Ron Burgundy

I would absolutely love to see Prestia in the red and the blue next year. If we can get two or three really good mids at the end of this year (and keep all of our required players), I reckon we can bounce faster than many people think. That said, Neeld's 5 year prediction is a concern - a really stupid thing to say publicly too. Our bookends are solid. And we have some X factor across the list which should come into play a little more once we can actually consistently win, and then maintain, possession - eg, Howe, Sylvia, Blease. I would really like to know what the morale of the players is. Speaking to a Geelong player a couple of years ago, he said that many of the senior players had lost all respect for Bomber Thompson for non coaching reasons - essentially his own wayward conduct off the field, which they found hypocritical given the standards he required of them. Yet, they were smashing it on the field. It is possible that, despite the pathetic performances, the current list is united, determined to succeed and behind Neeld. To be fair, I have absolutely no idea whether it is or not - I'm just saying results alone don't necessarily make for a happy and cohesive list, and are not solely determinative of the level of support for a coach.

Top post RGRS - thanks.

Taggert!

Given the draft picks we've had over the years, and the stated intention of a 'rebuild' since about 2007, we should be well ahead of North and Richmond, both of which were on the same journey. We're not. And that's an indictment on the club.

Robertson. If you're trying to be smart, actually be smart. Stupid post.

More than once.

If you really interrogate this post, and you accept it was written by a supporter of the club, it doesn't actually make much sense.

I am. I want this club to succeed, and I have absolutely no regrets about donating any money to it. Right now - I want us to turn things around in a way that ensures we keep every single required player, Todd Viney, Dave Misson, Webjet, Opel and 35,000 paid up members in 2014 and beyond.

I'm not arguing whether he should be the coach or not. I'm actually making the very simple observation - handle it properly and in such a way that minimises any further destruction to this club ...

The one thing that concerns me the most at the moment is that this club will once again exercise no proper judgement and make yet another epic mistake in relation to a significant decision (ie, in relation to Mark Neeld, and the way in which any termination may be announced and any transition will then be undertaken). In this regard, some of the suggestions for a replacement coach I'm reading here at the moment are laughable in the extreme. In fact, some of the suggested replacements are just plain stupid. They won't result in ANY positive outcome for this club. At all. Hence, the club cannot afford to react in a knee jerk manner to this issue, much like most of the media and some of the supporters here tend to. Quite simply, it is far too important an issue. Now, more than ever, is the time for the club and its supporters to remain calm, allow the club to conduct a measured and intelligent review/assessment of where the list and the football department is at, and, if the review tells us that Mark Neeld needs to be replaced, conduct an AFL endorsed process to identify and select a new coach. What troubles me however is that won’t happen. Why? Because this club has an unenviable history of exercising poor judgement and emotional intelligence in recent years in relation to delicate issues. Off the top of my head, some examples of poor judgement/limited EQ include: 1. Neeld comes in, treats the incumbent leadership group with absolutely no respect, publicly embarrasses certain players in the media (eg, Watts), runs down the quality of the list and the previous fitness regime, and marginalises most of the senior players (eg, Green, Moloney, Davey). Poor judgement – we paid for this (apparent player dissatisfaction). 2. The way in which Bailey was dumped was poorly handled by the club. It also resulted in various comments being made which seemingly led to the media driven 'tanking' investigation some three years after the club had been cleared of it by the AFL. Poor judgement – we paid for this (almost $1M in fact). 3. Bailey’s decision to dump Junior a year prematurely, and the way in which the news was delivered to him (just prior to the Port game at the end of 2010), was poorly handled. Poor judgement – we paid for this (no senior leadership). 4. Bailey’s decision to prematurely end the MFC careers of the likes of Robbo, Yze and White (and possibly also Brock McLean in retrospect) – and not to play some of the senior players who were still clearly in our best 22 at the time – revealed poor judgement (see 3 above – and 2 re: Brock McLean). Point of this being: If the decision is made to bring in a new head coach prior to the end of the season, it MUST be handled in a way that is sensitive to Mark Neeld and in a way which doesn’t fracture the player group and cost us plenty of money unnecessarily. Whilst it seems some of the senior players have, or have had, an axe to grind with Neeld, I expect plenty of the junior and recently recruited players have strong loyalty to him. Surely that's obvious. The club needs to be aware of this and very sensitive to this fact. So MFC - please don’t stuff this up so as to temporarily appease: (a) many in the media whose interests aren’t aligned to ours; and ( B) a body of restless supporters who simply want to see something done, even if it ultimately proves to be the wrong thing. As an aside, I’m not sure Mark Neeld would agree to it, but perhaps there’s some utility in honouring his contract (saving us $$, saving him face and hopefully maintaining player unity) and appointing him the senior assistant midfield coach reporting to a known and respected senior coach of the ilk of a Roos, Matthews, Worsfold, Williams or Eade?

Ross Lyon was possibly the fish that got away from us IMO.

Harvey's stonewash jeans would go well with the MFC blazer. Some of you are genuinely deluded as to what ANY other coach could do with this list.

I had thought we let Rivers go because Watts was going to perform his role. Seems as though we're a bit all over the shop here. Also, I don't see Gawn as a player aggrieved with Neeld - it's the older players who seem to have an issue with him. PS. I get that Rivers was a free agent and 'decided' to leave.

Bloody hell. If this is true, I am absolutely in the camp of retaining Frawley, Watts and Sylvia over Neeld. These signatures are a litmus test for Neeld IMO.

Is this just speculation, or actually based on some inside info?

We NEED Frawley. Why isn't this blatantly obvious to every MFC supporter?!

I would be disappointed in the extreme if Sylvia left this club. He is an absolute must retain player. A bit of a litmus test for Neeld actually.

Can you play in a moonboot?

Toumpas will be a star. I'm not worried about him. At all.

The name 'Bitter but optimistic' makes no sense.

Dawes was a great pick up. Need to repair our midfield urgently. Bookends are sound.

FO.

I love this club.

I'd like to say that's madness, but I'll wait until deep into the fourth quarter before I declare that.

Hope we get smashed by the Tigers?!