Neeld, who was an assistant coach at Collingwood before coaching the Demons, also brought with him premiership player Leigh Brown to head up the club’s forwards. Physiotherapist Gary Nicholls has also joined the Dees.
McGuire said on Triple M last week: “I'll give Melbourne a nice heads-up - keep going after my players and I'll knock off all your sponsors.”
But Neeld, speaking at Wednesday’s media conference at AAMI Park, responded in a matter-of-fact manner.
“I don’t know if it’s been blown out of proportion, because I don’t know about Eddie’s comments,” he said.
“Eddie is very passionate about Collingwood, and he was great and fantastic to me while I worked at Collingwood. And our guys are passionate about Melbourne, and that’s the way it goes.
“If there are positions that need to be filled at clubs and people want those positions, then that’s the way it goes.
“Every industry is filled with people who are at certain levels in companies and then move companies to get to a higher level, and I don’t think that’s unique to the footy world.”
With Melbourne playing Collingwood at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night in the second round of the NAB Cup, Neeld said he was more focused on his team than the Pies at this point.
“In terms of opposition analysis, at this stage of the year it’s about what you’re doing with your own club,” he said.
“I’ll worry about the Pies and Bucks on Queen’s Birthday. I need to worry about my boys now.”
Neeld clarified his position on taking on Collingwood for the first time, after the two sides had a combined training exercise at Victoria Park earlier in the month.
“We thought it was a great idea. The players got a bit out of it, and it really suited to where we were both at in our pre-season,” he said.
“Provided the AFL ticks it off again next year, we’ll do it.”
But Neeld said both clubs needed AFL approval, which it received, given it wasn’t a practice match.
“There are a heap of reasons that I don’t understand that you’ve got to do it. But you’ve got to do it,” he said.
“So Bucks and I got together and organised that, and the same with Hawthorn and Richmond - they’ve been doing it for a couple of years.”
