Macca

Well , fair enough Dr Gonzo . I guess the difference between you and I is the faith bit . That is our point of difference . Therefore it's difficult for us to agree . I'm a players man (to a point) and haven't got a lot of time for coaches (unless they win games) . I can't for the life of me work out why an unproven coach can get a 3 year contract . It's too generous . 2 years is ample . I did like your post though and it will be interesting to see whether or not the club has a clean-out at years end . Whilst I think many believe this will happen I'm not so sure . We've heard that talk before and it rarely happens . Often players put in good performances towards the end of the year thus giving themselves more currency . And often clubs will re-contract players for fear of losing them . Interesting that you mentioned a complete rebuild . I got taken to task not 3 weeks ago for suggesting a "somewhat part rebuild" . 3 weeks is a long time in footy hey ? Cheers

Well if he's saying all this and the players aren't listening to him then that's a problem yeah ? Either way it ain't working . What's your solution Dr Gonzo ? I get tired of people continually talking about a problem and they're only solution is to drop this player or that player . That is not a solution . Dropping Sylvia fixes nothing . It's scapegoating .

I've had a bit of a dip this weekend but I'm tired of losing and I'm not going to accept mediocrIty . That doesn't mean I want the coaches head or anything like that . Far from it but blind loyalty to unacceptable performances is just not on . All that "Be patient" , "Keep the faith" jargon annoys me . I started barracking for this club in 1965 . Missed by 1 year hey ? I was 28 years old when I saw my 1st final . I know what patience is all about . There are plenty on this site with similar stories . Cheers OD

It should be a no-brainer that there must be more instructions than "Kick it long down the line to a contest" . But that's all we've really seen so far . You can't know for sure whether our players are supposed to be "spreading , looking for the footy and being daring and bold" . Are you sure that Neeld isn't "shackling their ankles" ? I only post on what I can see . Anything else would be a guess . Neeld has gone on record as saying we have put our "attacking mode of play" on hold for the time being until the players learn the defensive aspects of the game . Or words to that effect . Just have a look at the way we're playing . The players seem unsure about what to do - often It's my belief that our attacking flair has been stifled by this over-emphasis on the defensive aspect . That's what we've been witnessing anyway . Unless you or anybody else can see anything different that I can't see . If you are correct and Neeld is instructing the players to be daring and bold etc etc then the players aren't taking it on board . And that in itself is a major problem . The message isn't getting through . You say the players are just not doing it . All of them ? I could understand a few but not all of them .

Dire Straits , how good were they ! Memories of parties ! Simple Minds churned out many a hit , here's one ..... Macca's 80's 1.3 [media=]

Trengove looks like he's carrying something , and I don't like making excuses for any players . He just doesn't look right .

Rangers get through to the last 4 with a 2-1 win over Washington . From here on in we'll get a game virtually every day . With the exception of next Sat (oz time) . LA and Phoenix kick things off tomorrow at 10am . Not on Foxtel ! What am I paying a premium for ? Unacceptable . I'll find a way to tune into the game though . The Rangers play the Devils the following day . Hey 'GTG' - have they got a name for this match-up ? Like the subway series in baseball ? And does it get a bit "Willing" on the ice and in the crowd ?

Good post 'Hardnut' I fail to see why Neeld has "put aside" the attacking element of our game whilst we're supposedly learning the defensive aspect . Couldn't he have left it in ? From day 1 ? Does he think he can just add it in later like it's some sort of "tap" that you turn on and off . We should be playing a more "total" game , rather than just one aspect . From day 1 . We may not have been very good at it but at least we'd be learning on the job and practising a more "total" game . If it's good enough for both Essendon and Adelaide to have lot's of aspects of their game plans up and running , why not our team ? This is not primary school where you learn one thing at a time . It's footy , and a team needs to practice all aspects of the game , all at once , to improve .

We've got 5 'potential' stars who for one reason or another are miles away at the moment . Watts - in the 2nds Trengove - struggling , injured ? Sylvia - an enigma Frawley - lost his attacking flair Jurrah - ? If all these 5 were up and firing we'd be a much , much better side . We're most probably going to have to bring some stars into our club with free agency , trading or the draft .

Here we go ! C'mon Lakers . Kobe to have a big one .

So I have a differing opinion to yours and you call my post "Hysterical much" ? I question a game plan that isn't working - so what . I also question why so many players are out of form or underachieving - again , so what . My comments were about the "here and now" , not about any futuristic stuff . Crystal ball gazing is not for me . Nor is blind faith . I believe in practicalities . Where are we improving ? Please explain .

You make a good point re the midfield . So , what does Neeld do ? We've tried plenty through the midfield so far . Free agency , trading and the draft is our answer short to long term . Really , we're just treading water for now unless 2 or 3 put their hand up . The thing that worries me is we might have to pay way over the odds for any midfield free agent . That's why it's important to get as many wins as possible and get up the ladder . We need to able to offer a stable enviroment with a team that is going places . It can't be just about the money .

Yeah , and I still remember the controversy when Gough got the purchase through ! The art world is far more accepted now hey ? Back to the footy , I genuinely hope you're right about Neeld's game plan RR . We'll know more in 4 or 5 weeks time .

Looking like a bit of a "Jackson Pollock" right now RR . I've had a good look at that "Blue Poles" . Made no sense to me .

Not sure the board would have been told that the game plan primarily is about kicking it long around the boundary to contests - with little or no teamwork , creativity , flair , handballing , gut running to position etc etc . I've got plenty of patience , but I reserve the right to question anything . I doubt any criticism of Mark Neeld would affect him one way or the other - especially on a supporter forum ! My criticism of the game plan are the parts that are missing . Do you know when these parts will appear ? As for Rivers I did say maybe . And the pass mark was acceptable , not anything of a higher level . I've seen Garland play better and as for Frawley , he's lost a lot of his dash from his AA 2010 year . He's doing quite well as a stopper but we should be getting more from him - just like most of our list . I'm not singling out any one player or scapegoating anyone . We've got many players down on form . I'm not happy about the way our team is playing . We're 18th . We should be playing a hell of a lot better and we're not .

I was just a kid and have always wanted to know what happened to us after our 8-1 start . Was it just that Collingwood game 'bush demon' ?

I'm just disgusted to hear this Striker . Not sure what you could have done really . You stood your ground and didn't move . That would have annoyed them . They failed in their endeavors . They'll all cop their right whack one day . Just remember (Censored) things happen to (censored) people .

Yep , as tempting as those low number draft picks might be , we can't go down that track again . It's the wrong way of thinking and for us at least - hasn't really worked . We need to learn how to win again - every time we play . We also need to be mindful of free agency . Our club has to be attractive to potential free agents . Money talks but we as a club need to offer more than just money . By the way , I'd give the no.1 draft pick to the team that finishes 9th . 10th gets no.2 , 11th gets no.3 and so on and so forth . Play the season out by trying to win as many games as possible . Special dispensation could be given to teams that are genuine "basket cases". Arbitrarily of course . Not a perfect solution but it does stop teams manipulating a loss or 3 . Unless a team doesn't want to finish 8th !!

We , as a club cannot afford to have a 3-4 win season . Forget prized draft picks for a minute and think about the financial pressure that having such a dismal season will bring . Membership would drop off , close to zero prime time free to air games on the tele next year which in turn would affect sponsorship . Our revenue streams would all take a hit thus affecting our FD spending . We need to start playing a decent brand of football - now . Crowds are already starting to dwindle and we're all gonna hear about it if the Queens birthday crowd isn't good . It's all very well for Neeld to talk about development , whilst possibly not seeming to care about winning as much . We've all heard this "development" stuff before . Ad nauseum . A bottom 3 position on the ladder at the end of the season is unacceptable in my eyes and can't be allowed to happen . By the way , we're allowed to back Mark Neeld and at the same time question his tactics . No microwaving memberships or calling for mass sackings . Just a few questions . To give this bloke unconditional support is wrong . He's not Norm Smith or Jimmy Stynes . Everybody talks about how the Sydney Swans can't afford to bottom out yet the same rule doesn't apply to our side ?

Yeah Footynut , it's ok to agree to disagree . It's just opinions , after all . I don't often vent but our long kicks to a contest , many times towards the boundary just doesn't suit our list . Even if we had the skilled players to pull it off I doubt whether it would be effective anyway . And only having 77 handballs is just not going to work . If we can't hit targets with precision kicks either then that means we have no real teamwork . What we end up with is an ugly brand of footy that isn't effective . The players look lost out there . The game has moved on anyway . I don't have a problem with Neeld's hard nosed attitude or his demeaner (though that "hardest team to play against" comment could hurt him )

I never said anything about the old game plan . There are obviously more game plans than Bailey's or Neeld's . Essendon's and Adelaide's game plans are looking ok . Attacking flair , defensive pressure etc etc . I don't like Neeld's game plan . You do . Let's leave it at that .

Kahuna's ? To take on a head coaching job ? They either remain an assistant on way less money or take the job of a head coach on about 3 - 5 times more money . Often with a 3 year guarantee . Sympathy for any coaches , any time , is misguided . Go and join the general workforce if you can't handle being a head coach . Oh , and be prepared for a bit of a paycut . Coaches get well remunerated for their time . At least 6-7 times the average Australian wage and up to 15 times this amount . And there is a fairly good life after coaching . They're not forced to do it . At the moment all Neeld has proven is that we don't know if he can coach or not . His game plan is ridiculous and won't work . It's only a matter of time before somebody in the media will take his outdated game plan to task . And then watch all the others jump in like vultures . Hardest team to play against ? What an absolute joke . Now , he might or should get much better . I hope so , but only those with blind faith will guarantee that . Pressure needs to be put on Neeld . It should have happened after round 2 . He needs to abandon this game plan altogether and start again . I hope he's not too stubborn to change . All our attacking flair and creativity has vanished . Our teamwork is virtually non existant . That is Neeld's fault . The buck stops with him , as it should . I'm not calling for his head but he needs to lift his game . The players don't get off the hook . Only Clark , Jones , Magner and maybe Bartram , Howe , McKenzie , McDonald and Rivers have had acceptable years so far . The rest are either way below form , injured or not good enough .

Some great stuff from 'The Cure' there JJ . This track from the 'Doobies' is not quite the 80's but has an 80's feel Macca's 80's 1.2

Been listening to a bit of "Men at Work's" music since the sad passing of Greg Ham .

Here's a track from 'Euge Groove' ( Steven Eugene Grove ) . This song takes a little while to get going but when it does , Steven gets to show his real talent . Some earthy sax here . Nice lead guitar break towards the end to round it out nicely . Macca 3.2