In this article in today's Herald Sun Sheldon states that anyone older than Waite and Walker should be traded for picks until we get the best kids. He thinks we should also be prepared to lose 17 straight games like Hawthorn and St Kilda did when they landed all their early picks.

Whatsmore Sheldon, Nicholls, Dean, Hunter and even Wayne Brittain have come out in support of Pagan so we have a unified club rather than a divided one.

Any clubs Blues?

How far should we go if we were to adopt his policy?

Fev, Whitnall and Stevens would be the players he's referring to, but how deep should we cut the list before it resembles a TAC side?

And can someone tell Trevor Grant to do research somewhere other than BigFooty to find out how much we're paying Pagan.

It's sad the members are probably hearing more from a past player as to how to move forward than Smorgon and Pagan.

Anyone on here want to stand for the board?

It is not always pretty reading but I have to say that this is the most balanced piece I have read about the Blues. It's a good tonic to condition the masses. He has also taken the time to get the impression of a few people who know a lot about the caper and care about the plight of the club.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19265632%255E19762,00.html

It will be interesting to see if others had the same reaction as me.

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I send an SOS to the world

Apologies Juzz, I saw that you identified the same article but under a different heading.

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I send an SOS to the world

I don't know about trading Stevens, Whitnall or Fevola now.

We had the chance over the last couple of seasons too trade Lance and Fev, and they had the chance too leave.

I think now I would rather the club make a stance, and come seasons end delist at least 10 or 11 players, and Kouta needs too retire for the better of the club.

We then must go to the PSD with one pick, and use the remaining picks in the national draft.

First Pick - midfielder
Second Pick - ruckman

The rest use on mid fielders

We have a potent forward line if supplied by a decent midfield. Thats why I would now keep Whitnall, Fev, Kennedy, Waite and Fisher etc together. Betts, Lappin etc can be used as crumbers.

In terms of defence, hopefully Bower, Hartlett, Thornton, Russell etc can be the future of our backline.

It's now ultimately important that we stock up on one quality ruckman and the rest mid fielders.

I would rather take a chance on a pick 80 for a solid mid fielder than what we currently have on our list as possible delistings.

By picking 10 or so young guys come years end states that the slate is clean and everyone gets a clear message.

The Stevens, Whitnalls, Fevs etc want too be there too develop the young guys, because they honestly believe that in 3 - 5 years they will experience that winning culture together.

And all the kids drafted are on a level playing field and can develop together.

For the sake of the argument, the names I am talking about:

Sporn, Wiggins, Bannister, Davies, Longmuir, Chambers, Teague, Bryan, Prendergast, Kouta (retire).

I would keep Livingston on a yearly contract, if he wasn' happy then release him as well.

That's 10 players, with Livo a maybe.

Potentially one or two rookies could be elevated.

This is so important.

I always thought that if you are getting smashed, at least play the kids and give them experience. I can't understancd why Russell is playing limited games.

He can't be that short of development that he can't play at the moment.

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Supporting the Blues No Matter What

It's a better article than the one Grant wrote a few years ago, which was full of crap and factual errors. And it was very obvious from that first article that he was very pro-Pagan and this is much the same because once again it's just the list.

Although he does look at Pagan's autrocious record, if it were a balanced article then he should have looked at why the players are less than happy with Pagan and what role had Pagan played in our poor performances. I know Britts says that not "playing for the coach just doesn't make sense" and in a way he's right - self-pride for example - but you can't just ignore the infuence of the coach (negative and positive) - otherwise, why have a coach. He sets the objectives, the plan, etc and gives them something to hang their hat on - as a team - other than just individual pride. Perhaps Pagan does focus on the errors and not the good things

And whatever Britts think about "playing for the coach", the fact is there is a problem between players and the coach and once this situation exists, it's very hard to overcome - ask Frawley and Shaw (and Walls And Barrasi).

Interesting comments by Sheldon. I don't have a real problem with the slash and burn concept - within certain parameters - but the list of possible slashed and burned should include the coach. Back to the Carlton of old - no time for losers.

All in all, a fairly thought provoking article. Sure to get some debate going.

In The HUN today, Trevor Grant has written a dispairing article on the way we have changed over the decades...

It includes:

"The 92-point loss was the team's 18th defeat by 10 goals or more from 74 games under coach Denis Pagan. That's 24 per cent, or one in four games, lost by 60 points or more, since 2003."

The horror...

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"...that's the thing about opinion - you don't have to know anything to have one..." Andre Agassi commenting on Pat Cash 2004
"...the less you know - the more you believe..." - Bono 2006

Maybe Sheldon's logic is: more picks, more chance of picking my kid

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Love Cricket? Love me

Youd want to keep Fev otherwise the club would have nothing for the next couple of years.
But i agree entirely.

Interestingly, there is a push to make Sheldon Football Manager at the club..

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

No Leaders and the kids are a rudderless ship. The problem dosen't necessarily lie with the players but a coach who can' t get their respect so mass changes wouldn't probably achieve that much. That's all been done before here. You shuffle the deck-chairs and the Titanic still sinks.

The fact that so many players/ex-platers/legends have to come out with the "party line" of "we support the coach" probably more indicates that there is a problem there. Otherwise, why would it be necessary in the first place?!! Seen it all so many times before.

I don't know why we are typing Fev & Trade in the same sentence. That is absolute garbage. He along with the youngies are keeping me going at the moment.

Most interesting was Brittain's comment on a game against the Eagles in 2001 when we smashed them by 119 points. He's said that was the worst team he'd ever seen play. 4 years later they are the top gun. In 2001 Ken Judge was coaching the Eagles and they were so very uncompetitive because he had competely lost his playing group. 2002 Woosha become coach and the next year that same "uncompetyitive" playing group are in the finals and eventually in a GF last year. Shows how much difference playing for the coach can make. Players, suddenly hit contest s harder, alot more 1%'ers, players run harder, deeper, creating number/options, the ball get moved faster into the the 50, hence goals are kiced and the wins come. And out of no-where the skills are suddenly much better. And too think Woosha was Brittain's assistant in 2001 and we went for Pagan!!!!

Thats not supporting Denis.. he is saying were paying the coach too much and not development strategies.. cant support the coach and say he is on to much for our current circumstances.
He also talks about our lack of real development strategy compared to other clubs.










Selling youth to members and being full on in trying to get our hands on it....





Great article... enough of trying to pussy foot our way to success.

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Woosha was also a Carlton supporter...

But time fixes things if you get the basics right...

We have to try and get the basics right so time can kick in for us...

Like the muffins...

No good putting them in the oven if theyre not made right...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

By Sheldon

no.. no.. more than just by Sheldon Speedy.
In fact by some of the board and some influential supporters too.(whilst still keeping GW)

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

100% right Syners. Its time for the board to make some real statements and real decisions as to where the club is headed on the field. The off feild stuff ($$$) will be taken care of by the AFL. All we hear from Smorgon is "youth policy" but does he knows what this really means? Is he prepared to make the tough decisions to impliment an agressive youth policy (EG Sheldon model) or is it just a chant he has learned. We have a youth policy, we have a youth policy, we have a youth policy.

He needs to either show us he has a real plan for the team (not just a chant) or step aside and let someone who knows something about football (I believe he knows nothing) take over. I warned months ago that Smorgon should not take over this club because he is not a football person and now we are seeing the results of having him in charge - more of the same - nothing.

He is a multi millionare who gives the club nothing, and he has never spent any time in a real club environment. He knows nothing about football, and I believe does not have a plan, a strategy or a vision for this club. What he has had is a desire for the prestige of the position and cudos it brings.

I agree Speedy, its ok to say you want to go youth.. but does he understand the consequences of going youth >?

Yeah.. its as clear as mud right now what were attempting to do... (Anfield and bullsitic understand whats going on on and off the field .. but i think the rest of us dont)

Talking about youth is fine... you cant help it .. were there and have no choice but keep taking picks...

And then what????

Thats my problem about everything at this club.... "and then what??"

what else ?????

Its like our team on the field.. there is a lack of movement ....

Fine!!!.. were going to redevelop our facilities... cool!!!.. come out and make statements about it!!!.... get onto the front foot.. explain how a re developed Princes Park will be beneficial to the kids we have here and the kids were drafting in...

But be proactive with it!!!



And again.. id ask... "What else??"


Cant stop there... we need to work hard... so what else are we going to do to make sure this club brings the kids along better.. instead of burning them!!!...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Tend to agree with Sheldon around not just drafting, but developing the kids and having a clear strategy on it's path and it's execution.

You could call it - The BLUEprint for ultimate success - It would entail the marketing, the commercial operations, the development, the drafting, the sponsorships, etc....

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

Read the article and if Sheldon was a greek name I would be suspecting his online alias was Synbad.

Seriously though, I liked what he had to say especially about the development of our youngsters. We are so far behind the rest when it comes to developing (and selecting) our young guys. We need to think outside the box when it comes to developing and selecting the best talent. In the past few years our young guys show some glimpses and then seem to hit a wall when it comes to progressing.

We still need to go for high draft picks but... without the processes, facilities to get the best out of them they will never reach full potential and we'll never be a powerhouse again.

i agree. If the club is looking to develop the youth of the team for the next few years, then at least give some of them run.