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I'm not sure if it's been referred to here but Russell Howcroft introduced Peter Jackson to a group of members yesterday in the Ryder (?) room. I never expected to attend a MFC meeting where the depth of feeling from the membership base was as ugly, aggressive and in a sense disrespectful to our appointed officers as at the Dallas Brooks Hall in 1996, but in its own way it was even worse. This was not a meeting that was organized with well drawn battle lines but a regular event where a Board member informally addresses the members. Jackson said nothing different in this meeting to what he'd said all day in his media blitz and while the members welcomed his honesty and common sense they turned on an inept Howcroft. It started with Jackson telling us of a dysfunctional Football Department with no clear lines of responsibility or reporting and an administration which was similar. These comments, while not mentioning Schwab or the Board, were scathing as he outlined that the clear principles of Governance and operations had been ignored, misunderstood and abused. A member of the audience turned to Howcroft and asked how this Board had allowed all this to happen in the 4 or 5 years of their watch. Howcroft dodged the question saying as a member based organization we could all stand for election. He has an unfortunate manner and his smugness and lack of empathy with the mood of the audience led to interjection and abuse being hurled at him and the rest of the Board. Jackson clearly understands footy. He immediately engaged the members. He knows what a good footy club looks like. He understands Boards, Administration and corporate structure. He knows this Board is a failure. In 2008 Jim Stynes and Don McLardy approached the Gardner Board and told them they were out of ideas and needed to move on for the betterment of the MFC. To the Gardner Board's eternal credit they recognized a better Board, read the tea leaves and saved the Club from a battle that would achieve nothing. It's time for Don and his merry men to look in the mirror, remember history and now identify a better Board and stand aside. They have reduced this club to its lowest ebb in history and made it the most unattractive of propositions. They can do one good thing - find a better alternative and move on. What makes this absolutely painful is that some of us have recognized the clear failings of Don, Schwabby and his merry men for ages. Anyone with any training or experience in how business work could see this. And yet this Board who have so much individual talent couldn't. I'll never understand that. There is no doubt their hearts were in the right place but the damage they've done is incalculable.

By all means, run for the board. By all means, get a ticket together. But don't expect a group of Demons to go searching for their alternatives. I am certain that Jackson will restructure the FD and the admin and that inexperience an duplicated roles will fall victim to that. I am also confident that McLardy will step aside. But to ask the board to find their own ousters? If there are some impressive Demons out there with enough time to dedicate to the cause then they can make their intentions known and run for the board. I refuse to believe that renewal requires a bloodbath. This board is not the enemy, not will their ousters be our saviour. We are in this mess together and we have to maintain whatever small amount of influential, dedicated Demons that we can. I want to see a new President maintain the bulk of the current AFL-endorsed board, add whatever individuals impressive enough to the board, keep/hire an industry standard CEO, and structure an efficient FD with a head coach that everyone gets behind. That is the platform for 2014 and the long march to relevance.

Unfortunatley i can take plenty more of this rubbish, because im emotionally invested in the club and no amount of losing will change that!

Agree with you RR entirely. The AFL would be greatly embarrassed by our position. We are non competitive and a non viewing TV option. That hurts the AFL. We are also unbalancing the ladder, by who we play. I can see the AFL quietly "directing" other clubs to not poach MFC players this year. I can see us getting not 1 PP but maybe 2 or even more depending on our finish to the year and where the PP's are placed. I don't think you would get that much argument from the other clubs given our situation and their need to keep the AFL happy. I can see us getting a large AFL grant to pay off the extraordinaries this year, like the fine, the CEO termination , the Coach termination and any other staff terminations. I can see some help from the AFL on sponsorship in some way. I can see another favourable draw next year. I can see the AFL leaning on certain personnel to join the club. I can see Jackson staying on well after his suggested 6 months, to get the ship going the right way. As I have said previously I think we are in bed with the AFL now and clearly need to be and this will provide a lot of help. I pray to God Jackson gets the right people in place in the right structures and that they all do a brilliant job, that is our only hope.

Loved hearing from Jackson. It was the highlight of the week. Everyone should listen to his interview on MMM where he outlays the problems and what he calls simply but not quick solutions. I've represented it in image form. The first image is the problem. The second is the solution. None of this will make us play better this week. That's up to the players. It won't even make us better this year, thats on the players and coaches, but if we have to solve our long term problems the first steps will be changing the flow of the footy department. The second step will be employing people who can fulfill the jobs.

What pleases me the most about Jackson being on board is that he is not tied to the board. He is an experienced CEO who can provide a direct line in to the AFL; this means he's not only qualified to identify the issues, he's also qualified to report the problems at board level without fear of implications of his own job. I agree with what Jack said - Jackson's arrival is a signal from the AFL that they have zero confidence in the club to sort out its own mess. From that perspective I'm confident we'll see a way through now. I wonder how long Jackson needs to remain the caretaker of the club for? At the very least he needs to be involved in the hiring of the permanent CEO, but I think there is a need for him to see in a new board as well. I'd like to see him leaving a well oiled machine in his wake, but I expect that's too big an assignment for his relatively short tenure. To me this feels like the end of a long, bad relationship. We're emotionally exhausted and financially cactus, but the weight has been lifted and we can start to clean up the bloody mess. I hope so anyway.

I love that interview. In fact, I love this bloody club. Garland is one of my very favourite players.

I'll tell you what, I am loving the sudden trend towards graphs and charts here. If I had any nous with a computer I'd put up a five-columned bar graph with a raised middle bar indicating my current sentiments towards the club.

That may be far easier said than done. Who do you know that is smart, steeped in corporate ways, succesful, wealthy, has time to devote and is motivated enough to drink from the poisoned chalice? Oh yes, you need to find several of them not just one.I feel that this Board would walk, as the previous one did, if there was a viable alternative. I would imagine they are devastated at the current situation. PS. Lets also not forget one positive while we are sinking the boots in, this board, together with their mates and other supporters, wiped off a $5million debt left by the previous Board. I don't blame the previous Board for that, as they, as do all Boards, tried to do their best. Nobody deliberately goes onto a club Board to stuff the place up.

When are you guys going to get it? The playing list is the responsibility of the coach. Our list has gone backwards under this hopelessly under qualified coach. At the end of 2011 when there were 4 teams looking for a new coach, Melbourne had by far the most exciting developing list of the 4. The media agreed. We were 4 years into a rebuild with a good smothering of experienced older players with the remainder of the list made up almost entirely of 1st and 2nd round players. The club was in finals contention until late in the season (for the 2nd year in a row), and had some thumping victories. Sure there were some holes and there were issues, but there was also the basis for an excellent developing team. What has happened since this point is nothing short of horrifying. I don't need to rehash in a step by step blow, you have all read it before. What is important to remember is that Neeld is personally responsible for all the stuff ups, poor trading, player management, game plan, etc etc etc. The buck stops with the coach. The leadership style, everything to do with football is the responsibility of the coach. As I first said after 4 rounds last year (and I was smashed for saying this). The appointment of Mark Neeld as coach is the greatest mistake this club has made since the sacking of Norm Smith. I wish my prediction was wrong. The red flags started to shoot up almost from his very first press conference. Anyone who knows anything about management would have started to have serious concerns very early. The way he split the playing group was breathtaking. You cannot understate the damage he has done to the playing group, to the club. I am close friends with one of the player managers who is directly responsible for a number of our better players on our list. I promise that a number of our better players are very seriously considering asking for trades or taking free agency come seasons end. Worse the general AFL community know this, opposition clubs have already started to make moves on our better players. The only chance we have of saving our club from extinction is to sack Neeld today (pretty sure it will happen). Even then the damage he has done may already be terminal. For God Sake cut out this cancer..... Neeld before it kills us.

Why feel sorry for the players. Their actions on the field of play are of their choosing. Regardless of the coach's strengths or weaknesses the players choose whether to chase and tackle. These guys are simply not playing like AFL footballers. I have no sympathy for these coach-killers.

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.

And the nominees for new Messiah are.......... Peter Jackson, for being willing to have a look at us for 6 months Jack Viney for his own misfortune of being the son of Todd and Jesse Hogan, the early front runner because he hasn't actually done anything and won't be eligible to until next year giving us a longer period to cling to hope. Following the norms of demonland we should now pin outrageous hope on one of these 3 turning the cluster around. Previous winners include: Dean Bailey, Mitch Clark, Chris Dawes, Mark Neeld and the new AAMI facility

In light of our general insipidness, i found his honesty and emotion highly intriguing and quite raw. Which is rare in the media trained AFL players of the modern area. Wasn't looking at exactly what he said, it was how he said it. "As a demons fan you need to watch this. No I didn't". No YOU didn't. But the interest in this thread, responses on the official facebook post, responses on twitter, responses on news websites and AFL websites sharing the video, not to mention the TV news stations and radio and TV footy programs discussing the interview suggests that you are the minority.

One thing i like about Jackson is that already when talking about the club he talks about 'we' and uses the phrase 'our club'. Contrast that to Neeld who for months after joining did not use phrases such as we or us or our club.

I've been able to get a transcript of the session. Here it is so you can judge for yourselves. P Jackson addressed a supporter group at half time yesterday introduced by director R Howcroft. Comments included: - My observations? We are a very inexperienced football club, a very inexperienced playing list, a very inexperienced coaching panel, weve got young, inexperienced staff. All of those people have had to deal with some extraordinary pressures over the last 12 months due to external forces.for probably longer than that. - If I can do anything in the short term for them which is to provide a bit of leadership and experience and wisdom that would be a help. I think we need more than just me thoughwe cant have such an inexperienced level we saw that today in the first half of footy - I think our structures are not great in the footy department. Ive said that through the media outlets to anyone who has asked me - What weve got to do as quickly as possible is as a Club earn back respect from the footy world. That is the AFL, its our peer Clubs, its you people. We dont have respect, we dont deserve respect at the moment. We have got to start winning back some respect. Thats not going to come from the scoreboard or the win-loss ratio I dont think. I think its going to be how we do business as a Club. Theres two things I mean by that. One is getting rid of all those external forces that weve had in the last two years. What they are is a matter of public record whether investigations or whatever they have been. Massive massive distractions for the Club and for such young people and young players to have to deal that and with the team they are dealing with and coping with that I just refuse to believe they are able to deal with that and do their best. - The other thing is how we do business. Footy has got to be our number one objective and our core reason for being. I think as footy clubs we probably think well, thats bloody obviousfootball is our number one reason for being. I think sometimes we have a focus in Melbourne which has been effectively about promoting the Club as being a little bit bigger and better and further advanced than what we want to be and up there with the big Clubs in Melbourne. Certainly we want to aim for that but to do that weve got to get footy right first because everything else will naturally follow. I just get a bit of a sense around the Club that we havent been as good at looking at the footy as we could have been. - I think the footy structures are wrong. We have too many lines in the footy department coming up through the CEO/to the CEO which means that fundamentally the CEOs position in (sic) running football and I dont think thats right. I think the CEOs job is to run a football club. Its a very demanding job. Its much broader than just footy and you need to get the very best people you can in to the footy department and you need a really good General Manager Footy Ops running football. We need to achieve that. - Ive been asked numerous times today How will we entice anyone here?. Easy. Its the biggest and best challenge in football at the moment and there are a lot of people out there who like those sort of challenges. Fundamentally thats why I am here. I cant say no to a challenge. So there will be others who will say the same thing. - It looks lamentable out there. I know how you are feeling. Ive seen another footy team play like that one that I was CEO of. Now were 7-1 on top of the ladder and could have easily beaten Geelong on Friday night. It takes time. I am not going to say to you to be patient. Youve been incredibly patient so far but we havent got it right. Weve got to get that right. Weve got to get football as our main reason for being. - I think that Melbourne being the centre of the universe for AFL footy. Its a big challenge. Its a founding Club. Its a proud Club. I think that people will want to come here and get it back up where it should be. The whole of the competition want Melbourne up and about. The AFL want Melbourne up and about. No-one wants this footy club down where we are at the moment. So people will get behind it and we will make it work. So all I can say to you guys is Thank you for your supportthank you for your tolerance. Its not going to be easy. The most we can do with the rest of this year with a view of improving at least on the field for 2014. Q,. With those structural deficiencies that you see in the football department and you mentioned there are too many lines leading to the CEO does that you mean that you suggest that the football department has more autonomy in the way it runs? A. No no. Im not suggesting that. Im just suggesting you need to get very good people into the footy department and a single point of responsibility for the football department being the General Manager Footy Ops. Weve got a lot of very inexperienced people. A lot of people in the Melbourne Football Club dont really know what it is to be in a great football environment and Im talking great being Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn. They are great football environments. Geelongs the greatest but the others are pretty damn good too. We are not structured like them. We dont have.Ill give you a good exampleI dont know if you worry too much about administrators. You probably dont. You probably shouldnt. But Mark Evans who was the General Manager Footy Ops at Hawthorn has come into the AFL to take over that senior role reporting to Andrew Demetriou. Thats how highly thought of he was. We need people in our footy club the players can learn from, be in awe of and get those sort of people right (interjection Mark Evans started at Melbourne Did he well there you go). So weve got to get those sort of people into our footy department I think. Q. Peter Ive heard what you have said but Ive have been hearing this for over 20 years and I accept you have only been here for about a week but I want to address this to Russell. Our coach when he first came to the club said we would be the hardest team to play against. Were playing like bloody wimps. Its time to get rid of HIM! This is crap. (Loud applause). He keeps telling us about our games experience were sick of hearing about it. A. Im sure all thats right. I dont know how to answer that. I wont try to answer that so we are just going to have to work our way through that. I want to draw a line in the sand from the 1st May and say judge us from now on see what we do. Q. On free agency, how do we keep our players like Frawley and Sylvia when they see where we are heading as a Club at the moment. How are we going to entice like Sylvia at the end of the year Frawley, Watts how are we going to keep our good players when they are all going to want to leave because of the fact that they are getting old? A. No answer. Q. Can I direct this question to you sir from the Board. You guys oversaw exactly what Peters just been talking about for a number of years. Im telling you now you blokes are on notice. You will be challenged at the end of the year. Peter you will have to put up with that. But you will be challenged because your performance has been absolutely abysmal. (applause)(interjection this club is where we are because of you guys) A. (Howcroft) Yep. Yep. Of course as a membership based organisation that is more than fair more than fair that people want to challenge for Board seats thats absolutely more than reasonable. Q. Can I ask what we are doing aboutso now that weve announced a $1.5million dollar debt (again). We were $5 million in debt. We got out of it by making the members pay, like, we supported the Club. Now we are in debt again. They promised us that this wasnt going to happen. So whats going to happen to prevent us just going under again? Are you going to ask us to put another $1.5 million to the Club. Do you have a plando the Club have a plan? A. (Jackson) No no. Ive got your point its a fair question. I think were going to have to restructure the administration of the Club. And I think we can do that and get the footy club back on an even keel. With that and the support of the AFL I think we can do that and I dont think well have to go back to the members. Q. Whats the decision making process from now? How much power do you have to make decisions? Who will you make them to and who will implement them? A. The CEO should run an organisation, should make the decisions. The Board should be deciding in my view strategy and policy and then delegating responsibility for that strategy and policy to management to make the decisions to implement it. Thats the way Ive always operated and thats the way I would expect to operate. Howcroft: I just want to say that the Board of the Melbourne Football Club is extremely pleased to have Peter Jackson with us and all lets all give him as much support as we possibly can.

Machine11, I'm really tired of being a Melbourne supporter and being told we are [censored] weak. We are the only reason the club still exists and we will very shortly be asked again to keep the club going. We are the only thing about this club that is AFL standard, and it breaks my heart.

I think it's important that when Neeld goes, the people who appointed him and Bailey go too. If there is no accountability at the top, there won't be accountability anywhere. Players get sacked yearly but what about those who drafted, developed and coached them? I expect Neeld to be just one of many casualties.

Yes Col was laughing at the start of the interview. (probably a nervous laugh though). Let's not forget that all football people, players included, are well schooled and prepared for such interviews. And while Col had a glum look on his face he played each question with a straight bat and gave the % answer. His body language told a different story to some of his answers though!! Personally I understand that the players have to execute the game plan and not drop marks and hit targets etc. but it IS the coaches responsibility to ensure they have the self belief and self confidence to do this once they cross the white line. Clearly at the moment they don't. Neeld is taking good players with potential and turning them into hopeless hacks. And anyone who thinks it is all the players fault alone has clearly never played the game. Confidence is the key and they clearly don't have any of it when it comes to the game plan or the person dictating it. Neeld may be the best football brain and tactician known to man but if he can't get the players playing with belief and confidence then in my opinion his time is up; and he can take his ELITE mindset and stick it where the sun don't shine when he leaves. The rest of the competition might see us as a Silver Spoon club but good old fashioned guts and determination has got this club further than old school ties have in the past and will again in the future. A change is needed. The truth is that a 'rabble' second tier team playing with belief and desire would beat our ELITE demons without too much effort at the moment....and that unfortunately is a sad fact. Go Dees

I attended Sunday with my 17 year old son. We had some big issues to discuss while watching. I spent a bit of energy screaming at McBurney (Strauss running too far - NOT, his refusal to pay over the shoulders & neck to MFC players, pulling out the free before the start of the third quarter... I could go on and on), but had to acknowledge how bad we were. Things got a bit tense between me and the boy at half time. By ten minutes into the third I suggested we leave and try to resolve our dispute. We sat in the car park and talked, then pulled out of the ground just before the final siren. I have never left a game that early before. As we drove home I was thinking I wouldn't be back until we showed drastic improvement. I was very depressed about how far the MFC had fallen. I felt it was only a matter of time before the coach got the flick. That was Sunday night. Before I went to bed I came to another understanding about the football... It was a special thing that I shared with my son! It wasn't all about winning and losing, it was our chance to be together, to share a tradition. I got up Monday morning and checked the fixture. My son's 18th Birthday is next month and I realised that the Bulldogs game is the first opportunity I will get to take him into the Long Room and shout him a beer. I woke him up this morning to tell him to get his collar and tie sorted because we have a very important date coming up, he was rapt. So, we will be there next weekend and whenever the Dees play in town. Coaches will come and go but families, and their traditions, last forever.

Where is Satryconhome when you need him to get us looking on the bright side?! I need him tell us that he has been to training and Jordie McKenzie will be the next Cameron Ling, Fitzpatrick will be the next Wayne Carey, Taggart will be Garry Ablett Jr, and the Kiwi lad will be a mix between Watson/Pendlebury & Cotchin, with a hint of Nic Nat.

You know what, a big part of this IS appeasing supporters, because they're leaving in droves. Without supporters, we fold. Whether it be 5 years or 50, many simply can't justify supporting this team any longer. People need hope and right now there is zero.

I'll do it. I know [censored]-all about running a football club, but I damn well have some empathy with those of us in the 'cheap seats' - after all, I sit in one! EDIT: On that note, I may actually talk to the old man. He's mid-50s, looking to step back from his role in business. He's taken a relatively small gantry crane company and built it into one of the best and biggest companies in the industry over the last 15 years. He left the company in the mid-90s and was headhunted to come back when they were on death's door; resurrected them and they're now expanding overseas. He's also a bloody passionate Melbourne man.

I hope P-Man you differentiate between Neeld supporters & people who don't like quick reactionary decisions being made. I have been consistent since the Essendon game Prior to the Suns game We have a shite midfield - part inherited but also part created by roles I think it was BH I responded to in Round 3 when I said I was losing faith in Neeld, but felt he needed to stay I saw positives against Carlton as we had a dip and seemed desperate but just weren't good enough D'landers picking and twisting things said in a press conference for their argument needs to be defended and clarified for fair topical debate. Same with Stats (Yes Stuie this is directed at you particularly) Post Suns Game I am no longer losing faith in Neeld the faith is extinguished as of quarter time yesterday He is done the team is hesitant and the players are in self preservation mode to scared to make a mistake and make a decision to leave their man and attack the ball, block, sheperd, run to create space or any of your basic 1%ers Lack of inspiration to have the boys up and firing at first bounce Failing to put a player/big man in a floating role till the final quarter and stem the flow. This needed to be done 10 mins into the game The midfield and list still is not top notch but they are that devoid of confidence yesterday they failed to bring the non-negotiables which do not require talent Whatever the club does will cost money, Neeld will not see out the contract so no harm in cutting ties now, whatever the issue is between Neeld and the team is irreversable and action must be taken ASAP The process to select a new coach needs to be done properly and with no stone unturned, this is our last chance and the sooner we start the process the better Peter Jackson's comments over the weekend say a lot really, all facets of the club are a rabble and just because you spend more money than you did before does not mean you will achive success if it is not spent in the correct areas The decision on Neeld is not about finances, yes he has to be paid out but if this continues the hope will be gone, crowd numbers will dwindle even further and the financial side of the argument becomes irrelevant either way We are on our knees and no we are not at Fitzroy stage yet but all hope is almost lost, without hope we have nothing no reason to follow AFL (It's Dees or WAFL for me), no reason to tell our kids to follow the Dees and with no hope no reason to give financially to the club with money which continues to be wasted despite best intentions. Immediate stability needs to be implemented and the CEO/Board need to do that now, show some respect to the senior players we have and invite leadership and input where you sit down and ask them to raise their issues, which can be either addressed or the reasons certain targets/requirements can't be met. Respect given to Sylvia & Frawley may see ownership/committment/buy in to the cause before their agents get offers from outside to good to knock back The next 6 months is the most important in the clubs history and we need to get everything right. At least we have someone in the CEO position who is somewhat unbiased at this stage to make correct decisions and save us from the point of being permanently irrelevant.

It pains me to say it, if the same board and CEO were not appointed by Jim, then perhaps the issues would have been more widely accepted eariler on. Jim was such a powerful and loved figure that the emotional attachment to everything he touched made these guys above critacism

It there is no point sacking Neeld now, than as far as I'm concerned there is no point carrying on with this season. I'm sorry but I cannot go to the footy anymore and watch us play the way we are playing. 13,000 spectators will turn to 10,000 then 5,000 and a $1.5mill loss will quickly turn to $2.5mill. Players will continue to feel utterly hopeless and unmotivated and they will get their managers to start putting out feelers. Now some of you might feel heroic to say "stuff them, they can all go", but the reality is that losing Frawley, or Garland, or Howe or any of these quality players will put us back a further 5 years. You don't just let your best mature players walk out. We did it with Rivers and it seriously hurt us and he is not in the same sphere as Frawley. For as long as Neeld is coaching, it's clear to me that we will continue to be hopeless on the field. We can't afford such hopelessness.

I thought this post on Bigfooty summed up the situation quite well: I've read through most of the thread but I realise that only Melbourne supporters, who watch Melbourne games and who follow the club, week in week out, are in the best position to judge on this. It pains me to admit that I have never seen a AFL coach so clearly out of their depth. I vaguely recall Buckenara being sacked in his second season at Sydney when they were terrible in the early 90's. Peter Rhode was another that didn't last long. Damien Drum had a bad run. But I can't recall any of those sides being playing the the shameful dispirited malaise that is being dished by Melbourne under Neeld. Let me say straight of the bat. I consider our list to be the worst in the league (worse than GWS in terms of future potential). So clearly there are issues other than Neeld. But there is always going to be bad teams in the league, but you could at least expect them on occasion to be competitive. The hallmark of us under Neeld tenure has been a shocking lack of competitiveness usually combined with a galling lack of effort. I really for the guy. His coaching career is ruined. He'll likely go down as one of the worst coaches ever. The powers that be who hired him almost on a whim (looking squarely at you Gary Lyon) have made a catastrophic mistake for which there may be no way out. I really hope he has success in footy eslewhere when he departs. Won't get a senior AFL coaching gig again but hopefully there'll be other opportunities. But all sentiments aside, these are all the reasons he must go. - He has completely disenfranchised the playing group. This started with removing senior players Rivers and Moloney from the playing group and replacing them with two kids, who very clearly are not up the task. He comes in to the club with zero tolerance, scorched earth approach. The kind of militant ideology of the Tommy Hafey ilk. Whilst I appreciate what we wanted to achieve with this...It was quite arrogant, disrespectful and very naive. Without any real knowledge of the playing group calls them soft and lazy " I walked in to a nightmare" - verbatim. I wonder what he'd say if he walked in the club now? In 2011 we were in finals contention for most of it (and there were some very glaring deficiencies of that side too) - but compared to now it feels like a freaking golden era. Obviously thinks all that is required is a strict disciplinarian. He strikes me as completely old-school and unable to communicate, especially with the younger players. Almost all of the younger players have gone backwards under him. Whilst I don't rate our talent, obviously to be drafted into the AFL they must of shown something at some point. Some of the players running around I could barely see playing regular VFL. Watts, Trengove etc - people forget - were developing well a couple of years ago. They're both now completely devoid of confidence, that seems a lot to do with playing under Neeld. I think everyone recognises his off-season recruiting was diabolical. Whilst I do understand where he was coming from, getting more senior experienced players to club, the execution was woeful. Picked up players who were at the end of their careers and unlikely to get a game anywhere else. Picks up Dawes who I have never rated and has been carried by a great Collingwood team his whole career. These recruits looked a huge mistake to anyone from the outside looking in. The is no resemblance of a game plan. He seems now to have dropped his hard-nosed attitude and now just looks completely lost. He has no idea how to turn it around. Every press conference is making me cringe as it just reveals more and more how lost he is. Refuses to shoulder any of the blame. He's desperate and his excuses are become more and more so. I, and many others I see here, am honestly worried for his mental health. That is a ridiculous state of affairs because the club is my priority and I should be absolutely hating him for what he's reduced it to. But I just feel sorry for him, feel sorry for the players. This mess pre-dates all of them. But FFS at some point we have to forget the past, move on and someone take some f***ing responsibilty! I hate that we have to being in a gap-time coach so early in the season. But we cant go on like this. It's destroying the club. I've never seen it in a worse state. This is just an absolute tragedy. I don't have any answers. And neither does Mark Neeld.

Mate, please understand, I mean no disrespect, but surely our on field performances have not affected you that much. WTF?

When will MFC realise that they need a proven coach and stop getting people like Bailey & Neeld to coach. Rocket Eade is the perfect man for the job he has been a decent coach and is proven as well. Do you think he would put up with the rubbish currently being dished up by the players. Okay you may not have talent like other clubs and some of the recent recruiting is a disgrace but having a crack is not a talent thing. WTF was Neeld doing by bringing in Rodan , Byrnes , Gillies and keeping duds like Sellar , Jetta and McDonald on the list for another year. Okay they may have found a couple in Terlich , Jones and l like the look of Kent as well. Sylvia needs to be traded for something decent , l am sorry but this guy is a cancer and just needs to be moved on. Ask anybody who doesn't support Melbourne and they will tell you Jones should have been captain. Grimes & Trengove don't deserve that position and its affected them as well. You need a senior player who can shoulder the responsibility of the ups & downs that happen in a football season. A clean out at the end of the season will happen yet again but it's needed. Get rid of Rawlings , Craig , Brown and Royal. The list is shocking and you have had high draft picks and keep stuffing it up. Looks like leg speed is a problem when the opposition spreads and it wouldn't matter if you had Scarlett or Fletcher in the backline. A decent proven coach has something to work with and supporters can handle losing but having a red hot crack is a non negotiable. From my point of view leg speed is an issue and l cannot believe you didn't look at Sam Dwyer from Port Melbourne. Everybody hates Collingwod but they are smart at recruiting a player like him. He has been knocking the door down for an opportunity for a while now. He uses it okay and has the speed the Demons lack , a late pick in the draft would have got the job done. No they pick up Rodan who was finished and doesn't have the pace anymore and will get delisted at the end of the year. I know some of the supporters who go week in & week out no matter what and they deserve better. I am not a Melbourne supporter but l want to see the Victorian teams strong. I feel for the late Jim Stynes as well , this man doesn't deserve this rubbish those players are putting up atm. For someone who was very ill and still trying to help the club these results are a disgrace. I think the environment has plenty to do with the clubs lack of success over recent years. Hopefully they can keep Peter Jackson at the club for many years to come and l think he will enjoy the challenge of helping you turn it around. I am a Essendon supporter please don't hold that against me. I have watched Melbourne many times this year as l have friends who support them but yesterday was a joke. They were never in the game from the start and its happened so many times this year. I hear the pain from my friends all the time but they are true supporters who continue to buy a Membership each year.

I agree twith the thread title, but disagree on the reasons. I'll explain why. Jackson has come in and straight identified that there are problems with the structures in the club. He spoke about streamlining reporting to the CEO, and also commented that with all those other factors contributing to state of the club AND the playing list, that nobody really knows whether or not Neeld can coach. Here's an excerpt fromThe Age quoting Jackons re Neeld and Neeld's response... Asked about Neeld, who has endured a nightmare start to his coaching career, Jackson admitted that judging his ability as a coach might prove difficult in the short term. Angry Demons supporters yell abuse. ''He's contracted until the end of 2014, and that's where it sits at the moment,'' Jackson said. ''When he came into this club there has just been one massive external factor after another, and on top of that, we've got a very inexperienced playing list,'' he said. ''I think we've got to give everyone the chance, whether it's Mark Neeld or whoever it is in the footy department - give them some clean air, if you like, to show what they've got.'' Neeld said he had not heard Jackson's comments before the match, but revealed he had been heartened by the new boss' direction for the club. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/mother-of-all-hidings-20130512-2jg9k.html#ixzz2T7o7jzog Neeld seems to be right on board with how Jackson is approaching things. The important part for me, when reviewing this whole situation, is that a Coach, in my view, should not be ultimately responsible for the culture of the football club, the administrators and the CEO are. Schwab is now gone, that was the appropriate move. I firmly believe that a new coach, even an experienced coach like Roo's could not hope to turn around our onfield performance in 18months whilst also rebuilding the list given the culture of the club at the time. This team was less experienced than the GC team that smashed us (though I'm still [censored] by the manner of the loss), and less talented. Our top line talent would be seen as Sylvia, Jones and ?????? from that game, and that doesn't go close to their top line talent of Ablett, Brennan, Swallow, and young crop of Bennell, O Meara, Lynch, McKenzie. I'm sorry but we don't even shine on a light on them talent wise. This, to me, is a byproduct of the poor management of the football department since as far back as the Daniher days. Think about it. Why did it take Travis Johnstone up until the time he was traded to the Brisbane Lions to realise the standards he needed to train at. Why did promising young Ruckmen, like Darren Jolly (dual premiership) and Troy Simmonds, start to develop and become solid AFL players AFTER they left the Demons. Why couldn't our culture provide enough incentive for guys like Scott Thompson to stick with the club. Why did Brock McLean, a guy many thought would be our next captain and who is now one of Carlton's most important players, want out of the club.....the CULTURE. Why haven't we been able to turn Watts into more than he currently is? I don't blame Watts, I blame the club culture and the football department. Why did Scully leave? Money maybe, but he stated that he wasn't impressed with the actions of some of the senior players (think Moloney) during the China trip, again CULTURE. Why has it taken until now for Colin Sylvia to put in effort for a full game, both defensively and offensively. Hell, we've even contributed to the downfall of Liam Jurrah, who had never touched alcohol until joining the club. A coach, can only do so much within a poor culture, and as has been reported by two people on here (one being me), their are people in and around the club that are stating that the list is tighter and more united than it has been in years. This is a positive statement. If thing's weren't changing we wouldn't have had players join us of the calibre of Dawes and Clark. This club is in full rebuild mode. We are NOT going to be playing finals in the next 2-3 years because we are in the same position as the bulldogs, Gold Coast, and GWS development wise. We should expect inconsistent performances from the young list as Neeld and co continue to work to fix the problems of the past. Jackson has already identified that Neil Craig is probably the only experienced football person in the footy department. Until we can provide the coach with the proper structure and support he needs, only then should he be the one under the microscope every other week. Until that time, he needs to be given the opportunity to prove he can coach. But first we need to fix the culture and the football department.

You have got to be joking. The hawks had this many turn up to game at the G against Port a few years ago. Anyone who turns up or buys a membership in support of this disgusting basketcase deserves a medal.

Probably already been posted, and perhaps already a thread on this, if not i feel it deserves its own thread. An openly honest interview from Garland, who we know is no "dummy", posted today on MFC website. You can see the pain, disappointment and shame in his eyes and manor. Generally loves the club, and believes in Neeld and wants things to turn around so much it hurts. You get the feeling from him that not everyone has "bought in" to Neeld (i know some of you will then say "well thats why he has to go etc.") but the young boys he mentions (besides M. Jones as he is 25) certainly have. We need 22 contributors each week if we are ever going to change things. But anyways i'll let Col' do the talking. Bit of an eye opener. As a Demons fan you need to watch this.

Terlich is way underrated by some here. Coming to the club his skills were highly regarded and although he looked a bit sketchy with his disposal the first couple of rounds, yesterday his efficiency was 91% which is pretty good considering there was often no one to kick to.

I'll tell you why you are not seeing results for all the hard work you put in at training Colin. The game plan is not working. This kicking to a contest [censored] instead of waiting for a player to make an option stuff has got to stop. This maning space instead of players is not working. Be in a zone or a press or whatever. It's not working. The reason why there are so many attempts to tackle vs tackles laid is because you are not close enough to your opponant and they are getting the ball away before you get a chance. We hear about how much running and how much harder preseason has been, but you dont use running to your advantage when attacking. We are number 1 for contested marks because we kick to a contest more than any other team. Have a look at the uncontested possesion count this year. It's not that players are not making space, its that you are directed to kick quickly down the line instead of waiting for a player to be free. It's not you Colin. Its the gameplan. Neelds gameplan.

I'll make two points. Firstly I really feel for the players. They get one go at a footy career and at the moment it's being trashed. If anyone thinks there is no link between the dysfunctional state of the FD and the results then they are kidding themselves. This FD is not providing the players with an environment in which to thrive and for whatever reason has sapped the players confidence and spirit. Secondly it's genuinely sad to hear the comment that winning doesn't matter, having a crack does. We are so low that our expectation is not winning, it's trying. Col comes across as a really genuine person with no answers and just frustrated and depressed with where we are. Those that simplify things to "the players aren't trying" just don't get it. Neeld told me we were going to lose last week when he was at pains to point out GCS were more experienced than us. Very sad but I feel for the players.

Its my belief that the Board problems real or perceived can be fixed Its my belief that a competent CEO will fix structure and lines of communication Its my belief that the new CEO can make significant improvements to the personel and accountability of all departments The membership can be re-engaged with and re-invigorated The same with sponsors However ther is something that needs critical attention PJs biggest challenge is to understand the reason for the complete disconnect between the players and the footy club While I am not a CEO any more I have had the opportunity to be involved with significant change management with a number of organisations mostly cultural My advice is that within the first 2 weeks PJ interviews everybody at the club All players all coaches all support staff.If he doesn't he will never find out as an insider He has one only first time opportunity as an outsider to find out the truth behind the problems and its devastating resultant effect on the players ability and willingness to play for the club Good Luck Peter Jackson if you find out and fix this disconnect all else is possible. If you don't opportunity wil be lost for ever and we will continue to struggle. The Clock ticks!

He gives his all and sticks tackles. That will do me for now.

True, but what was so completely clear was that from the get go he galvanized a team who were really struggling. Neeld has done the opposite. The other thing to remember about Roos was that fans loved him from the start and he seemed universally popular (in no small part i reckon because he sold a positive message - not the negative be patient rubbish Neeld has peddled). So much so that IIRC the club were going to go with another coach (Eade?) but were pressured by the members and fans to stick with Roos. It seems history has judged their decision to listen to their fans to be a wise one.

Jazza, if you think Mark Neeld has filled his brief or met his KPIs you are smoking the really good stuff.

I think you'll find that's exactly what's happening at the moment. Peter Jackson didn't just fall out of the sky.

They weren't the messiahs, they were very naughty boys! Sorry, couldn't resist. Carry on!

We will have a $1.5 mil deficit this year. While Jackson makes it clear we can cover that, he is equally clear that we cannot have another loss like it in 2014. People on it here want to equivocate. Simply put, we cannot survive unless drastic action is taken. Get the wool out of your eyes. There needs to be a clear strategy, which can be implemented. That is Jackson's brief. He also knows that we cannot wait for another "generation" of players to come through. The "market" must see a discernible change in the MFC very soon. Don't kid yourselves. We are currently on very perilous ground and the AFL wants to protect its brand, regardless of what anyone on here thinks of Demetriou.

It's a really hard question to answer - what is the best way to support the club right now? Attending the games is excruciating. I have been to two so far and we got flogged by Bombers and Eagles.I have watched two games on TV and it is gut wrenching to watch. My wife and kids leave the room as I twist and contort on the couch watching lame tackling, country football level skills, and no passion from coach or players. I went along to that training session on Gosch's paddock. I have scarves and newsletters and annual reports. My kids have got guernseys, badges of favourite players, posters on the walls. I can't do any more than this. When Neeld was appointed I said we had to give him until round 11 in the 2013season. Well, I have concluded 4 weeks early. He is as bad a coach as Skilton and Ditterich were in the 70's. He is as bad as Tony Shaw was at Collingwood and Tim Watson was at St. Kilda. He is not a senior coach. I will support this club until I die but I cannot support the coach anymore.

Sorry darling, been busy with other things (Mother's day pre and post the game), also wanted to put a studied reply rather than go off half cocked. I was totally shattered and disgusted by what was served up yesterday, only my lovely lady stopped me leaving at 3/4 time which we have never done But I am a bit surprised that not many posters are blaming the players, the lack of effort by some of them yesterday was appalling, it bothers me that they continually come out and say we support Neeld and then do that to him I am not sure whether sacking Neeld is the answer, I am even more perplexed and concerned now as to what the issues afflicting the Club actually are, I just know the Neeld has become the scapegoat for everything that is wrong, yes he has made some coaching mistakes, but he tried a few different things after half time yesterday, but the players let him down and didn't follow them through I listened to his presser and to that of Peter Jackson, they seem to be on the same page, I don't know what the outcome will be, the only thing I now for certain is I will be there on Sunday

what do you mean "NOT capable of doing any better"? What a load of defeatist, apologist cobblers. Of course they are this playing group have gone backwards since neeld arrived. Who could deny this? Not saying they were great before he arrived either. some of the problems with the team may not all be neeld's fault but he has shown nothing to suggest he can be an afl senior coach, in fact much to suggest he can't. the team is a disgrace and neeld hasn't got a clue and only making things worse

Yeah, my 11 year old is teaching me a few lessons... I tend to sit in front of the TV throwing my hands up in the air whining about our inability to stay with the opponent, the fact that they allow the man too much latitude, the fact they don't seem to be able to lay a tackle below the shoulders, and finally when in exasperation I say that I'm through with the club, he will tell me I'm weak and that they are at least out there doing it while I'm just sitting around complaining... he reminds me that in the end it really is just a game and he is teaching me that I shouldn't throw the towel in. I would have thought most kids his age would just move on to a more successful club to follow, but he is a true supporter who is happy to be in it for the long haul... I have nothing but admiration for him.

I went yesterday and I took my wife as a special treat to her for Mothers Day, we lasted until about half way through the last quarter when she kindly suggested we head off home. We have a very poor coach and a very poor list, so I'm finding it harder and harder to justify going, I want to support them but they just give you nothing in return. I'll give Jackson time to come out with some recommendations but not forever; there has to be change and soon.

he was employed to bring a 3 year base level of fitness to the club good decision the previous admin left the club with horrible problems re last 6 games of 2011 the mid list is terrible and a product of 2011 recruits from other clubs this year were to bulk up the list fair decision this was to let the development of juniors to be done in the reserves until thier bodies are big enough to senoir players, this was identified as a problem pre 2012, young players thrown to the wolves before thier ready good decision sacking yhe coach just sends the club into a tailspin and opens the door for another ex demon to make an average decision.

Having watched the presser, the context in which Neeld dropped that line was more innocent than it sounds prima facie. I don't think he was trying to lay blame solely on the players. Still, he needs to be extremely wary of such statements.

He should be ashamed of himself for not sticking up for the players. It's no wonder they don't give two shits about him and have no fight in them. If the coach won't fight for them, why should they fight for him? It's like working for an [censored] boss who makes you do things you don't agree with, and when you get questioned, your boss does not take blame or accountability. Pathetic.