BangkokDemon

Agree 110%, but would add one more "want": Want us to be the most difficult side to play against...(now where have I heard that before??)

As a life long Demon supporter - who was there in '64 - but who has been living out of Oz, for the last 17+ years (this year, went to my 1st MCG game - the day we whomped the hapless Crows- in 20 years), this site is the next best thing for me. I am not a regular poster, but I visit/read daily - at least. It keeps me in touch with what other supporters are thinking. More, Demonland is often well ahead of the media and the "official" MFC site, when it comes to news. Keep up the great work! Go Dees!!!!

Neeld also Tweeted it. Also on the MFC & AFL websites - so is true. Good move. He seems just the sort required - will teach the forwards to be hard at it.

Dr.Hook - everyone will be able to sing their karaoke favorites - maybe even the the Doc will stick to the choon too...."when your body's had enough....blalbla balah...) Think anybody will know who Tommy Steele is? Should think Australian and get Rolf Harris and his wobble board to do it.... Err, then again most of the crowd these days wouldn't have much idea who he is either!!

You'd better get your MFC gear ready then. We're in for a hell of a ride in the next few years! Go Dees!!!

Okay, we're friends again. I was there in '64 - front row. But I you should be careful what you say about my management credentials - like you, I use a pseudonym. So, for all you know, I could be Bill Gates or Richard Branson (or an Australian/Victorian equivalent) ...Go Dees 2012 and beyond!!

No need to be abusive. I think I've supported - as in being a paid up member for much longer than you - try 50 years. I've been through the best (and much of the worst) and believe, we will go through the best again in the next couple of years. As for my "knowledge" on management...I think I know what I'm talking about here too.

There's no need to sound so bitter. Saying he did nothing shows how little you understand management these days. Head Coaches these days are like Managing Directors in the business world. It would seem one of his leading protege's Mark Neeld believs in much the same thing. I hope you don't start slagging him off like that, when something goes wrong, or is not to your "liking" ?

Matt "works" for the club. You hardly think he's going to ask the "hard questions". As someone who lives outside Australia, I find his general line of questioning is quite informative. I know the interviews are often "paid commercials". But things seep through.

Or better still a team who is the "hardest to play against" ??!!

Great game. Football lesson to us.

Who cares what Robert Shaw and the other anti-Demons say. We've got the right person to make it happen. Simple and hard !

+1 +2 & +3

After the events at the start of last week, where we looked like returning to the bad old habits which have plagued us for nearly 50 years, it appears the vision of people,like Jimmy, Don McClardy, Garry Lyon et-al were above us mere mortals - the supporters. It also looks as if, Cam Schwab has redeemed himself. Also it might just be,his (apparent) agitating for someone to replace Bailey was on the money. Bailey did a good job in bringing them together - now it is time to move from there. That some/many of the players were threatening to revolt, was perhaps no more than the kindergarten kid who doesn't want to move out of the comfort zone, into primary class? If so, they have so much to learn. And,from Mark Neeld's media foray of the last couple of days, it looks promising, we might have found, the right teacher to do it. After such a year, let's move on. Go Dees!

Trengove in the leadership group but not ready. Let him mature. In the meantime, Moloney did well that week he took on the job in Green's absence. But, hey we've appointed a new coach, who (if what he said on the ABC is anything to go by) has already highlighted gaps in the team to the selection committee. Could it be, he also made mention of the captain?

+1 It's already obvious from his interviews and his track record, that he is quite capable of being the one in charge. He might take advice from people like Neil Craig - but why on earth does he need a "Senior Assistant" like Craig? Mark Neeld has been learning the profession of coaching for 15 years - he's not, I repeat NOT a novice, like James Hird! Give the guy credit and trust him !!

When we are : Feared Like A Team of Gorrilas

FLAG(S)

Wouldn't say I'm "euphoric", or that Neeld is the "Messiah". But after the events of the last couple of months, I'm starting to think,once again there is hope, we are back on track to deliver. As the saying goes, "what's the alternative"? Go Dees!

Old Dee, I think you and I have been following Melbourne for about the same number of totally frustrating years. We've both seen many coaches come and go since the great Norm Smith. We've had a few years to match this year, for off-field events - such as the Melb/Hawks proposed merger. At the start of this week there was a sense we had no idea what we were doing 1. On Scully 2. On appointing a new coach. It seems we will come out the Scully "crisis" in a reasonable position - certainly better than the other clubs who have been raided. And second, although it is only Day Two (he only started at 6pm last night)Neeld has presented well, in his first outings in the media. More, as he is/was considered to be the best of all the assistant coaches on the market, we have out run the others in the market. Do you really believe Eade, Laidely or Craig (who still might end up with us)can take us to a flag? After 50+ years , perhaps I am the eternal (and bloodied) optimist? But, somehow, I feel the momentum shifting to getting us back on the track we started just over 3 years ago,

Good to put him and maybe one other "hard at it" young gun into the leadership group. But, don't put the modern game's capatin's responsibilities on to him. If you've watched guys like Maxwell, Hodge and (even)Harvey, they are almost like playing coaches nowadays. If we hadn't offloaded JMc he could have done what he is planned to do at GWS, with us. To put JT into that position would not help either the club or him. Look what it did to Green this year. And Jack is only 20, not 29.

Agree with having a Balme Daniher role.They both have vast experience with other clubs, which they put to good use in their present roles. But Craig is "Adelaide"...and "Adelaide Crows", to me.If we are to appoint a Football Manager, it might be better to find someone with wider experience with more clubs. But, hey, with the appointment of Neeld and the way it has been handled (along with what looks to be a good result from the Scully defection), some of my faith has been restored in the club and its ability to follow through on the plan. With the passing of time, this week's events could be seen as a watershed period, when we started on the road to being the hardest team to play against, with lots more trophies in the cupboard.

Tomorrow's headline : Magpies Neeld over, for Dees

Why does Mark Neeld - with a reputation as a very good tactician and game plan developer needs Neil Craig ? This is not James Hird (with no previous experience). Sure he needs good support - perhaps including a strong/seasoned mentor - but he is his own man. Daddy or silly old Uncle(or big brother as with the Bombers) as "senior assistant" could be more trouble than it's worth.

The one thing Mick said in his interview on SEN when asked what advice he would give Mark, "don't be Mick Malthouse and don't be Malcolm Blight". Mark Neeld needs to remember what he has learnt from both, but the last thing we need is a "Mini-Mick". His job is to make this side the "hardest" to play against in the competition (as he said). Then by inference, that means being better than any other side in the competition. A "Mini-Me" coach won't achieve that.