MARK Neeld says his focus is on the playing group and not himself, on the back of two shattering opening round losses.

Neeld said he cared for the players and every ounce of energy had been to look after the players. A heartfelt Neeld spoke about the fallout from last round’s 148-point loss to Essendon at AAMI Park on Friday.

“My first thought was with the players. These are people that I see every day and these are people that I speak to every day and I work with them every day, and you have an attachment to people like that,” he said.

“These are guys that come around [to my] home and sit at my dinner table and we talk about life and their family and their plans for the future. To see them in that state, that’s hard, that’s really hard.”

Roughly 150 Melbourne fans turned out in force to show their support for the club at training on Friday morning, something Neeld said the players and coaches were very appreciative of.

“That was great – the show of support from the fans was really good. The playing group certainly enjoyed that, training in front of some genuine support,” he said.

“They made a lot of noise and made everyone feel good about themselves. It was a fantastic way to start a Friday.”

Neeld said it was difficult to achieve massive improvement inside 12 months, but he was optimistic about turning the club’s fortunes around in the long-term.

“I don’t think anyone, even the most optimistic people, would have thought we were able to turn the club around within one year,” he said.

“A rebuild takes a lot longer than a year, but at the same time we would have expected to be a little further ahead of where we are.

“Rebuilds can’t be measured from game to game – it’s over a significant time. There has been the odd one, but it’s not common place that a rebuild takes 12 months.”

Despite the results, Neeld said everyone at the club was putting in 100 per cent.

“We’re doing everything we can. I don’t think anyone would be able to say you guys aren’t having a go,” he said.

“They’re a group that is learning every single time they train, every single day they work through the club.”

Commenting on the criticism the club received for letting Channel Seven broadcast his pre-match address, Neeld believed it had not come across as intended.

“I thought the perception of that was completely wrong in the public,” he said.

“We have a professional development program and young Jack [McCowan] from the media department sits in all of the meetings up the back with a handheld camera. We use that for all of our coaches – whether that’s a full team meeting or a small line meeting.

“It’s used for professional development for coaches and administrators – it’s also used as a bit of a log to keep as a database of the messages that are given to the players.”

The decision was also based around giving supporters an insight into how the club works.

“Part of being involved in a footy club, you don’t get a massive amount of opportunity to show your supporters what happens,” Neeld said.

“Although our industry expands and expands all of the time, it actually makes it harder to explain to supporters or show them what really happens … so that helps the supporters.”

Neeld was full of praise for departing club CEO Cameron Schwab, but reiterated that those decisions were separate to the football department.

“Those decisions are made at board level, that’s their role within the footy organisation to do that,” he said.

“I’ve worked with Cameron everyday for just under 18 months and I enjoyed my time working with Cameron. Cameron will always be a Melbourne footy club person.

“He’s left a really positive imprint on me and I wish him and his family all the best for the future.”

Melbourne faces the West Coast Eagles this Saturday at 2.10pm (local time) at the MCG.