Hi guys, this is my first post, so excuse the "rookie" moves!
I've been following the dees for 50 years now, went to the first game with my father in 1963 . All this time I've suffered the same as other dee supporters at the hands of an inconsistent MFC performance often to the point of only having a very vague sort of interest in the results because it hurt too much to be deflated yet again..
Played footy with only a handful of people I can remember who were Dees fans,went to teachers college and played footy in the late 70's under Parko @ Burwood,where there was no shortage of VFL(noA yet) players none of whom were Melbourne players or supporters. It just seemed even then if you were a Dee fan then you were an exception,and I'm hearing via this forum that it's more the norm than the exception as today.
In the last 10 years my kids have shown an interest in the spectacle rather than the game itself,they like the G and the atmosphere ,don't really understand why I follow this team of "never heard of him"s, that never seem to win...all their friends (and mine!) follow Geelong Carlton and Hawthorn.
But what they don't understand is there's something in you that was bred by inheritance to follow that red and blue . How I use to love the jumper when I was a kid!!!!
But....................this year I can say after plucking up the courage 3 years ago to buy a membership,I'm going to these games half expecting the normal beatings and sometimes the disappointing close calls, to see a team thats different from every other MFC team I've ever seen.
A team that's absolutely devoid of heart or soul.
AH SO THAT'S WHY NOBODY BARRACKS FOR THE DEES!!!(except those forced to by inheritance or lack of transport/money My kids only get to go to Dee games!)
BUT.. something worse than before is definitely in the water at training, Neeld is the only major difference, apart from the other coaches but they all have to play his game anyway.
Don't get me wrong. I think his heart is in the right place, but he has definitely done something to :
1. Put the older players offside
2.Instill fear and fumble into players who were recently accomplished
3.Play a brand of football that defies logic,aesthetics,and the abilities of the few good players we have.
IF THE CLUB IS TO SURVIVE, stuff the new structures,game plans,etc and just start getting the ball and winning some contests and games.
IF we go thru a year of losing every game except maybe 2, there will be no supporters left out there to follow the team in 3,4,how ever many years it takes to get the players going on the new plan,(which was the plan in 2009 !!!)
If we do have to rebuild,-which I'm not absolutely convinced of-we should be playing a game that suits the players we have until we get the players we need.