warren dean

Yep, knew that and also that he coached Claremont ( not all that well apparently). Just wondering if I have missed something about his achievements in coaching. If he is on the shortlist of 12 I'd say there are 11 ahead of him.

The Doves aren't a bad side! They'd give the Blues and Tigers a decent run too. By the way, has anyone seen the most recent odds on the new coach? Just interested to see if Sheedy has overtaken Connolly as favourite yet.

Agree on Sheedy and imo should get the job if he wants it. No doubt would bring to the club just about everything we currently lack. I can't understand the wraps on McKenna? What has he done? Happy to be enlightened as to his coaching record.

Just pointing out that there are ex players who would potentially make good board members in response to some posters who felt that we didn't need these types of people. Not saying that any of them would be better or worse but would be different to the current make up and perhaps add something different. Re - CAC, I am on the record on this site as questioning a few of his decisions - I don't rate him as highly as some others but then again he is not the worst either. I agree that Fagan seems to have a done a good job. So - if it's not the Boards fault, and not the Footy Dept's who is responsible for the poor performances? ND was sacked but he was part of the Footy Dept - he is he solely responsible? Is it the lack of passion and support from the fans? Is it bad luck? Is it the culture? Or could it be the players? Or a combination of all? Off the field things are moving in the right direction. Unfortunately a club like ours must be competitive on the field if wants to remain a meaningful member of this comp. I'm afraid the only thing we have to trade off at the moment is our name - and now I am agreeing with Mike Shehan, which worries the hell out of me!

I appreciate your opinion, Deanox! I meant poor in an on-field sense. I get back to a point that I have already made that nobody seems to want to address- it was this board who extended the contracts of most of the footy dept - Fagan, Cameron etc in the last couple of years. If it is the Footy Dept's fault, then by extension the board has a case to answer as the Footy Dept is ultimately employed by them. For the third time, I do not propose a spill, but I am also not an advocate of blind faith! There is nothing wrong with asking questions and having opinions which might be different to the mainstream. Somebody (can't remember who) suggested I come up with an alternative board - not sure why given I have not advocated a spill, but I think G Lyon has already offered to assist the club in any capacity, Stynes runs a very successful business, Alves, even Ingo is a successful businessman. By the way, the recently departed Deputy Premier (Thwaites) is a keen Demons fan and could be a good board member. My use of the term suits may have been ill-considered but there is a sameness about the board. I am a fan of the involvement of Bev, Sue and Karen and I am very proud of the stand the club has taken on issues like breast cancer awareness. However, we can all improve and we are all entitled to an opinion. Some posters on this board do sometimes appear to accept far to willingly the view of the Board. That's Ok - we are all different. Cheers!

To others who think footballers are great Board members, I can't find any on the Sydney, West Coast or Essendon boards. And I think Brisbane and Adelaide are the same.....now when did another club outside that group last win a Premiership?

2 words for you: Get Sheedy!

6 White 5 Jones 4 JMac 3 Frawley 2 Brown 1 Green

Rhino and Maurie, if they are so fantastic why are we so poor? I assume (actually know) that the board is responsible for appointing the footy department and I'm sure that you both know this to be the case as well. Now let's get to the point of all this - football experience on a board is no bad thing if the person with experience is also an astute businessman. Now you don't need me to point out that the AFL is an extremely successful business but on it's commission has ex players in Mike Fitzpatrick and Chris Langford, a range of business people and even union representation, as well as former PM Keating's women's affairs adviser. The CEO happens to be a former player who is an astute businessman. Rather diverse isn't it? What do we have? - suits and Bev and Sue. A rather homogenous board. Now, I have no reason to believe that our current board is not capable of effective business management but I don't think it would be a bad thing to have a more diverse representation!

I'll tell you what Bazza - if this board ratifies the appointment of anyone but Sheedy for the position of coach of this club then I'll sign your petition - if only to get a few more board members with genuine footy experience. You are right that we have too many suits. I appreciate the business acumen of the former St Kilda supporter Steve Harris as CEO and agree that he is doing a nice job running a business - I wonder about the passion for the club though. PG - hmm! Always appeared to me to be a bit of a spin doctor in the Butterss mould. That's not to say he isn't doing an OK job and he certainly isn't to blame for the injuries or the complete lack of passion exhibited by the large majority of our playing list over the past three weeks. The real test will be - do they have the cajones to appoint somebody who will really shake the place up and lead the club rather than the team, or do they go for a soft option and appoint a newbie who will roll along with the dictates of the board!

Totally agree, Jarka! You have a good grasp of where the list is at.

Yep. I heard it. Hard to believe isn't it? Or maybe as Demons supporters we are blind to the deficiencies of our list. Very little in the way of KPP's, a distinct lack of competitiveness, a lack of on field discipline and an amazing ability for senior players to make public comments about issues which should be kept in house. Our lack of on field leadership is abundantly evident. Unfortunately, Jakovich could well be right.

I've heard that we have the nucleus of a good team?? It was interesting that Glen Jakovich, when asked during commentary on the game, thought that the Carlton job was a better one than ours and that their list was in better shape! That's the ultimate insult. If they were feeling it they'd be having a go- anyone who saw that effort could be nothing but disappointed if they are fair dinkum about the MFC. In my estimation we had 2 players who you would rate as reasonable, in White and Jones, and then young Frawley who I thought was Ok. Why do we need to just write off the rest of the year? Surely we should be putting in place a competitiveness that will hold us in good stead for the future. I am bitterly disappointed and this club has no alternative but to get a winning culture with no tolerance for that type of uncompetitive performance. We can't even use the tanking excuse we will not finish any higher than 14th or lower than 15th. Our draft pick will be 2 (if we lose to Carlton) or 4 no matter whatever else happens. I pay good money to watch a team compete - I will keep following them no matter what, but the players must be held accountable for lamentable efforts like that.

I'd like to think my membership payments ( or that of 28,000 others) might be enough. Or maybe their place on the list next year! Spineless performance are far too easily explained away at this club. I've been a member for more than 20 years and I'm sick of the way we roll over in situations like this. Not good enough. Gerard Healy suggested the list would be pruned heavily by the new coach - if self interest is not enough to motivate this lot then there really is no hope.

Todays lack of performance encapsulates in two very ordinary hours why this club needs Sheedy. Our list of players finished 10 places higher on the ladder than the Bombers 10 months ago. Today, I saw an Essendon side with a lot less ability than their opponent play with skill and desire and a bit of aggro and win. I then saw a Melbourne side completely bereft of any of the above, meandering through the game and season without intent or direction. Sheeds could turn this around just with his positive attitude. He would build enthusiasm within the place; he would instil the need to be competitive every minute of the game; he would build a club and a culture - he would be the perfect figurehead for "Team Melbourne". He must be signed!

Yes Sheedy used to sell lollies at the 'G and was a regular watcher of the Demons in the '50's with his brother (who was a Collingwood fan). Also, there has been much comment on this thread about Sheedy interfering with recruiting. This is a myth. Essendon have had two very good recruiting men in Sheedy's time in Noel Judkins and more recently Adrian Dodoro. Sheeds had a say, but it was Judkins call on players like Long and Wanganeen for instance. As I have said elsewhere here, he is exactly what we need.

Sheedy's first 5 years at Essendon went like this: 1981 - 5th, 1982-5th, 1983 - 2nd, 1984 - 1st, 1985-1st. A different era, I'll admit but he was competing against "super teams" such as Carlton and Hawthorn when the cheque book reigned supreme. The competition wasn't as even as today but the better teams were as a group, much stronger than todays. If he gave us 5 years like that I'd be pretty happy. The guy is a legend and I'm with Condemned - if the board hasn't made contact with him then they are not fair dinkum and should give the game away. Sheeds has forgotten more about footy than most of this current lot will ever know!

Correct! The only other season Godfrey had a top 5 finish was 2003 when we qualified for a priority pick. Looks like history repeating! I don't mind him but he needs to be somewhere between our 18th and 24th best player not top 5 - which I'm sure he will be this year.

We really couldn't go wrong with either of them. I'd prefer Sheeds but I'd be happy with Pagan. All this rubbish about his record at Carlton - in four and a half seasons he's had 4 presidents (Elliott, Collins, Smorgon and Pratt) and what is quite possibly the worst list in AFL history (and I include Fitzroy of 1995/96 in that). No first round draft picks for his first 2 years and a coaching panel and board who have spent most of their time undermining him. Add to that "quality" on field leadership like Fevola and Whitnall and I really think it's a miracle he managed a winning ratio of 25%. Carlton are rabble - they are in shocking shape and whoever takes them on next year better hope for at least a five year contract. It is unfathomable that we managed to lose to this outfit twice last year. I'd prefer to look at his brilliant under age record; his super work at North in the 1990's (seven successive preliminary finals in the era of football socialism is a record that will probably never be matched) and his amazing ability to hold the Roos together after the Carey-Stevens issue. If Essendon sack Sheedy they are absolute idiots, but I'd be more than happy to capitalise on their mistake!

Whoever we pick will be a risk - If it's an untried rookie coach or somebody with more experience. Some options however are less risky than others. Guys like Connooly have their flaws well known. We also have seen their strengths. We have no idea how a Voss or McKenna might operate under the heat. We know that Connolly has won more than 50% of games coached, but so has Gary Ayres! I wonder about the support for Malthouse - his record at Collingwood over 8 years really isn't that great - less than 50% which is a disgrace given the financial and human resources and soft draws they get. If we can't get Sheedy, then I'd ask Mark Harvey if he's interested in returning to Victoria, or maybe a guy like Garry O'Donnell who isn't often mentioned but has been a successful captain, and assistant to Matthews and Sheedy.

Why? Do you think the Demons were performing badly because of Daniher? We were the best performed Vicorian side in the comp 9 months ago. I'd say injuries were the major reason for our poor showing. Just remember that 2 weeks before he finished up the Demons were all over Collingwood, who apparently the media now believe will finish top 2! The faith the Geelong administration showed in Thompson is admirable and looks like being rewarded. Good on them! By the way he has coached Geelong for 8 years now and this will only be his fourth finals series. Daniher had 6 in 9 completed seasons.

None of this matters. Carlton still has to play Essendon and no matter how hard they try they never lose to Essendon! A draw might be the best they can hope for and that would still disqualify them from the priority pick! :D

Spot on, Deanox. This club needs Sheedy. As I've posted elsewhere, and you've said here, he has all the ingredients, we just need to make sure he has the time to turn this group into something special. It took him 4 years to win a flag at the Bombers with a list that included Madden, Watson, Daniher, Vander Haar etc. I think we need to give him a 3 year contract at least. He's 59 now but still with the fire in his belly - he is desperate for that 5th flag as coach to move ahead of Parkin, Jeans and Barassi. He is still the best in the business. Let's get him!

It took a legend (Matthews) to break that curse - I think we need a legend (Sheedy) to break ours. We need someone with presence; someone the players know has done it all; someone who puts club and performance above all else; someone who lives and coaches by the same principles as Norman Smith. There is only SHEEDY!

There are two coaches in the league at the moment whose records say they are all time greats (Matthews and Sheedy). One of them is a very good chance to be available next year. He offers everything that this club has lacked for years and can build a profile and change a culture! If our "consultancy" group hasn't already contacted K Sheedy then they better get a wriggle on. I'd be making him my number one priority.