CRAIG STEPS DOWN AS COACH

[tiger07andbeyond]

he was pushed but obviously took the chance he was given to leave on his own accord. There is no way he wanted to go.

So all of a sudden he needs a holiday?

He was sacked and anyone who doesnt think so is a dil

[NO-MERCY]

Yes, it was only a couple of days ago Craig said something like "the club would be silly to make any rash decisions now & believed the club wouldn't make any such decision, it would be better to weigh everything up after having everything put in front of them on the table in 6 weeks time".
Things changed very quickly.
I think the club made their mind up 6 seconds after the final siren friday night.

[Jim05]

Yes, it was only a couple of days ago Craig said something like "the club would be silly to make any rash decisions now & believed the club wouldn't make any such decision, it would be better to weigh everything up after having everything put in front of them on the table in 6 weeks time".
Things changed very quickly.
I think the club made their mind up 6 seconds after the final siren friday night.

More like the 4th minute of the second quarter

[Dutchy]

Bugga I enjoyed him coaching the crows, 55% win/loss record, has there ever been someone so mediocre go for so long?

At least there is a strong chance Bickley will get the gig and continue the fun

[Jim05]

Bugga I enjoyed him coaching the crows, 55% win/loss record, has there ever been someone so mediocre go for so long?
At least there is a strong chance Bickley will get the gig and continue the fun

Terry Wallace with his 5 year deal at Richmond

[westcoastpanther]

People can bag him as much as they want and I agree his time was up, but I can only admire the way he has handled himself and always, always put the club first in his tenure. He just seems like an honest, decent bloke to me.

[hottie]

Mentally must have been exhausted,like the way he handled the press conference.Change was well overdue.Start of downfall i thought was when they signed the oldest players last year and got caught out.

[southee]

he was pushed but obviously took the chance he was given to leave on his own accord. There is no way he wanted to go.

So all of a sudden he needs a holiday?

He was sacked and anyone who doesnt think so is a dil

Definitely sacked .....Or whispered on the ear to leave,

[sapaul]

Bugga I enjoyed him coaching the crows, 55% win/loss record, has there ever been someone so mediocre go for so long?

Dean Laidley?

Anyway, was 62% at the end of 2009 which was the best winning % of all coaches at that stage but the last 2 years have yes, been shocking.

[tigerpie]

blank cheque,massive brown paper bag,shares in the casino........paul roos....get him!!!!

[Sojourner]

Alarm bells should have been sounding at the AFC when Neil Curley stated on 5AA that NC did not have the capacity to coach as a finals Coach when the game was tight, Curls suggested that NC was slow to make decisions and put to much faith in under performing players. Despite over the last several years of watching all this come to pass as Curls said it would, the AFC took no action at all and have steadily run the club down into the mess that it is today.

Now that the decision has been made the club can go forward to righting some of the problems, my concern is that just the scalp of the coach is not enough, Trigg has also under performed by refusing to address the issue of the Senior Coaching Position and even now has not taken any decisive action at all relying on NC to sack himself and for the club to really move forward there has to be a reckoning over it.

One good point about Craig falling on his sword is that the club can now openly approach the likes of Clarkson and Malthouse who may now delay their contract negotiations to consider what the Crows are offering.

If Nathan Bassett does not get the Senior role at the Crows I do hope the Crows get him as an Assistant Coach. Think that would be a huge step forward alone for the club from where they are now.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Scott Burns would be interesting.

[Media Park]

blank cheque,massive brown paper bag,shares in the casino........paul roos....get him!!!!

I don't think there's a big enough paper bag.

[Macca19]

A fantastic off season or mid week coach who was more than capable in devising a plan to beat teams, but who was generally unable to view match day situations on their merits and overall was a horrid match day coach. Incredibly reactive, incredibly stubborn and unable to see or willing to change his ideals to stop momentum swings against the Crows which cost him many matches and quite a few finals from seemingly unloseable situations.

Whilst you can see how he was so likeable, and I loved his passion for the sport, his passion for his players, his ideals on sports science and looking outside the square, I think his "likeability" has caused his record to be viewed in a more positive light than really what it should be. Sure, he at one stage had a 62% WL record, but he also had a 33% WL finals record and a 31% WL record against top 4 sides during his tenure. In the end the Crows were flat track bullies during his tenure - capable of thrashing those below them on the ladder but they crumbled under the pressure of big or important games too often.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Alarm bells should have been sounding at the AFC when Neil Curley stated on 5AA that NC did not have the capacity to coach as a finals Coach when the game was tight, Curls suggested that NC was slow to make decisions and put to much faith in under performing players. Despite over the last several years of watching all this come to pass as Curls said it would, the AFC took no action at all and have steadily run the club down into the mess that it is today.

Now that the decision has been made the club can go forward to righting some of the problems, my concern is that just the scalp of the coach is not enough, Trigg has also under performed by refusing to address the issue of the Senior Coaching Position and even now has not taken any decisive action at all relying on NC to sack himself and for the club to really move forward there has to be a reckoning over it.

One good point about Craig falling on his sword is that the club can now openly approach the likes of Clarkson and Malthouse who may now delay their contract negotiations to consider what the Crows are offering.

If Nathan Bassett does not get the Senior role at the Crows I do hope the Crows get him as an Assistant Coach. Think that would be a huge step forward alone for the club from where they are now.

Kerls. haha. What did KG think?

[Hondo]

and a 31% WL record against top 4 sides during his tenure.

Except for the dominant team in a short term era (including one or more flags) wouldn't wouldn't most teams win one of every 3 games against "top 4" sides? ie, against teams that are higher than you on the ladder? We only finished top 4 twice in his tenure.

Whether that might in fact back up your argument is up for debate but to create a stat of games v the top 4 to support a flat track bully argument is a convenient use of stats. That's like pinning him against the wall for never beating Geelong at Skilled Stadium. If you finish most times 8th - 4th then of course you'll have a better record against teams ranked 5th to 12th then you will against top 4 teams. Otherwise you'd be finishing top 2. After 2006 I don't believe we were a genuine top 4 side. I think our final placings from 2007 to this year were about right. Sometimes us Crows fans, including me, felt we were better than we probably were.

His finals record ended up at 3-6. He should have had 2 more I reckon and I think was unlucky to lose two finals with kicks after the siren. Normally you square those records up. The worst losses were St Kilda at home in 2005 and Collingwood at home in 2008. Ultimately, like Mark Mickan at Glenelg, when you lose finals you are expected to win everyone runs out of patience eventually if the wheels fall off in the minor round. So it was time to go but I don't think his record over 7 years should be dismissed so easily as some of the posters on here are doing.

[woodublieve12]

Does anyone think NC will coach a AFL side again???

[Hondo]

No, but I think he will stay employed in the game at club level in some capacity somewhere.

[Macca19]

and a 31% WL record against top 4 sides during his tenure.

Except for the dominant team in a short term era (including one or more flags) wouldn't wouldn't most teams win one of every 3 games against "top 4" sides? ie, against teams that are higher than you on the ladder? We only finished top 4 twice in his tenure.

Whether that might in fact back up your argument is up for debate but to create a stat of games v the top 4 to support a flat track bully argument is a convenient use of stats.

Maybe it is convenient. I looked up Mark Williams and his was 42% (with more years outside of finals than Craig). Bar a ridiculously freak result in the final match of the 2008 season, Adelaide were top 4 that year. Adelaide won 1 out of 6 games against top 4 sides that year. In 2009, when many were calling Adelaide a legit premiership threat heading into the finals, they won 1 out of 8 games against top 4 sides. This is why they were flat track bullies. They used to get very positive press after thrashing sides lower on the ladder but would inevitably fail to deliver when it mattered against teams that mattered.

As I said I think his off field stuff was very good but he lacked the match day nous to ever be called a brilliant coach.

[Booney]

Alarm bells should have been sounding at the AFC when Neil Curley stated on 5AA that NC did not have the capacity to coach as a finals Coach when the game was tight, Curls suggested that NC was slow to make decisions and put to much faith in under performing players. Despite over the last several years of watching all this come to pass as Curls said it would, the AFC took no action at all and have steadily run the club down into the mess that it is today.

Now that the decision has been made the club can go forward to righting some of the problems, my concern is that just the scalp of the coach is not enough, Trigg has also under performed by refusing to address the issue of the Senior Coaching Position and even now has not taken any decisive action at all relying on NC to sack himself and for the club to really move forward there has to be a reckoning over it.

One good point about Craig falling on his sword is that the club can now openly approach the likes of Clarkson and Malthouse who may now delay their contract negotiations to consider what the Crows are offering.

If Nathan Bassett does not get the Senior role at the Crows I do hope the Crows get him as an Assistant Coach. Think that would be a huge step forward alone for the club from where they are now.

Kerley, it is Neil Kerley, but I do agree, he does at times speak like Curley.

If you think an AA interview wish a lagered up Kerley sitting on the deck of his house on the Murray, getting the opinion of a bloke who has been out of the game for the best part of 30 years should ring alarm bells for Adelaide then they should fold up shop now.