nutbean

Apart from the obvious measure of success - being finals/premierships, I know that Mark Neeld has been successful when one of his assistants at Melbourne gets poached for a senior coaching gig somewhere else. The hot assistants - Neeld ( a refelction of MM's status), Sanderson ( a refelction of Thompson's status) - the odd one out seems to be Burns who has assisted under Worsfold but I dips me lid to Worsfold on his regeneration of the Eagles from last years disasterous season. Not sure why I dont rate Worsfold higher as he deserves to be highly rated.

I'll keep you busy. I am not one to live in the past reflect on past glories ( at the expense of today) but I also like to acknowledge our proud history and tradition so you should replicate the style of tne banner but with the heroes from the past - Norm Smith , RDB, Nutbean, Tulip, Neita etc and have the screen swith to it on a minute or so intervals. The old and the new. Edit: love your work

I just find the "not landing the big fish" disappointment interesting. I love Mick Malthouse but draw a line under him up until 2009 - success or failure ? Two GF's for no flags in nine years under an administration that spared no expense ? Ross Lyon - has done remarkable well but the Saints are looking decidedly on the wane - did not snare the big one Clarkson - also has done very well but took his group to premiership and since then has been "daniher-esque" Bomber Thompson - sustained success but took a while to get there The take home message is that these proven coaches can be made to look good because of good teams. On the flip side good teams are developed by good but not necessarily proven coaches. You need a lot of things to go your way. Why did Hawks win the flag 2008 but struggled to replicate that form up to this year. How did the Saints go to 2 GF's in two years and this year limp in. Why did it take MM 10 years to get the ultimate prize. The "big fish" won the first four premierships of 2000's - Sheedy and Matthews ( Matthews because he had done it before at Collingwood and I include madman Sheedy because he went up the mountain again to grab a flag) bit since then Port ( Williams) - an assistant, Swans (Roo's) an assistant, Eagles ( Worsfold) an assistant, Cats ( Thompson) - an assistant, Hawks ( Clarkson) - an assistant and then Thompson again and MM. Looking at this history ( and ignore history at your own peril) I ask the question - would you go any other way but to hire an assistant coach ? I am firmly in the camp of wait and see - I like the noises Neeld makes and look forward to it being translated into positive action.

I am neither overwhelmed or underwhelmed - i will take a supportive what and see approach. I am completely parallelo-whelmed

You missed one Robbie - the players !!!! I am hoping the players embrace being the hardest team to play and learn and display what they will be taught by this man ( an effective forward press for one !)

It was the most surreal month of my life... The complete euphoria after beating the doggies to get into to the finals. Hugging randoms in the street ( I could get locked up for that now) I still have distinct memories of the pre-game and how I was like a sausage on hot plate. I remember the Tony Campbell was a virtual unknown and did well up forward I remember the Swans games the week after and feeling a little smug watching Gerard Healy walking dejectedly off the ground for the Swans and thinking " glad you left for greater success" I remember the week after ( Prelim final vs Hawks) and sitting speechless in the stands for about 30 minutes after game - not moving - not speaking. Shattered. I prefer the 3 previous weeks

Neeld could be Clarkson circa 2005 or Lyon circa 2007. He may fail. But a Malthouse could be a Malcolm Blight circa 2005 or a Sheedy 2012-2013 ( given long term leave of absense mid 2013 - due to senility)

Clarksons resume prior to the senior gig at the Hawks reads no better or worse than Neelds. There is a huge amount of difference between a Clarkson/Neeld and a Watson (and even Hird). The point that is being made is that the assistants like Neeld or Clarkson are untried as senior coaches and the Clarkson comparison is in response to the debate of an experienced senior coach as opposed to an untried assistant. Drawing the comparison to Clarkson is very valid.

Whether or not it was his "outside" impression of us I loved his choice of response. He could have fielded the question of what sort he wanted acheive with words like success ,premierships or even the dreaded competitive - he went with the word "hard". "We will be the HARDEST team to play against". I think the wider football community does view us as a bit soft and even happy to be "ok" - certainly we are not perceived as having a hard ruthless edge. I talked to good mate of mine who barracks for cats and he pointed out that until Thompson the cats could not dispell the "handbaggers" tag. We havent heard it since Thompson turned them around. It takes a year or two of displaying hardness to be perceived as a hard team.

cudos to you, Dean...

I was a big advocate of Mick Malthouse for our top job but am also thoughtful enough to realise that we would be getting Malthouse and not the Collingwood team - A lot has to go right, not only with your coaching but the drafting and the development of players to acheive ultimate success. We are getting caught up in the Malthouse hype because we are taking a snapshot right now. If you were to draw a line under Malthouse from 2000-2009 , the finals played in ( one extra grand final) resembled our Neale Daniher. Danners seasons were more hot and cold but finals appearance are very similar and how does history judge Danners ? This is not a knock on Malthouse but more for people to take a reasonable approach to our new appointment rather than suggesting a highly credentialled assistant coach wont have the same success as a Malthouse may have.

For those who are saying this path has been tried and failed have a close look at some history Peter Schwab was coach at Hawthorn ( his background was also an assistant) and was sacked in 2004 to be replaced by OMG...an untried premiership assistant coach in Alistair Clarkson Grant Thomas was a left of centre coaching appointment for StKilda sacked in 2006 to be replaced by OMG...an untried premiership assistant coach in Ross Lyon Dean Bailey came down the same path as above - if Neeld fails then so be it - but i am tipping if down the track we have success we will rewrite history on Bailey and say that whilst he didnt have any success he stripped the club of 90% of the deadwood and began the rebuild that our success is built on. I give my full support (and reserve my judgement - be it praise or condemnation) as this decision has been made by smarter and infinitely more well informed people than me.

If he was lobbing grenades he forgot to pull the pins out. I heard/comprehended/understood something completely different from you obviously.

Go back to the Neeld thread and look at the youtube clip of Rivers with Carey talking about us - if thats what he offers as leadership - gawd...... Insipid responses - hardly inspiring

Odd two out - I agree with you. Bailey was an assistant in a highly successful period at Port. Clarkson was an assistant in a highly successful period at Port. Lyon was an assistant in highly successful period at Port. Scott was an assistant in a highly successful period at Collingwood. We are not privvy to what is presented to the panel but I would be very surprised if the boxes we wanted ticked were not hard edge, no nonsense, non acceptance of mediocrity etc.

Alistair Clarkson says hello

I trust the decision that the club has made. But I wouldn't cite differences between Port and the Pies - Port were premiers and we pinched a premiership assistant as did Hawthorn ( Clarkson). When we got Bailey Port had just finished where the Pies are now.

Information was leaked out of Collingwood not Melbourne - and Garry would not name the coach - just said we have a coach and an announcement tomorrow

Maybe all you say is correct but the fact is that there was one coach out of contract and one coach who has now moved clubs. If I was one to read into words ( which I dont because no one is above spinning the truth including our Garry) you would question Garry's choice of words - "We have not missed out on any one" - yeah we have - two possibilities that we were reportedly linked with. "we are right on track" - if we are right on track then Clarkson and Lyon were never our real targets. Just odd turns of phrase.

Clubs have to fire coaches so they can get a (perceived) better coach Coach goes to another club where they have to fire their coach for him to get a better gig. Same same - whats good for the clubs is good for the coaches - two can play that game - Malcolm Blight 16 games into a contract - bye bye. If all is to be believed, then it could have been handled a lot better by Ross signalling earlier that he was off. And Freo releasing Harvey earlier ( if it was a done deal a while back) but it just continues the trend of ruthlessness in the AFL.

bazinga

As I have stated from day one - I am an "ink on paper" man. Until something is signed sealed and delivered, everything talked about, written about, commented on by all parties is fluff and nonsense - I cant differentiate fact from fiction and wont even try... Having said that "We're not missing out on anyone. The only thing that's important is for the Melbourne footy club people to realise that we are absolutely on track." What the hell does that mean, Garry ? Clarkson ? R Lyon ? One re-signed and one went elsewhere. If we are not missing out on anyone and are on track you would assume that we are getting the person we want ? (I refer back to my first paragraph - I am the same person who accepted TS when he said " I want to finish my career as a one club player and anticipate that will be case" - I WANT TO SMELL INK ON PAPER)

or...Freo wouldnt take no for an answer ? ( who knows - just having fun !)

Matty Bate is the leak ? that's a big call - got proof of that ?

To your first point - I am exactly saying we should do what Freo did To your second point - Freo did do a good job but I withhold judgement on us possibly doing a better job until I see how it plays out for us.