CHIEF executive Cameron Schwab says the process to secure Melbourne’s new senior coach - ultimately Mark Neeld - did not alter from the moment the club started.
Schwab said Neeld was the club’s preferred candidate for the “long term” once it established a framework to find a new coach.
He confirmed Melbourne made its decision to appoint Neeld “around six o’clock on Friday night”. Schwab also added that Melbourne informed Collingwood it would speak to Neeld when it started its coach selection process.
“[We] did a lot of homework on the coaches who we believed best fit,” he said.
“There was obviously a lot of talk about what that was externally, [but] internally, we didn’t vary at all, from where we saw it.
“There were a number of candidates who clearly stood out, and after having a number of discussions and focusing on the things we’d spoken about previously, Mark Neeld came up as clearly our preferred candidate.
“It was earlier this week that we came to that realisation, and from that point onwards it was about what we were to do to make sure we secured Mark in this role.”
After “a disappointing and challenging year”, Schwab said there will now be plenty of work for all involved in Melbourne to undertake.
“We’re very confident that we’ve got the basis of a very good and an emerging playing structure. But we’re not also idealising that in any shape or form. We know that there is an enormous amount of work to take place,” he said.
Joint vice-president Guy Jalland said the sub-committee was open-minded when it started the process of finding Melbourne’s coach.
“Whether it was an experienced coach or an emerging senior assistant coach, we wanted to go through the process, and Mark emerged as our standout candidate,” he said.
“We’re delighted that he’s chosen to pursue his coaching career with the Melbourne Football Club.
“I think it’s a really exciting day for the Melbourne Football Club.”
Meanwhile, Schwab said the work that club great and football director Garry Lyon had undertaken in Neeld’s appointment had been significant.
“Mark’s had the opportunity of spending some time with Garry through this process,” he said.
“He’s been outstanding. We know the person he is and the role that he’s played.
“He was an ideal ‘go to’ person for our club at that time, particularly with [president] Jim [Stynes] working through what he’s working through.”
Schwab said Neeld was the club’s preferred candidate for the “long term” once it established a framework to find a new coach.
He confirmed Melbourne made its decision to appoint Neeld “around six o’clock on Friday night”. Schwab also added that Melbourne informed Collingwood it would speak to Neeld when it started its coach selection process.
“[We] did a lot of homework on the coaches who we believed best fit,” he said.
“There was obviously a lot of talk about what that was externally, [but] internally, we didn’t vary at all, from where we saw it.
“There were a number of candidates who clearly stood out, and after having a number of discussions and focusing on the things we’d spoken about previously, Mark Neeld came up as clearly our preferred candidate.
“It was earlier this week that we came to that realisation, and from that point onwards it was about what we were to do to make sure we secured Mark in this role.”
After “a disappointing and challenging year”, Schwab said there will now be plenty of work for all involved in Melbourne to undertake.
“We’re very confident that we’ve got the basis of a very good and an emerging playing structure. But we’re not also idealising that in any shape or form. We know that there is an enormous amount of work to take place,” he said.
Joint vice-president Guy Jalland said the sub-committee was open-minded when it started the process of finding Melbourne’s coach.
“Whether it was an experienced coach or an emerging senior assistant coach, we wanted to go through the process, and Mark emerged as our standout candidate,” he said.
“We’re delighted that he’s chosen to pursue his coaching career with the Melbourne Football Club.
“I think it’s a really exciting day for the Melbourne Football Club.”
Meanwhile, Schwab said the work that club great and football director Garry Lyon had undertaken in Neeld’s appointment had been significant.
“Mark’s had the opportunity of spending some time with Garry through this process,” he said.
“He’s been outstanding. We know the person he is and the role that he’s played.
“He was an ideal ‘go to’ person for our club at that time, particularly with [president] Jim [Stynes] working through what he’s working through.”
