hardtack

Neeld started in 2012 with a mandate to completely revamp the playing list and football department. Obviously the club was in such a state that he could not do a complete clean out in a single season, so season 2012 was about seeing which of the current playing group were willing to get onboard with him and which were unwilling to do what was required of them. There is a lot of talk about how Neeld was responsible for Moloney's slump in form last year because he was too harsh in his treatment of him by dropping him from the leadership group, I see this differently and believe that Moloney's treatment was because he was not prepared to do the hard yards that Neeld required of him and he chucked a "hissy fit"... behaviour that only served to prove Neeld's decision to drop him from the leadership group was probably the right one. I liked Moloney, but let's be honest, even during his Bluey winning 2011 he went missing when he was most needed. Anyway, I digress... We all new and expected that season 2012 would be bad and we all new and expected that there would be a big turn over in the playing group; and Neeld didn't disappoint - not to mention all of the other issues that came to light and threatened to derail his season before it had even started. Yes, many disagree with some of his gets for the playing group, but they also tend to overlook the fact that he was largely responsible for the hijacking of Clark en route to Freemantle and has also been involved in us getting the likes of Dawes, M Jones, Kent and Hogan among others. Yes he also got us a few veterans who are arguably not going to do a lot, but at what cost? I believe they were stopgap measures at very little cost when we could not afford or attract anything better. Byrnes is starting to show some good form and could yet turn out to be a very good get. We all know that at the end of this season the rebuild is sure to continue and that there will likely be another broom put through the playing group and that the next part of the plan will be to bring in experienced quality mids and possibly another couple of backs. We will also no doubt get another go at a high draft pick which I would assume will also be used on a quality young mid. Yes Neeld has had a very poor start to this season, but when you look at how things are developing, both Port and Essendon remain undefeated, West Coast are not really as bad as their position on the ladder would indicate and despite a lacklustre performance against GWS, we still managed to record the best performance in a single quarter that the MFC has ever produced ...and I don't buy that GWS's young players being tired line, because they are the best of the best that were recruited by GWS and many have had at least two full pre-seasons to get fit enough for the rigors of the AFL. I think that quarter of football gave us a glimpse into what these players are capable of and hopefully, if Neeld is allowed to see his contract out, we will start to see this happening on a more regular basis...Sunday's game against Brisbane was an odd one out in as far as so many of our usually more consistent players did next to nothing; this was particularly obvious with Nathan Jones putting in what I thought was possibly his worst performance in 2 or 3 years. Without Jones firing, our midfield is virtually useless at the moment. Anyway, I think if we were to sack Neeld now, we would be put even further behind in our development and those players who have bought into his "plan" will likely be disenchanted (those who still haven't may well be gone in 2014?) and so I think any interim coach would be facing an absolute nightmare in terms of results. Craig has made it abundantly clear that he will not even entertain the idea of coaching ever again, so who does that leave us with? Williams as a possibility seems to be only in the minds of a few on these forums, but in reality would possibly show little or no interest (and would NOT be worth throwing $5m at anyway), Roos is highly unlikely to be drawn to the position, Ratten would be a great midfield coach but not head coach, Sheedy is essentially unhinged and would be useful only in terms of a marketing exercise and Worsfold is pretty much rusted on at West Coast and I would think, very unlikely to uproot everything to come East. All we would have a chance of getting would be a failed or out of touch experienced coach or another rookie coach and then this whole cycle of recriminations would start again after we fail for the rest of 2013 and 2014... not to mention the fact that the playing group would have to endure yet more major changes to the football department and probably another purging or two of their own numbers. I don't consider myself to be a Neeld apologist, but I am prepared to see him given a chance to complete his rebuild and to have a full season with the team he has been aiming for. If he stays, we have far more chance of attracting better players (what player will want to come to us if we are going through yet another rebuild) and with a better playing group we will either start to achieve more onfield success or, at the very least, be a more attractive prospect for any available experienced coaches in 2015 after Neeld's contract has run its full term.

In your case we can replace "easy" with "simple"?

So Neeld should have accepted his lazy attitude, his poor performances where he would go missing when most needed, his lack of leadership and very open berating/humiliating of young upcoming players just because he loved the club? Maybe we should have kept Morton as well... after all, he was a nice guy.

It took him 7 years (2 as assistant and 5 as head coach) to get a Premiership with Port... perhaps on that basis we should cut Neeld some slack?

Nah, I'm from the old school of thought that says if you want something done (well or otherwise), then do it yourself ;-)

Gibbs is out with a hammy... this game's now ours for the taking!

How about you make the time to get the story for yourself?

Just Range Rover? Hell, we have the entire coaching panel right here on Demonland! If the experts on here were to step up to the helm today, we would be top 4 contenders before season's end!

Vossie, Dean Bailey and (according to you and others at least) Mark Neeld say "hi!" right back at you.

Unfortunately Grime has run and run and run... and then consistently missed targets by hand and by foot.

Despite what many are saying, Rodan is either our first or second in the tackle count and has saved us on more then one occasion. Jones however, is having the worst game I can recall seeing him play in a long long time and McDonald has been appalling.

Rodan is doing a hell of a lot more than McDonald... 2nd year blues

When I started reading your comment, I thought you were talking about this thread ;-)

Have to do something about McDonald... he just can't hold Leuenberger.

Could someone get them to hold the bounce a few minutes... my train from Sydney got delayed (damn this commuting to games every week).

Being in full time employment I wouldn't know... Maccas paying the minimum wage still?

Average game by his standards... didn't figure in fantasy football top points scorers.

Didn't realise Maccas had a franchise at the MCG.

Then it's quite possible you met mjt... he would have been the one asking "would you like fries with that?".

More than half of my life was spent in Melbourne, growing up, studying, working and attending games and since I have been in Sydney I still try to attend when I can afford it and when family commitments allow. I attended the Port game and will possibly attend the Queen's Birthday game and will definitely attend another in July... I even attended the Shanghai game (I would be interested to know what is the furthest you have travelled to a game and how much did it cost you?). You live in Melbourne, yet you only get along to 8 games? That's pretty ordinary by the standards of most on these forums I would think (maybe you should ask your newsagent to pay you more for the paper run?). I am not telling you to be patient... I am merely pointing out your impatience and suggesting you support another club. And yes... you ARE soft!

They screwed up with Toumpas? Living in Sydney or living in Melbourne (or even in Casey) does not make any difference and the number of games I attend in person makes no difference to what I see of these players. You are just a product of the "now" generation that demand instant gratification... as I commented to tanotopia (your classmate?), you must be the guy furiously honking your horn in the KFC or Maccas drive-thru because they have taken over 2 minutes to fulfill the order of the car in front. I don't know what hard yards are???? Just how long have you been following this club and how long to you think I have been a supporter. As I said, go and follow a successful club... you'll feel a lot better until they start to fade... but don't worry, you'll be able to jump ship again. Soft!!

Do you know how he went, or are you just assuming? If the MFC is such a joke, please go and support some successful club... I would really hate for you to have to do the hard yards.

Let's face it, I don't think there is anyone at the club that mjt hasn't potted.

Is his contract up this year? Like Bob Murphy, he's one player I've had high regard for from the first time I saw him play.

But still you couldn't resist.