Mega Thread Judgement Day has passed... "It is what it is", but what is it?

[Captain Jack]

And so it comes down to this. Today the MFC board meets ostensibly to decide Mark Neeld's future, or lack thereof, as our coach. Will he survive? Is it already decided? Who should replace him? What have you been told by your mate's uncle's gardener? Should we storm the meeting and sack the board instead? Discuss all of the above, and more, in one convenient location!

I, for one, would like to see him survive, purely to prove Caroline Wilson wrong. I no longer read her dribble, but I imagine she is calling loudly for blood. Caro, if you're listening, I think you're a pathetic excuse for a journalist, you know nothing about football and I hate you. Please fall off your high horse ASAP.

Anyway.

Have at it below, but OPPOSITION POSTERS BEWARE - we will not tolerate any subtle digs at our joke of a club, as we're quite capable of doing that ourselves. Constructive posts are welcome, but trolls will be dealt with harshly. Please read this announcement if you're unclear.

Fire away.

 

[Bluelegs]

He will be. And I'll hate every moment of it.

 

[Tulip]

I've changed my mind and will say NO.

Catch the board on the telecast? They look so beyond pretending to be hopeful. They'll move now IMO.

 

[Captain Jack]

I voted yes because I'd like to think they could just maybe show a bit of caution... we're not even halfway through the season yet. Give him a few more weeks at least.

 

[rhaz]

If so they better do it now or wait until the end of the year... whoever the caretaker is has the bye weeks to change some shit behind the scenes, and we have the whole rest of the season to look for a new one.

I couldn't give a shit really, any improvement this year isn't going to come from a change in coach.

I'd like to see Neeld go on. We have two winnable games after the bye - Saints and WB.

 

[RandB]

Thinking the bus will collect him so NO he won't see the QB game.

...and in all honesty if he's gone anyway then why drag it out? Not good for Mark and his family and not good for the mood at the club. Sever ties now as professionally as possible.

 

[CWaffles]

Honestly, I would like to see him moved on, just feel he can't get anymore out of the player and if there is a game plan it is seriously flawed!

But I do think he will be there next week and even a few games after the Bye, If we are going to move him on we need a solid plan in place!

 

[PerfectFooty]

neeld will be yes. lets face it neeld is very good at talking his way out of things. and lets face it if the board signed him on to coach like this than there no sense in getting rid of him now.

 

[PerfectFooty]

I, for one, would like to see him survive, purely to prove Caroline Wilson wrong. I no longer read her dribble, but I imagine she is calling loudly for blood. Caro, if you're listening, I think you're a pathetic excuse for a journalist, you know nothing about football and I hate you. Please fall off your high horse ASAP.

couldn't agree more!

 

[Gameova_]

I hope he doesn't get sacked

 

[Dory_77]

I'd like to see Neeld go on. We have two winnable games after the bye - Saints and WB.

The chances of that still being the case when those games roll around is growing slimmer by the week though.

I think Bruce and Lingy were right today when they said the board needs to make up their mind definitively either way: Neeld is either getting the arse straight away, or seeing out the year regardless of results.
Personally I don't think he'll survive this meeting. I doubt it'll change the results and personally I'd probably rather let Neeld see out the year. Then again, losing by at least 10 goals a week is becoming ridiculously painful. None of us expected the team to be worldbeaters, but this season has been utterly atrocious.
I'm not fussed either way really. The change will do little more then stave off the media hounds for a while if it does happen, or leave them hungry for a few months longer if Neeld stays. I really don't think a change in coach will suddenly see the team click into gear.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

I hope he doesn't get sacked

To be honest mate, I've changed my mind about this since when we were chatting about it before.

Today it was very apparent that there was effort and intensity from our playing group, but far too often without the kind of skills and decision-making ability any player should have if they've been under a legitimately decent head coach (and assistant coaching staff of course, because they're just as responsible for this) for a reasonable period of time.

If there isn't any coach able to step into the role who has some real previous runs on the board in the AFL, then I'd agree with keeping him on for the rest of the year. We don't want to be in the same situation as during the latter stages of 2011, simply changing over to another untried and untested person holding the reins of our team. But if Neil Craig (or Gary Ayres) is able to step up as caretaker, I'd take that at this point.

 

[pizzor]

You guys realise that its a monthly meeting he has with the board. It has just been blown up by the media. Doubt he will be getting fired.

 

[Tulip]

You guys realise that its a monthly meeting he has with the board. It has just been blown up by the media. Doubt he will be getting fired.

It just happens to be the next time that they meet. But he'll probably still be sacked.

 

[MightyHawks]

Gary Ayres should coach for the rest of the season (but definitely not next year)

Neeld will be an assistant coach at another club next year and be good in that role

 

[Captain Jack]

Sorry for wording the poll question poorly, I imagine some will be confused by it.

On another matter... Are there many precedents for clubs bringing in interim coaches from outside their organisation mid-season? Some have mentioned Ayres... It seems odd to me that we would look to someone who knows bugger all about our players etc to come in and try to get results straight away.

 

[RandB]

Interim won't be an outsider.

 

[Blackas87]

I'll say yes, monthly board meeting being over hyped by the media, although he doesn't have long

 

[Animosity]

I think hes got until the bye and if it doesnt happen then, it wont until the end of the year.

I still keep saying he needs a few weeks with dawes and clark together, give him a full list and he wont be as bad as everyone thinks.

 

[AFL is Number One]

You guys realise that its a monthly meeting he has with the board. It has just been blown up by the media. Doubt he will be getting fired.

I agree. let him stay. Is he the one missing targets with kicks,dropping chest marks,turning it over etc etc etc??? Put some heat on those 22 overpaid duds that take the field every week and shame our jumper.
I'd like to see Jamar at a press conference and explain why he gets an average of one kick and 3 handballs every game.
Overpaid duds. It's too easy to blame Neeld.

 

[guitarded]

I'd love to ask the people that want him to stay why? Perhaps you can help me see something that I am not.

 

[PureFooty]

The pressure on our next coach would have to far exceed that of any other coach I can ever remember. Normally, the immediate future of a club rides on the coach, but our next coach will honestly have the long term future of our club at his hands, and perhaps its existence (outrageous call, but it can't be ruled out). This pressure would have to be a deterrent to the likes of Mathews, Roos and Williams, who have proved themselves to be great coaches of the game. That's why I think Eade will get the job. He was my 2nd preference behind mick post Bailey, and I was really annoyed when we hired Neeld, purely because I thought he was too inexperienced, and just another Bailey. Eade still has something to prove, his still up to date with the game, and I would imagine still has the desire to coach. Hell, at least at the Dees he'll have a forward line to work with!

 

[MeisterBot]

I'd like to see him ride out his tenure and see what he is capable of doing to turn Melbourne's fortunes around. At the very least, I can't see how a caretaker coach would improve on-field performance and this coaching roulette can't be good for the mood inside the club.

Besides, getting seasoned coaches with a great record is no guarantee for success. Dennis Pagan at Carlscum for example. I don't think Neeld is a great tactical coach, though I do think his development is underrated. He's had hits and misses as far as that goes, but N. Jones, J. Howe have become seriously good players and the rise of D. Terlich, M. Jones and M. Evans, etc is promising. Perhaps at the end of his tenure, a better tactical coach can be brought in to prep them for a genuine finals run.

But I get the impression that he's been working very hard to stop that rot that's been allowed to fester under Bailey and despite resistance, might be starting to win over the playing group. I'm concerned that turfing Neeld may allow it to resurface, which will set back the club even further. Especially if someone like Rawlings or Royal is appointed as the caretaker coach.

I'll say yes, but I don't expect him to see out the season, unfortunately.

That said, there are some good candidates like Choco floating around. I suppose it's a shame you can't slot him in from day one.

 

[PureFooty]

I'd love to ask the people that want him to stay why? Perhaps you can help me see something that I am not.

What's the point of hiring an interim coach?

 

[CM Sean]

I vote only 'yes' because I don't believe he'll be sacked yet. I don't even know where I stand for sure, as to whether or not I want them too. But I must admit, the more I see us being beaten to a bloody mess, every week, the more I lean toward the former.

The way I look at it? If Mark Neeld were to be sacked tomorrow, at least we're guaranteed some sort of change. Whether or not that be the right choice, at least it's something. Perhaps with that sacking comes back a ray of the hope we've lost this year. Because right now, with every match we walk into, we expect the slaughter. If a new coach were to walk in next week, we wouldn't quite know what to expect. That much might be exciting.

Or perhaps not. I really don't know anymore. I'll live with either decision at this point. Not fussed.