Melbourne

Despite the hype of Melbourne getting pumped by Port Adelaide I did think that stories about the demise of the Melbourne FC for Season 2013 were a little premature, yet I could not be bothered to watch the Port match on Fox tonight, so went for the Melbourne vs Essendon match instead and was treated to watching Melbourne being humiliated by 148 pts and the record re-set for Essendons biggest ever win over the dees.

Probably fair enough that the discussion about just what the heck is going on at Melbourne needs to happen.

I was always a huge Jim Stynes fan, yet the club that is currently being portrayed in the media is nothing like him as a player or as a leader IMO.

My thoughts are that this likely goes back to the sacking of Joseph Gutnick as President, it seems to me that it was only under his leadership that they had any real success. Despite the fact that Daniher was sacked several years later, it also seems to me that was likely another poor decision that simply papered over the cracks that were already there.

No doubt this comes across as a rude comment, yet to watch the broadcast of the aftermath in the Melbourne rooms and to see Senior Coach Mark Neeld being lectured to by Neil Craig in front of Cameron Schwab screamed to me of "the Blind leading the Blind"...

Clearly the tanking allegation episode was not great for the club and if they did tank it clearly did not work, yet getting a coach who was sacked because they had failed at a rival club seems an interesting decision.

So where to for the Dees? Do heads start to roll now, or do they wait to get thrashed by the Gold Coast or GWS before they push the panic button and start sacking people, most likely begining with the Senior Coach, who again will only be another scapegoat if that is done again.

Too early to sack the coach but there are no guarantees he will see out the season.
Did they tank or are they just woeful? If this game was the last one of the season and draft picks depended on it would tanking accusations be made?

I think Melbourne has lots of problems - poor management, no money, small supporter base, an ordinary list and players who do not seem to want to be there. No easy way out of that mess.

Rather then the AFL spending millions propping them up as a failing Victorian club, send them to Tasmania with some of the money and concessions they gave GWS and Gold Coast and they could thrive.

with the name 'Melbourne' i can't see them relocating anywhere

They have a very young list and a lot of those young players will take a season or two to become hardened to the game at the top level.
There captain is only 20 years old and is struggling with his own form let alone other issues within the player group.
One thing that I strongly disagree with is seeing Melbourne supporters abusing there own players as they were coming off the ground last night, these people should hang there heads in shame for this type of behaviour towards there own players

testy,
i agree but you can't call them 'supporters' when they don't support

Your right Bayman, but now is the time they need all of the support that they can get, not this type of behaviour, NEVER would I react the way these idiots did to players of my club, disgraceful is the only word that comes to mind.

yep, absolutely disgraceful conduct

At least they haven't been caught on camera ripping up their memberships and throwing them at the players and coaching staff like Richmond supporters did a few years back!

Is this why many clubs have moved on to plastic cards??

Rumor is about that they are throwing everything and the kitchen sink at Paul Roos to get him to coach for 2014.

Its been made public that they have been given official permission by their clubs to speak with Rodney Eade and Mark Williams and its said that Neil Craig has still not yet put in an application for the position.

If Paul Roos did take the job on, how much of his heart is going to be in it, or is it going to be a case of Malcolm Blight at St Kilda all over again?

Paul Roos would be highly unlikely to need the challenge in his life. If he signed on for anything less than 3 years it would be a mistake and I doubt they would be able to talk him into a 5 year contract.

I think they should be looking more at Josh Mahoney, Todd Viney and the recruiting team more so than the next coach. They are in deep doo doo.