Neil Craig - Coach of the Year

[Gozu]

Sick of this shit, every bloody year. We're just front runners. When it comes time to knuckle down we never want to get our hands dirty. Guys like Reilly and Knights come to mind. Trade Johncock, he's got the staggers whenever he's got the footy. This will be unpopular but I think Goodwin's done. He's not captain material anymore and if out of contract he's the one out of the three older blokes I'd tap on the shoulder. McLeod and Edwards have played well enough this year to go around again.

Under Craig we're just too robotic especially come finals time. No hardness, no desire, lack of natural instinct. I do like the guy but think about it, our set-up was to f__k around with it, chipping and fart assing around since then we've done a complete 180 and just play on and bang it in there every time regardless of the situation or circumstances. It's not great coaching and we seem to always pull a heart muscle come finals time.

[Booney]

Welcome to the site mate,you and me will get along just fine...

[Booney]

Perhaps coach of the minor round REB?

[Rik E Boy]

That's what I meant of course. Dear oh dear, the first time I praise the Professor since the nineties and look where it gets me! 2-8 in the finals! Even the Redlegs did better than that under him in the 90's.

regards,

REB

[Psyber]

That's what I meant of course. Dear oh dear, the first time I praise the Professor since the nineties and look where it gets me! 2-8 in the finals! Even the Redlegs did better than that under him in the 90's.

regards,

REB

Although even at Norwood, I'd rank him behind Bob Hammond and Peter Rohde.

[Hondo]

It's always cyclical with these things. Sometimes you just lose to the better team on the day. Sometimes your players let you down. Sometimes you make the wrong call at the wrong time. Craigy's won enough important games over the 4 years (including 2 finals) to show there's not some major flaw in important games.

At one stage Chocco was 1-6 now he's 8-9. Craigy is 2-5 but one successful finals series and he's close to squaring the ledger.

I don't want the players to listen to the NC snipers otherwise they'll think its all Craigy's fault and not take responsibility for what they need to do next time.

The trick is to get yourself up there regularly and work the list up to top 4 level. Once we are at that level, the finals record will quickly turn around. So the question is who's the right guy to develop the list up to that level? I still think it's NC.

[overloaded]

Cyclical...WTF??? we must be in a 7 year cycle.

Neil Craig has had plenty of chances to get to a GF Hondo. We finished minor premiers not so long ago remember. Whilst we did better than expected this year, to lose so pathetically in the first (home) final is UNACCEPTABLE and someone must be made ACCOUNTABLE. Our gutless administration will no doubt see otherwise as the "boys club" tends to tolerate our mediocre success of the last 10 years.

[Hondo]

Cyclical...WTF??? we must be in a 7 year cycle.

Neil Craig has had plenty of chances to get to a GF Hondo. We finished minor premiers not so long ago remember. Whilst we did better than expected this year, to lose so pathetically in the first (home) final is UNACCEPTABLE and someone must be made ACCOUNTABLE. Our gutless administration will no doubt see otherwise as the "boys club" tends to tolerate our mediocre success of the last 10 years.

You want to fire the coach after losing a final?? You've got to be patient mate. This is not the same team as the 2005-2006 list that was 2-3 in finals. Last year we only lost to the 5th ranked team in Melbourne when Buddy "50-50" Franklin tonked one from 60m on the boundary after the siren

Last year you wanted the juniors brought through and that's what we have. So you now you have to be prepared for some ups and downs until the list ripens.

We aren't a top 4 side right now - if you are going to go balistic and call in the execution squad every year we don't perform like a top 4 side then you're up for an angry 2 more years.

Disappointing loss - yes, for sure no argument.

BTW I went through your post history and could not find one post in a Crows thread that wasn't angry/critcial x 100. My theory is you're a Power supporter trolling away (we only hear from you when there's bad news) but I'll take you at your word that you are a Crows member

[overloaded]

And in how many posts did I support power hondo, FFS. You must have toom much time on your hands. I post on here because I am frustrated at supporting an underacheiving side and it annoys me when supporters like you put rose coloured glasses on.

[Hondo]

And in how many posts did I support power hondo, FFS. You must have toom much time on your hands. I post on here because I am frustrated at supporting an underacheiving side and it annoys me when supporters like you put rose coloured glasses on.

Being overly optimistic (which I don't think I am) is no different to being over-the-top pessimistic. If your club makes you so angry maybe you are made the wrong choice

Lucky you don't follow Collingwood, Bulldogs, Melbourne, Freo, St Kilda, Richmond or any other club that hasn't won a flag in the last 5 minutes to meet your expectations.

Next year, why not post about your club more regularly instead of angrily charging in with "I told you so" posts after the something's gone wrong (after the event). FFS, we have enough Power supporters who are more than willing to tell us all about it when things go wrong. Let alone one of our own.

[Psyber]

Cyclical...WTF??? we must be in a 7 year cycle.

Neil Craig has had plenty of chances to get to a GF Hondo. We finished minor premiers not so long ago remember. Whilst we did better than expected this year, to lose so pathetically in the first (home) final is UNACCEPTABLE and someone must be made ACCOUNTABLE. Our gutless administration will no doubt see otherwise as the "boys club" tends to tolerate our mediocre success of the last 10 years.

Actually, Neil Craig has not done a bad job with the material he has had. The problem has been the club culture, which predates him, of playing "name" players regardless of fitness and not giving developing fit players more ground time instead, and hanging on to the "name" players too long as Malcolm Blight pointed out back in 1997.

However, I agree Neil, as a former midfield player himself, is very midfield orientated, and I suspect he does not manage the bigger players as well as may be desired, or perhaps see as well as someone else may the importance of marking forwards who can take the contested ball or bring it to ground. His style has focussed on avoiding there being a contest.

[Old but Smart Dog]

I say get rid of him..whats the good of winning minor games, but no final games..better off with a more strategic lateral thinker as coach...hes just a bit too rigid in his views.