when we were undermanned in 2006. I fit in well with all (both) of the fans who still think we will turn the corner quickly and go on a 8-0 run and get in the 8. I still buy my red leg membership even though I rarely get to games because I play on Saturdays and Sundays I get the frozen beans out and lay on the couch. I've always loved the dees, always will. Will always hate Carlton, will always hate essendon. I'll never like another team in the same way I Like Melbourne. But(for lack of better/censored word) GOSH, I genuinely feel worried for the welfare of some players, long term supporters, all of our sponsors, demonland regulars and the statisticians for our tackles/uncontested possessions. The bad thing for our playing group, is we have played all of gws, GC, pa, Brisbane, last years bottom teams bar us, and we are 1-6 with 50%. Sacking mark need has never crossed my mind as I genuinely have thought he could be the bridge to our clubs gap, he could be the leader to throw enough challenges down that cleared the dead wood and got the best out of players. What I watched tonight was Lyndon Dunn, James frawley and Jordy Mckenzie do nothing to increase their trade value, James sellar, Shannon Byrnes and Rohan bail do nothing to to stay on the list, and our coaching department do very little to get the best out of pickles Evans, Matt jones, Strauss tapscott and terlich's run, nor did they look after the endeavour of jones (dirty night) Sylvia (the guy genuinely wants to do the best and stay at Melbourne). The biggest disappointment is how played with deficiencies still haven't been coached stronger techniques to eliminate these errors. Jeremy Howe still can't kick for goal, players like Dunn, Mckenzie still turn short handballs over, or when they kick it, it's a bomb down the line. Is it hard to find a 25-35m option across the ground and keep the ball but open up the ground??!? What about our delivery 15m over the top of gawn/Dawes/tapscott after they had lead so hard to get 2m in front position? These are mistakes that haven't changed since Matthew bate, Daniel bell and brad millar used to do weekly. Back in 2007... Where to from here? Do we teach viney, m.jones and toumpas to keep making these underage mistakes? The errors they keep making are not acceptable. Sure all of us would wear a holding the ball or a in the back, but it's so frustrating watching a 30m kick miss it's target by 5 m, generally to a 1 on 3 contest 70 from goal. Can mark neeld tape Geelong, or hawthorn or freo, and show our players how much reward you get from running hard to every contest, wether that contest is 1.5m away, or 150. We always seem to be jogging. With no/low intensity. Last point- 4 or 5 years ago Jordy Mckenzie used to have 5+ tackles a game. Today he had zero and half his teammates had less than 2. How can you stop knowing how to tackle???? Rant/essay done. But please just show some intensity. Some care, some enthusiasm. This guts me every day, not just weekends.

Our list *is* bad, but it isn't 148 points to Essendon bad and it isn't 60 points to Gold Coast bad. We've got at least half a dozen players playing well below their best.

Mckenzie is a tagger and not a bad one at that. So why in hell is he being played in the midfield as a ball winner? He can't get the footy and he can't kick it. Should only tag. Dunn showed some form down back before injury. He trained down back all pre season. Neeld then decides to make him a tagger on one of the best players of all time. Yeah that will work. Dunn and Mckenzie in the midfield made me want to take a blowtorch to my eyes.

Are you for real? He sets the match ups, and the tactics and the pre match selection and it is his job to motivate the players and get them to play to an acceptable level without and without the ball. Our list is not great but it is far more talented than the rubbish it serves under this coach.

I care - I'm shattered.

Time to give the guy driving the reality bus a breath test.

WYL my 7 year old jumped on board the filth in 2011 and I took my two boys to the game. My 5 year old Dee who is going through that faze of idolising his big brother asked if he could wear one of his brothers older jumpers and he did. We went to the game and the younger boy had a Pies jumper on but also wore his Dees beanie and scarf, I started thinking here I go I'm slowly losing another 1, but whilst walking back to the car he said, Dad I enjoyed that but I will be more interested when we come back in two weeks when Melbourne play.

In an uncharacteristic show of solidarity and support the Melbourne Football Club (MFC) Board has decided to put to bed the rumours and innuendo surrounding there beleaguered senior coach and extend Mark Neeld's contract to the end of 2015. Neeld's original contract was for three years up until the end of 2014, but the Board unanimously voted to extend Neeld's contract by another year to reinforce the message that, contrary to popular belief, the ailing club was going to stay the course in its rebuild. Recent media reports linking the Former Swans coach Paul Roos to the club have contributed to this bold move by the board, this and the unanimous support shown by the MFC players and Football department whom have all rallied around there Senior Coach. Rumours about AFL intervention have been quashed by the AFL CEO earlier this week who emphatically denied the AFL have any involvement in moves to replace a coach of one of its member organisation. The above is not a real article but what I would be doing if I ran this club. Why? Because at some point this club "needs to grow a pair". Stop being pushed around by the Media and others and show some real grit. I have watched and read some of the defeatist carry on on these boards about sack the coach and starting again because its all too hard. Because apparently Roos or Williams or Worsfold are magically going to make this team better. Yeah Right pull the other one its got bells on it. Well I still have faith in Neeld and the team he has gathered, I am happy with incremental improvements because soon the steps will be become great strides and the players and people we have at the club will be forged into "The Hardest Football Team to Play" I support Neeld because he has chosen to take the hardest route to success. He is recruiting the type of players that knows that you need work hard if you want to win. He has made choices based on what is proven and not on what is easiest or guesswork. The systems and plans he has set in place will make this team be successful and it will ensure sustained success. Quite frankly I think it sucks that we are not winning but unlike some I look for the little positives that are becoming ingrained into the ethos of the team. Work hard, hunt the ball and never drop your head and Play out the game. Sorry mods for starting a whole new thread but I just wanted to start a positive thread on our Coach rather than get my message lost in the Negativity that is being said about MN.

I can't believe he brought up our inexperience this week. I can't believe he mentioned we were weak around the contest after not bringing in Magner. He deflected answers for 10 minutes then Jones gave a clear account of what happened in 2.

Why would you wait until mid season? Its gone past embarrassing now.

What hurts so much is that Gold Coast won the game in the first goddamn quarter!!!! We never got a sniff after that! Absolutely [censored] humiliating .... my dog has puked better performances after eating his own [censored]

Come on Stuie, this goes far far deeper than just Neeld. Blaming one person is too easy. We are all well aware of your constant anti-Neeld ranting. He had not been a great choice, but our downfall is not all his fault. There's many Melbourne people who will be madly ducking for cover this week, and Neeld will probably fall, but to say that's all there is to it, that it is his fault is just plain simplistic.

The man waving the white flag in the last quarter, sums it up really.

I can't honestly believe that after today we can find a single reason for keeping Neeld. I was happy to sack him later in the year, but this team is now at breaking point. No good will come from keeping this coach for weeks on end with a death sentence shadowing his every move.

Anyone got the number for beyond blue

Relax, We've got this

Viney just smashed through someone and kept going leaving him ko,d. That kid is a Sherman tank.

Jack Viney and Max Gawn

Do the honourable thing Neeld! Walk tonight!

No Pederson, no Melbourne

In an uncharacteristic show of solidarity, support and co-operation, Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson and Collingwood President Eddie McGuire have jointly announced to the football world that effective from midnight tonight, the two clubs will be swapping coaches. Mark Neeld will now see out his current coaching contract with the Magpies until the end of 2014 and Nathan Buckley will take over at the Demons. Jackson would make no further comment other than that in arriving at his decision, he placed great weight on the views of Melbourne supporters on the Demonland and Demonology fan sites citing their superior knowledge of the ingredients necessary to make a great coach. Likewise, McGuire said that he had taken note of the views of the Magpie Army which, after the Fremantle debacle, was demanding blood and the replacement of Buckley with a coach whose game plan more closely resembled that of the previous coach Mick Malthouse. "In that respect, Mark Neeld who was responsible for devising the game plan and strategy that got us to the 2010 premiership was the obvious choice." The move which was gratefully accepted by both men, is the the first straight swap of coaches in the AFL/VFL since David Parkin and Robert Walls changed roles at Fitzroy and Carlton respectively in the 1980s. Recent media reports linking the former Swans coach Paul Roos to both clubs are believed to have contributed to this bold move by Jackson and McGuire. Both men are apparently wary of appointing as coach, someone who reportedly instructed a player not to kick a goal in a NAB Cup game several years ago. "We can't tolerate people in our competition who do things for a joke these days," said McGuire. Jackson said the exchange would be made easier thanks to the fact that each of the coaches will only have to "move their desks 500 metres down the road". Other than that he suggested that he foresaw few changes to the way the team would be organised but that it was hoped that better results were just around the corner. He would not comment on a rumoured player swap involving Daisy Thomas and Dane Swan coming to Melbourne next year in exchange for Cameron Pedersen and Jack Watts." The above is not a real article and isn't what I would be doing if I ran this club. I just thought it was an interesting idea that, like most of what I've been reading lately, won't fly

As a paid up member all I will say is this. To those entrusted with the accountability to run the MFC you have failed those who trusted you.

Yeah, he was in the box coaching it. Seriously, if you still think Neeld is the man you CLEARLY have no idea about football. The end.

Mark Neeld should now do the right thing and resign.

Sack the coach and let the players play man on man footy, and tell them to just take the game on.

14 secs that will cheer you up

FFS, this is the worst coaching performance I have ever seen. The players are playing with no spirit, no confidence, and breathtaking incompetence. Please for the sake of our club, cut out the cancer, save our club, get rid of this hopelessly under qualified coach. I demand the board dump him forthwith,

Healy said at the 5 minute mark of 1st quarter that the players are mentally beaten. Anyone who thinks this coach needs to stay after today, just cant reason.

Bing, with all due respect, I couldn't give a shite about the Suns. It's impossible to go wrong when you're handed an entire age group.

Cya later Worst coach in the history of the game.

Jack Viney 15 disposals, 5 clearances, 4 tackles We must get a proper coach and development staff so that this young gun reaches his full superstar potential

Just watched the video and, I have to say, I'm really impressed! That said, I can only go by how he sounds and he sounds like he understands what it takes to make an AFL club strong. Key points: Our staff are generally inexperienced. This inexperience is exacerbated by the trauma experienced by the club since 186. It was interesting how fluently he listed the traumas, almost as though he had just read a backgrounding document. He suggested that staff may only be outwardly showing resilience but may be overwhelmed internally. The playing list is also relatively inexperienced. The recovery is straightforward (my word) but it will take time and hard work. He sympathises with us supporters for the challenges that we have faced but suggests that there are no short-cuts. Isn't it great to have someone inside the club make some candid observations and not "gilding the lily". I still believe that Melbourne FC's situation is somewhat the result of some bad decisions but more so the result of some rotten luck. It feels good to have an experienced footy person come into the CEO role to set our direction out of this mire.

I agree re the competition as a whole. I just like seeing Phat Phil and son get their comeuppance

$500,000 thanks to the AFL $250,000 thanks to lawyers and tanking $750,000 for being ordinary

His contract

I'm not sure it does. Jim's legacy will be getting the club out of debt but unfortunately there were some bad decisions made during his time that have effected the on-field performance of the club which in turn will effect the financial performance of the club. A catch 22. At least we are in a position to absorb the loss even though it will hurt.

"He would not comment on a rumoured player swap involving Daisy Thomas and Dane Swan coming to Melbourne next year in exchange for Cameron Pedersen and Jack Watts." As if we'd exchange Pederson and Watts for those hacks!!!

It's fascinating to really understand what Jacksons role is, and who he really answers to. If he's truly been put in by the AFL then I suspect it won't look good for Neeld and the Footy Department. It'd take a brave, and perhaps foolish political, move to tell the AFL that everything is in fact going swimmingly even though we only won 4 games for the year (again). I don't think we are going to be illuminated much by tomorrow's interview. He'll say all the right things and I'm sure tell us that he's been impressed by the endeavour and passion at the club and is looking forward to helping us become as effective and efficient as possible over his tenure. I'd love to know what he's telling Vlad though.