EXCLUSIVE: MELBOURNE interim chief executive Peter Spargo insists his board trusts Mark Neeld to deliver improved performances after a disastrous start to the season.

The Demons vice president said while the board is backing Neeld, decisions across the club are being made on a weekly and monthly basis.

Spargo has stepped up to fill the void left by Cameron Schwab, who finishes on Friday after being asked to resign.

Watch the full interview above

While conceding "no one is happy" with the club's on-field position, Spargo said Neeld had given assurances things would improve.

"Our support is with Mark Neeld and the football department, we're very confident they can take us to where they need to go," Spargo told AFL.com.au.  

"In a football sense and a board sense we take things on a weekly and monthly basis, and we don’t look to what's happening at the end of the year, we just look to what's happening this week.

"We just want an improved performance, Mark's very clear on that. He's told us that we're going to get that and we believe him and trust him."


From the coach to the players and the board, improvement is the theme, and the Demons' next chance is against West Coast at the MCG on Saturday.

Spargo spoke to AFL.com.au as the Demons trained on their new oval at Gosch's Paddock, which has just been vacated by Collingwood.

He praised the support of loyal fans who turned out to lift the team's spirit, assuring them they are being listened to.

"It hasn't been an easy week for the Demon army and the faithful, and it just shows that we're a resilient lot," Spargo said.

"We're a membership-based club, and we listen to what the members have to say.

"I think everyone just wants to see an improved performance.

"Mark Neeld is very objective in terms of what he wants, and if we can get an improved performance that may lead to a win.

"Mark Neeld needs to focus on a weekly basis."

Spargo last filled in as CEO in 2008 when Jim Stynes was elected president, ahead of Schwab's appointment.

But his role is very much an interim one, he said a search is underway for a new club boss and backed the work of the club's administration staff.

"It's a bit different this time, we actually have very good people working for us at the moment," Spargo said.  

"From a day-to-day point of view, [chief operating officer] Matt Green will do all the day-to-day workings and anything that Cameron will normally have done will be elevated to me."

He said the CEO search will intensify after this weekend, but has begun.

"Very informally at the moment, we'll get this out of the way and we'll start next week."

Matt Thompson is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter @MattThompsonAFL