Demons sack Bailey

[BulldogBelle]

Demons sack Bailey
Caroline Wilson
July 31, 2011 - 9:01PM

Melbourne has reacted harshly to Saturday's humiliating loss to Geelong by sacking coach Dean Bailey.

The coach of almost four years learned at 8pm that he was finished with the club.

Assistant coach and former captain Todd Viney is hot favourite to step in for the remainder of the season.

The decision to terminate Bailey came after a crisis meeting called by the board at around 5pm, which in turn followed about 24 hours of political turmoil in the wake of the debacle against the Cats.

While Bailey was a direct casualty of the Skilled Stadium defeat - an AFL record loss - he is expected to be followed soon by chief executive Cameron Schwab, whose position at the club has been tenuous for some months.

Bailey came to the club before Jim Stynes administration took over the club in the middle of the 2008 season and, with his contract ending at the end of this season, has been under pressure all year despite the club sitting only six points out of the eight.



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/melbourne-demons/demons-sack-bailey-20110731-1i6hh.html#ixzz1TgDjhVHA

[Remi Moses]

No great shock. That effort was the final nail.

[Greystache]

Interesting they're saying he's been sacked. No one gets sacked anymore, they always "step down from the position", surely Bailey didn't refuse and forced them to actually sack him?

[MrMahatma]

Had to happen. If we hadn't turned it around in the 2nd half yesterday, who knows what would've happened to Eade. But at least in terms of getting close to teams, we've been relatively competitive, save for the WC debarcle first time around.

186 points is horrendous. Kudos to the Cats for being able to do that. I'd imagine sitting 114 up at half time it'd be easy to sit back and just cruise.

Bailey's career is now finished. There's 2 vacant coaching slots. Melb/Eade could fit quite well. Not unlike we were when he arrived to us. A few high draft pics but a squad that's seemingly going nowhere.

Will be an interesting next 2-3 months.

[The Adelaide Connection]

The crazy part is I have just done the ladder predictor and even allowing for their complete crapness on the weekend have them sneaking into the 8!. :confused:

I think I am going crazy.

[LostDoggy]

So, what the hell has Bailey done in the last three years that was worth bothering about? Can't believe the media gave him as much of a free ride as they did. Seriously, he was Melbourne's Rhode.. the best thing they can say about him is that they were so crap he got them top draft picks.

[Rocco Jones]

The crazy part is I have just done the ladder predictor and even allowing for their complete crapness on the weekend have them sneaking into the 8!. :confused:

I think I am going crazy.

Definitely don't think it's crazy. They play Carlton this week but their last 4 is the easiest month you're ever going to get. Eagles @ ES, Tigers @ MCG, GC @ MCG and Port @ Adelaide Oval (had to check twice!).

Essendon and Freo keep losing players. The Dees could play poorly and still win 3 of their last 5 to get them to 10.5. It would be very odd to see a caretaker have an average start to their reign and still coach in the finals!

[LostDoggy]

Essendon and Freo keep losing players. The Dees could play poorly and still win 3 of their last 5 to get them to 10.5. It would be very odd to see a caretaker have an average start to their reign and still coach in the finals!

Will be worse for them making the finals than not -- that raw, tired, broken list limping in to play Carlton or West Coast? They may break their own 190 point record loss against Fitzroy from back in the day.

[GVGjr]

I don't see the sense in sacking him now unless more heads are on the block as well.
If Viney steps in and gets them into the finals they might feel obligated to give him the position rather than locating the best candidate.

[The Coon Dog]

If Viney steps in and gets them into the finals they might feel obligated to give him the position rather than locating the best candidate.

How would 'conflict of interest' go when they take his son under the Father/Son rule?

[GVGjr]

How would 'conflict of interest' go when they take his son under the Father/Son rule?

Probably just leaves it to the recruiters with the clubs position stating the were going to take him anyway.

Wouldn't be too much of a hurdle.

[The Coon Dog]

Probably just leaves it to the recruiters with the clubs position stating the were going to take him anyway.

Wouldn't be too much of a hurdle.

I meant more so when it comes to match day selection.

[Ghost Dog]

Warning - Big footy esque rant

God I'm sick of Melbourne, with their stupid collars flapping around.
Silverspooners! suffer in yer jocks.

Rant ended

[Desipura]

I meant more so when it comes to match day selection.

I'm hearing he is that good, the kid picks himself

[BulldogBelle]

It makes our loss to Geelong at KP this year look pretty decent!

[Topdog]

I don't see the sense in sacking him now unless more heads are on the block as well.

Whats the point in keeping him til the end of the year? Clearly he isn't going to coach next year and they can now officially start looking for new people.

[Ozza]

I don't see the sense in sacking him now unless more heads are on the block as well.
If Viney steps in and gets them into the finals they might feel obligated to give him the position rather than locating the best candidate.

Going by the discussions on Triple M yesterday - Viney is seen as very much an assistant coach - and not the Senior Coach type.

[westdog54]

Whats the point in keeping him til the end of the year? Clearly he isn't going to coach next year and they can now officially start looking for new people.

At the same time, is there any benefit to bringing in a caretaker for the last month of the season? Could you not give him the option to see out the season but start the search now?

[w3design]

Sorry to see you go Dean a true gentleman of the game

[LostDoggy]

At the same time, is there any benefit to bringing in a caretaker for the last month of the season? Could you not give him the option to see out the season but start the search now?

I think the appropriate term for the situation Bailey was in after the Geelong game was "untenable".

It's irrelevant what the logical decision was, the brand was far too damaged for no action to be taken, which would have been the worst possible move -- it was damage control, pressure release; if Bailey was still there the media swarm this entire week would have been intolerable and the club would be in crisis lock-down mode. The pain may be worth it for a gun coach that you actually want to keep -- in this case, it would have been a relatively easy decision.

[LostDoggy]

I have nothing but contempt for he shiny pants who sit in Boardrooms pontificating on things football with no knowledge of the true workings of the game at all.

This is another example of a Board's complete disregard for a coach's career and personal well-being: an easy hit for the incompetents who comprise this Board. "We'll get rid of the coach that will fix everything."

Bailey inherited a mess, both in terms of the club's finances and playing list. Sure, they had priority picks but even they (Scully, Trengove etc) take time. Neither could be said to be elite yet, but in time they will reach that level. In the meantime, patience is required.

They have had three years to consider whether Bailey is the man for the job. If he is not, then replace him at the end of the year when his contract is up, not now, an action which suggests to the world that Bailey is the cause of all ills within the club.

There are huge rumblings about the CEO and the Football Managers' competence but getting rid of the coach will fix it all. And what about the Board who selected the CEO etc?
Should they resign? Not on your Nellie.

I for one, hope Melbourne makes the eight which will be an indictment on the Board for sacking the coach who took the mess he inherited into the finals and for his efforts will get to watch the game from his loungeroom chair at home.

[BulldogBelle]

I have nothing but contempt for he shiny pants who sit in Boardrooms pontificating on things football with no knowledge of the true workings of the game at all.

This is another example of a Board's complete disregard for a coach's career and personal well-being: an easy hit for the incompetents who comprise this Board. "We'll get rid of the coach that will fix everything."

Bailey inherited a mess, both in terms of the club's finances and playing list. Sure, they had priority picks but even they (Scully, Trengove etc) take time. Neither could be said to be elite yet, but in time they will reach that level. In the meantime, patience is required.

They have had three years to consider whether Bailey is the man for the job. If he is not, then replace him at the end of the year when his contract is up, not now, an action which suggests to the world that Bailey is the cause of all ills within the club.

There are huge rumblings about the CEO and the Football Managers' competence but getting rid of the coach will fix it all. And what about the Board who selected the CEO etc?
Should they resign? Not on your Nellie.

I for one, hope Melbourne makes the eight which will be an indictment on the Board for sacking the coach who took the mess he inherited into the finals and for his efforts will get to watch the game from his loungeroom chair at home.



The funny thing about the Dees is that they will probably make the finals - given the teams that they play towards the end of the season.

The silverspooners in shiny pants in their boardroom made their decision to sack Bailey after 1 terrible game - 1 game...

OR...Bailey hasnt been toeing the clubs officialy line and has been a little too honest with some of the players about whats going on in the admin dept / boardroom

There is something rotten at the core of the MFC - and it possible the players have some serious contempt for the clubs administration...their years of tanking and not playing for the jumper havent taught some of the younger players to fight in every match as well.

When we were 50+ points down against West Coast we kept on fighting, and didnt give up...bit of a difference...

[Topdog]

At the same time, is there any benefit to bringing in a caretaker for the last month of the season? Could you not give him the option to see out the season but start the search now?

No not really. If you say the coach won't be there next season the coach loses all credibility with the players.

EJ I believe you have greatly over reacted. Bailey clearly wasn't up to it and they are behind were they should be and got the biggest beating in 20 years.

[LostDoggy]

No not really. If you say the coach won't be there next season the coach loses all credibility with the players.

EJ I believe you have greatly over reacted. Bailey clearly wasn't up to it and they are behind were they should be and got the biggest beating in 20 years.

As most pundits believe they may still make the eight where do you believe they should be?

We got hammered by 123 points after three consecutive Preliminary Finals? Should we have done the same?

[Topdog]

They've had a piss weak draw and been smacked by > 50 points 5 or 6 times.

They have 1 or 2 games a year where something happens to inspire them and they have a "great win and are back in town"

[Jasper]

How would 'conflict of interest' go when they take his son under the Father/Son rule?

Every player selected on their merits.
Most coaches in this situation would probably err on the side of being too hard I would suspect.

Andrew / Lindsay Gaze managed to straddle this line brilliantly for almost 20 years.
Even as far back as the 1984 Olympics there were claims of nepotism.

[GVGjr]

Whats the point in keeping him til the end of the year? Clearly he isn't going to coach next year and they can now officially start looking for new people.

The problem is that if Viney sneaks them into the finals then they will be hard pressed to appoint someone else. Perhaps it was an untenable position but the short term appointments can limit a clubs options later on.

[Topdog]

I don't believe so. Everyone knows the position they are in and they are expected to make the finals.

[LostDoggy]

Has Robert Walls put his hand up, or was he joking?

[macca]

I dont know how much of it is true, but its from Caroline Wilson.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-demons-killed-the-coach-they-loved-but-saved-a-ceo-20110801-1i8az.html

We should seriously look to recruit some of the Melbourne players. Nathan Jones, Brad Green or Jared Rivers. Rivers would be an ideal replacement for Hall.

[Desipura]

I dont know how much of it is true, but its from Caroline Wilson.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-demons-killed-the-coach-they-loved-but-saved-a-ceo-20110801-1i8az.html

We should seriously look to recruit some of the Melbourne players. Nathan Jones, Brad Green or Jared Rivers. Rivers would be an ideal replacement for Hall.

Nathan Jones is an inside player of which we have an abundance - no thanks
Brad Green is in the twilight if his career, Gia plays a similar role- no thanks
Jarrad Rivers is injury prone and offers us nothing more than Williams- no thanks. He plays centre half back and can't ever recall him playing forward in his career.

[LostDoggy]

Is there a thread here on Bailey's tanking admission? Adrian Anderson has been trying to spin it (of course), but how an organisation can pretend to ignore something that everyone knows is happening is beyond me.

If a time-keeper betting $1 gets 5 weeks off, Heath Shaw betting $10 gets 8 weeks, what does an entire club systemically rorting the system get? (Kicked out for a year? Exclusion from the draft for the next 5?) What does the AFL get for running a corrupt, compromised competition and persistently refusing to deal with a KEY issue of integrity for a sporting contest?

Are they being stubborn with refusing to change the draft rules because it would be an implicit admission of guilt? Are they liable for a legal challenge? A class action brought against them by AFL betting agencies or regular punters? Someone should test this in court.

[Desipura]

James Frawley played full forward along with Simon Garland, Matthew Bate played full back against St Kilda.
Tell me that is not tanking?

[Sockeye Salmon]

James Frawley played full forward along with Simon Garland, Matthew Bate played full back against St Kilda.
Tell me that is not tanking?

Well it is. Bailey admitted it.

Anderson just didn't have the goolies to do anything about it.


I am continually astonished how the AFL can simply disregard reality and pretend the world is how they want it to be rather than how it actually is.

[aker39]

Is there a thread here on Bailey's tanking admission? Adrian Anderson has been trying to spin it (of course), but how an organisation can pretend to ignore something that everyone knows is happening is beyond me.

If a time-keeper betting $1 gets 5 weeks off, Heath Shaw betting $10 gets 8 weeks, what does an entire club systemically rorting the system get? (Kicked out for a year? Exclusion from the draft for the next 5?) What does the AFL get for running a corrupt, compromised competition and persistently refusing to deal with a KEY issue of integrity for a sporting contest?

Are they being stubborn with refusing to change the draft rules because it would be an implicit admission of guilt? Are they liable for a legal challenge? A class action brought against them by AFL betting agencies or regular punters? Someone should test this in court.

Even the very stubborn KB said this morning that he can no longer say that Melbourne did not tank.

[bornadog]

The problem is that if Viney sneaks them into the finals then they will be hard pressed to appoint someone else. Perhaps it was an untenable position but the short term appointments can limit a clubs options later on.

Problem solved, Viney doesn't want the job full time.

[LostDoggy]

Is there a thread here on Bailey's tanking admission? Adrian Anderson has been trying to spin it (of course), but how an organisation can pretend to ignore something that everyone knows is happening is beyond me.

If a time-keeper betting $1 gets 5 weeks off, Heath Shaw betting $10 gets 8 weeks, what does an entire club systemically rorting the system get? (Kicked out for a year? Exclusion from the draft for the next 5?) What does the AFL get for running a corrupt, compromised competition and persistently refusing to deal with a KEY issue of integrity for a sporting contest?

Are they being stubborn with refusing to change the draft rules because it would be an implicit admission of guilt? Are they liable for a legal challenge? A class action brought against them by AFL betting agencies or regular punters? Someone should test this in court.

They can turn around and plead ignorance, and that's exactly why AA is denying and spinning.

[Ghost Dog]

Let's get some of their better players. and why not Baily as an assistant?

[Mantis]

Let's get some of their better players. and why not Baily as an assistant?

How do you propose we do that?

[Desipura]

How do you propose we do that?
You ask alot of questions. Perhaps offer them Shaun Higgins if he is not happy at the dogs, how does that sound?

[Mantis]

You ask alot of questions. Perhaps offer them Shaun Higgins if he is not happy at the dogs, how does that sound?

And if Shaun is happy at the Dogs what do we do then?

Oh sorry... I asked another question.

[ledge]

Tell me if I have heard right... The players approached the board, said they didnt respect Schwab he was sacked on the Friday, after the result on weekend the club reversed the Schwab decision and sacked Bailey?
Now I am confused on a couple of things.. If the players knew Schwab was sacked why the shocking display on the weekend that didnt at all help the coaches position?
Maybe they liked Bailey because he was too easy on them?
Can anyone make sense of this?
From what I hear about Viney they are certainly going to learn to do it hard, talking to an ex team mate of his he says Vineys a good bloke but he wont take crap.
Might be what they need.

[Desipura]

And if Shaun is happy at the Dogs what do we do then?

Oh sorry... I asked another question.
Well I dont think they will want an more first round picks, so we do not deal

[BulldogBelle]

Tell me if I have heard right... The players approached the board, said they didnt respect Schwab he was sacked on the Friday, after the result on weekend the club reversed the Schwab decision and sacked Bailey?Now I am confused on a couple of things.. If the players knew Schwab was sacked why the shocking display on the weekend that didnt at all help the coaches position?
Maybe they liked Bailey because he was too easy on them?
Can anyone make sense of this?
From what I hear about Viney they are certainly going to learn to do it hard, talking to an ex team mate of his he says Vineys a good bloke but he wont take crap.
Might be what they need.



Probably cheaper (considering their respective contracts), easier to replace, and would generate less media attention sacking the coach mid season rather than the CEO

Melbourne cant let the tail wag the dog - even though the tail has just dropped off