Adam The God

No doubt. The AFL are paying the bills for the foreseeable future. It has to be upward of $5mill. CEO, Coach, HOF and any other experienced new employees they may bring in. Add to that, pay outs, potential salary cap increases (that part is more doubtful), plus the already limping financial bottom line. The AFL have stepped in because after five years of the current board, we're back where we started: essentially a $5 million deficit. If we are to compete and thrive, it has to be all or nothing here.

This is a really good point, Chippy. It does present a certain conundrum. Bruised egos are a funny thing. Perhaps the mouths that opened are currently regretting their lapse? However, if the MFC has the potential to leak like a sieve, the AFL must also be vulnerable to such a lapse.Let's hope that Roos simply accepts or has accepted.

I don't think this was purely a reactionary decision to support unrest, WYL. The AFL would have been making similar noises. It affects their hip pocket beyond ours. This is big business and we are, as Peter Jackson pointed out, an 'indictment' on the league.

My god. That grammar. I usually just ignore people like yourself, but you rarely post about the MFC and instead attempt to knock rpfc at every turn. See if you can get some enjoyment out of something else in life, rather than trolling internet forums. Your petty agenda doesn't do you any favours. Quite the opposite. Pipe down or push off.

Of course I'm not happy wasting two years of potential development. I'm on record as bemoaning the wastage of money by this current board. I'm not looking short term at all. If anything, you are. We won't be AFL run once we get our stuff together and can stand on our own two feet again. I have a vision and belief in the AFL's ability to turn our club around.

It depends how you approach the situation. As it turned out, Ross Lyon was available at the right price. You're right though. This time there seems to be more experience, with potential candidates having less ties to senior coaching positions.

Why are some people so naive as to think the ones making the decisions at the moment are the same people? Surely it's obvious that Jackson (the AFL) is making all of the decisions on behalf of the MFC. The AFL will replace any persons not up to it and eventually we'll be up and running again. Very much the opposite of directionless at the moment. It's not going to be easy, but I'm bloody happy the AFL are running us instead of our own people at the moment. We're finally making sound, unemotional, professional decisions. Schwab, McLardy and now Neeld. Gone. I'd say the AFL is probably responsible for all three departures.

Sorry, I can't help myself on this point. I've heard 'Neeld is responsible for Garland's development' a couple of times now and I simply don't subscribe to the notion. Bailey and Wellman are responsible for his development. During Neeld's first season, Garland's output dropped off. It is only this year that it has returned. Considering Neeld couldn't get him playing in his first season, I'd give more credit to Garland for his own return to form.

I don't mean to be pessimistic, but who is going to kick our goals if Dawes doesn't play? Unless we play an utterly defensive game style and both sides only score 10 each.

It's all down to the coach and the all important make up of our 2014 midfield. If we have a good mixture of experience and talent, season 2014 may hold some surprises. Making the finals is pretty fanciful though. The eventual coach should never set the bar too low though. That has been a failing of Bailey and Neeld in the media arena. Anything must be seen to be possible from our coach and team next year.

I couldn't care less to be honest. As long as my football club regains some competitiveness onfield and ignites hope for the supporter base. I'm sick of going every week and knowing we'll lose by between 10-15 goals.

What Django said. The AFL will take care of that. I'm extremely glad for it, but we're clearly being run by the AFL at the moment.

Brilliant journalist. Wholeheartedly agree with her assessment too.

See I reckon he was testing Neeld hoping he'd drop a lie that then Adelaide could later refute.

I think Neil speaks really well. I'm really impressed with his press conference today. I will give him the eleven weeks. We shall see.

For what it's worth, the drafting during Neeld's time has been good. How much involvement he actually had we'll never really know.

Comfortably the best football journalist out there.

I wouldn't be surprised if this was suggested by Jackson in the 'chat' he conducted with Craig. Even if you don't want the top job, Neil, at least make noises as though you do. It'd be clever management from Jackson.

Disagree. Frawley is clearly A grade.

I heard Jon Ralph report this on Fox Footy's post game show a few weeks ago.

No we won't. There'll still be some that won't commit until we look like playing finals. That's how it always happens. But I think we could break our membership record IF Roos came on board and IF we sign one or two big names over summer. We all know it's about renewing the faith. At the top of 2010 we were heading in the right direction, but some still didn't sign on because we weren't quite ready to make finals. Incidentally, I remember a game in I think it was '04, the game where Ashley Sampi took that hanger on the 'G. We had 36,000 attend that game. 5,000 may have been Eagles, a little more perhaps. We were up and about during those years. We didn't have the "members", but we had the support. We were playing finals consistently. I think we could hit 40,000-42,000 members if we get to that level again. I think it's a little fanciful to suggest we'd smash 40,000 next year though. The MFC and AFL propaganda machines can worker wonders though.

I think the AFL will be happy to cover the FD bill. If we get the best coach in place, a great decision maker at the top (tick) and the FD structure right, with the best people in those positions, the wheel will start to turn. For the AFL this means: more competitive efforts from the MFC, increased membership for the MFC, increased matchday attendances and exciting games of football for their broadcasters. It makes sense and as WYL says, it's good governance.

I wasn't. We needed an experienced coach. I was however willing to give Neeld last year to experiment with the list, on the assumption we would be competitive this year.

Malcolm Blight anyone? We have to be sure he is in this 100 per cent. Fortunately, Roos says as much himself in those quotes.

I apparently missed this today: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jeff-kennett-says-afl-doesn8217t-want-him-to-become-melbourne8217s-president/story-fni5f91a-1226665063831 As far as I was aware he would make a statement on Tuesday, but obviously Neeld's sacking must have forced his hand to speak on radio today. Seems like a statement on Tuesday would now be redundant.