It appears as though the Dees have opted to sack Mark Neeld, and replace him with Neil Craig for the remainder of the season: http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/melb... http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-17... I personally think its a stupid move, as I think he was doing a good job with what he had, that stability would have helped produce results, and the Dees were showing glimses and periods of good, solid footy. Clearly the board didn't agree with me. Just wondering what everyone else's take on this is...
I'm sorry, how was he doing a good job? Neil Craig is rubbish too. They need a big, proven name that demands good performances and that the players play for. Clearly it never happened under Neeld.
He had to go . What also concerns me is that during pre season starting from last year the players were not taught correctly . Many were unfit including being overweight, lacking stamina, when they came to their first training . People i know used to watch training over many weeks and stated Watts was loping along and on one occassion he HID behind a vehicle when he was supposed to be doing sprints and NO trainer noticed him hiding. Others at that training and on other days many players didnt put a lot of effort into their training and many trainers were praising the players. Neil Craig was aprt of this process and having him as a coach is a joke .Just ask the Crows players what he was really like . He doesnt know how to coach. Having a degree is one thing but using it correctly is another . The players skill work was appalling on many days along with the players selection of where to go and what to do during match simulations with the football( position play) when they had to dispose of it .It shows up in their matches this year . Its a very unprofessional club and ALL the trainers and fitness staff must be sacked as well along with Connolly and all admin people . Viney snr a few weeks ago nearly came to blows with Neeld re the recruitment of senior players ie rodan, byrnes etc . Neeld going is good but all the other coaches , fitness staff etc etc must go for the better of the club . I could go on and on about the Dees but they did bring it upon themselves and i believe they ' do not ' deserve a priority pick or 2 or 3. I feel sorry for the players who have to go there .
Very well. I can't say I'm an expert on the Dees, I don't get to see them train, and I don't watch them play much. I just remember that when the Eagles played them at the MCG, they put up a decent performance in the first half, and then just got blown away. I also remember watching their match against the Hawks, and thinking that alkthough they were being beaten, atleast their first half showed some solid and committed footy, telling me that at the very least they knew what was required, they just couldn't sustain it.
From where I sit he brought a minimum standard of training and professionalism that had to be met and the players didn't want to meet it, so they undermined him through poor play. No one coach is fixing this team, and IMO not many would have done better and they wouldn't have taken the job. A 20 year old had the highest score on a peer review leadership program. That says a lot. On top of that the club turns over 14 players - well you can't bring in 14 rookies IMO, and what veterans will sign there? Types like Rodan and Byrnes. Like it or not, it's a fact that Neeld knows what it takes to be a successful team in the AFL, and the club did not want to make the sacrifices, have the patience and do the work to reach it.
While I think he's been a terrible coach, I also think it hurts them in the future for getting a good one. If you were a senior coach looking at a club that has won less than a quarter of its games since 2007, with a list that required major work (and Neeld has well and truly contributed to that with his recruits this year) and a board that has shown form for sacking coaches mid-season, what kind of superiority complex would you need to have to take on the job? What they essentially need is a team of great assistant coaches who can teach them the skills while keeping out of the limelight, and as head coach, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman to break down their spirits and re-design them as a team of killers.
My assistant coach barracks for Melbourne and should throw his hat in for the job next year but something drastic needs to be done at Melbourne to get them going again.