Coach Mark Neeld leaves Essendon as Game Performance Coach

[Nuggs Bunny]

I can kind of understand that they want to simplify the communication to stop mixed messages. I'm not sure how they came to this particular solution though... seems to just cause more mixed messages. How long have we had this ridiculous structure in place? Bomber was Hird's 2ic, I don't think there were these funny middle men back then. After that they had some sort of review from the saga and combined the two GM Football roles into one.

We're still in a situation where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing though.

Makes you wonder if having Worsfold that far removed from the rest of the coaching departments means it's worth having Worsfold at the club at all. We brought him on as a senior coach but it sounds like we're making him work as a figurehead.

I did say it in another thread, but Essendon has seen so reluctant to embrace change since the Sheedy-era that it's not hard to see Worsfold being pigeonholed to work in the same environment that three previous coaches ended up failing in.

 

[Mercurial89]

Robbo on 360 talking about how John has until mid year to prove he is thr man going forward.

Not sure how accurate that is.

 

[WEEVZ]

Can't really blame a bloke for the job description he wears. Being part of the team doesn't mean you can dictate how the team operates. Whoever designed it that way is clearly a peanut.

On the other hand, if everything is funnelled through him then he does bear significant responsibility for what actually happened on field.

Wow.

Glad to know we're so well run.

That is shocking.

Worsfold should be sacked, you'd think he would have been the one to implement that structure.

Seems very authoritarian and old school...like 'I'm the boss you do what I say'.

Add this to Cooney saying he doesn't invest and speak to the players enough, and someone here saying he doesn't seem to include and shake the hands of all the assistants after a win like a lot of coaches do, and it paints a pretty clear picture of worsfold.

No wonder the players aren't playing with spirit, instead of an inclusive culture worsfold is exclusive.

What the article says to me is that while the business side of the club is running well, we seem to be in dire need of a total review and restructure of the footy department from top to bottom.

It definitely doesn't look good for Worsfold if true, as he would've approved this. It basically means that Neeld was de-facto head coach, with Woosha just sitting there looking (and sounding) like an idiot.

 

[JuniorWatch]

Robbo on 360 talking. Not sure how accurate that is.

EFA

 

[MiguelM]

Maybe I am old and cynical but I hate the vision of half time with everyone in their little protected groups (fwds, backs, mids).. Looks like they are having a tea party, next there will be scones & cream!

Get them ALL behind closed doors together. I want anger and passion!!

 

[DapperDon]

What's all this talk about only 3 coaches allowed to talk in the box during the match?

What sort of bullshit were we breeding?

 

[Lore]

Makes you wonder if having Worsfold that far removed from the rest of the coaching departments means it's worth having Worsfold at the club at all. We brought him on as a senior coach but it sounds like we're making him work as a figurehead.

I did say it in another thread, but Essendon has seen so reluctant to embrace change since the Sheedy-era that it's not hard to see Worsfold being pigeonholed to work in the same environment that three previous coaches ended up failing in.

Yeah idk. Middlemen

Neeld endured a rocky ride as coach of Melbourne when he joined the Demons for the 2012 season; he was sacked midway through the following year with a 5-28 win-loss record.

The former Geelong and Richmond player then walked away from the AFL scene in 2014, joining TAC Cup club Eastern Ranges as talent manager, before stepping back into AFL clubland under former Dons coach James Hird as head of player development.

Dons will blossom after struggles, says Neeld

Now in his second season at the club, Neeld is enjoying a wide-ranging new role under first-year Bombers coach John Worsfold.

http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...ce-manager-mark-neeld-not-keen-coaching-again

Pre-employment: Melbourne coaching gig and then Eastern Ranges talent manager.
2015, Year 1: Head of Player Development under Hird
2016, Year 2: Game Performance Coach under Worsfold. Players suspended.
2017, Year 3: Harding also on board as Game Intelligence and Opposition Strategy Coach under Worsfold. Finals.
2018, Year 4: 2-6 to start the season. Sacked.

Head of Player Development seems reasonable, given his qualifications. I think the player development role is now part of the line coaches and possibly VFL coaches jobs now though. Not sure why he was shoehorned into the Game Performance Coach role, seems more like pushing him sideways coz they couldn't sack him. I do remember people being pretty happy about not getting emails "from Neeld" every week though, which stopped with the role change.

October 2016 (end of Neeld's second year) Rob Harding appointed as Game Intelligence and Opposition Strategy Coach. Here's the article about his role from the club website:

Essendon has appointed Rob Harding as its new Game Intelligence and Opposition Strategy Coach.

Harding joins the Bombers after working in the AFL for the last decade, most recently at Adelaide Crows.

Alongside John Worsfold and Mark Neeld, he’ll play a key role in formulating Essendon’s game day strategy and opposition analysis.

“The opportunity to work with John Worsfold was really exciting for me,” Harding said.

“This is a massive Club and I’m really excited by the prospect of being involved on ANZAC Day, there are so many members and supporters.

“The opportunity to come back to Victoria, where I’m from originally, work for a big Victorian Club is too good to pass up.”

Harding says there is a natural temptation to implement the game plan of the reigning premier.

But the key is taking part of that strategy and then adding further layers to it.

“The great challenge for every club is to not try and copy what has just been successful but to try and get ahead of the game and move to the next level,” Harding said.

“We’ll look at what the Bulldogs did really well, what Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong do really well and we might take bits of that.

“But we’ll also look at how we can beat that and go to the next stage.

“The Bulldogs with their ability to run and carry is outstanding, Hawthorn is still a great side, Geelong – the way they move the ball and the way they defend – so there is a lot to look at.

“I think the game is going to go in a couple of different directions – it’s going to be interesting to see which way it goes.

“Looking through the team, there are so many guys that played a large number of games last year and there will be great competition for spots with the guys returning as well.

“It’s a great time for the footy club and I’m really excited to be involved with it.”

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2016-10-24/harding-joins-bombers

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Robbo on 360 talking about how John has until mid year to prove he is thr man going forward.

Not sure how accurate that is.

Hope it's true.

It's time for John to take some leadership and stop putting it on the players to sort it out you are the coach do your friggin job

 

[DallasCrane316]

Shaw being a crazy ass!!

 

[Jesse Custer]

So it's time for John to change his ways or he will soon follow Mark out the door too.

 

[Doss]

Shaw being a crazy ass!!

Hey Tony, it's spelt 'you're'.

 

[lenny2013]

Robbo on 360 talking about how John has until mid year to prove he is thr man going forward.

Not sure how accurate that is.

The fact they are not replacing Neeld's position says further changes could be coming to me.

 

[Mercuri Rising]

Actually now that you mention it, I'm letting you off the responsibility hook and saddling him with it instead.

**** that guy.

not sure how Stevie's avoided a rocket so far

 

[WEEVZ]

Shaw being a crazy ass!!

He was a shit coach himself so what would he know? haha

 

[bombreys]

Robbo on 360 talking about how John has until mid year to prove he is thr man going forward.

Not sure how accurate that is.

I think it could depend on the Brizzy game in a months time.

We have Cats, Giants (away) and Tigers in the next three. That’s three 10 goal+ losses.

We’ll be on a seven game losing streak by the time the Lions game rolls around. If we lose that, I think he’s probably in strife.

8 losses in a row, including two of them to the bottom teams - and that’d be just before the bye. If that all happens, I think that’s when he’d get the chop.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

He was a shit coach himself so what would he know? haha

Wernt Collingwood 0-8 under Shaw? lols

 

[JayJ20]

Anyone else surprised about his transition from development coach to game performance coach? When did that happen?

 

[CBombers17]

This was posted on Blitz - if true - is it any wonder our players looked lost and confused?

If that's true we have bigger problems than i thought. Alienated assitant coaches and secret messages to players? ****en diabolical breakdowns to have leading a playing group.

 

[Donakebab]

What the article says to me is that while the business side of the club is running well, we seem to be in dire need of a total review and restructure of the footy department from top to bottom.

It definitely doesn't look good for Worsfold if true, as he would've approved this. It basically means that Neeld was de-facto head coach, with Woosha just sitting there looking (and sounding) like an idiot.

Didn't we just have a complete restructure of the footy department after it was gutted by the saga?

 

[WEEVZ]

Didn't we just have a complete restructure of the footy department after it was gutted by the saga?

Nope we did a review and the club said it implemented changes. But I've honestly stopped believing a lot of the stuff the board has said, they said they'd support Bomber and Hirdy too after they were shown the door, but from what Hirdy said they never did anything.

 

[yodellinhank]

Shaw being a crazy ass!!

Ran into too many trees

 

[srobbo]

Well let’s face it, our brand of footy was as diabolical as Melbourne’s under his watch. Had his finger prints all over it.

How he was given the level of strategic authority so soon after the worst senior coaching tenure I’ve ever witnessed baffles me.

 

[TheGrizz]

Robbo on 360 talking about how John has until mid year to prove he is thr man going forward.

Not sure how accurate that is.

God i hope not.

Any chance of the kids being played goes out the window if Worsfold (even subconsciously) goes into job preservation mode.

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

You can’t replace a redundant role.

Technically, you can. Advertise similar responsibilities under a different job title.

Either way, he wasn't made redundant. He "quit".

 

[WEEVZ]

God i hope not.

Any chance of the kids being played goes out the window if Worsfold (even subconsciously) goes into job preservation mode.

He already has imo. I don't think he'll be the coach beyond this year, there's no way he didn't approve the way they'd structured the coaching group. We need to totally clean out the coaches. With the exceptions of probably Harding and Pops.