Neil Craig - Coach of the Year

[Rik E Boy]

Greetings Blackbirds. I'm normally a harsh critic of the man I call 'The Professor' (well there are worse things a coach could be called I believe) but I think the effort to get the Blackbirds into the top four is a coaching coup and that he is the coach of the year. Coaching the Cats would be a doddle, the Hawks gameplan is an abomination, Lyon is a goose and I don't think Ratten is a genius with the bevy of number one tank picks his club has. The Crows have an underwhelming forward line which was then decimated by injury but somehow the Blackbirds have managed to win six of seven to be the one club to put their hand up for fourth. Kudos Neil Craig.

regards,

REB

[Stumps]

Greetings Blackbirds. I'm normally a harsh critic of the man I call 'The Professor' (well there are worse things a coach could be called I believe) but I think the effort to get the Blackbirds into the top four is a coaching coup and that he is the coach of the year. Coaching the Cats would be a doddle, the Hawks gameplan is an abomination, Lyon is a goose and I don't think Ratten is a genius with the bevy of number one tank picks his club has. The Crows have an underwhelming forward line which was then decimated by injury but somehow the Blackbirds have managed to win six of seven to be the one club to put their hand up for fourth. Kudos Neil Craig.

regards,

REB

he has a few noteable weaknesses but I wouldnt want anyone else coaching the crows. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Dirko]

Geez turn it up REB...
If the Roos didn't put in an abysmal one yesterday, the Crows would've finished 5th.
Would've you sang his praises then especially after the dismal effort they put in last week ?

Think it's more of the top three teams are good to very good, and the next 5 are OK.

Bit harsh on Ratts there too, considering he's a first year coach, but I know your love for the CFC
wouldn't impede your judgement

[stan]

Geez turn it up REB...
If the Roos didn't put in an abysmal one yesterday, the Crows would've finished 5th.
Would've you sang his praises then especially after the dismal effort they put in last week ?

Think it's more of the top three teams are good to very good, and the next 5 are OK.

Bit harsh on Ratts there too, considering he's a first year coach, but I know your love for the CFC
wouldn't impede your judgement

I think that says more about Laildley than it does about Craig.

[Rik E Boy]

Geez turn it up REB...
If the Roos didn't put in an abysmal one yesterday, blah blah rhubarb rhurbarp wassup watchatalkinbout etc etc

Ah but they did Essbee didn't they? It's results that count my friend.

regards,

REB

[Dutchy]

Wheres the edit button REB?

[Rik E Boy]

Wheres the edit button REB?

Why would I need the edit button? I had this mob 12th at best and they have a home final.

regards,

REB

[Dutchy]

Greetings Blackbirds. I'm normally a harsh critic of the man I call 'The Professor' (well there are worse things a coach could be called I believe) but I think the effort to get the Blackbirds into the top four is a coaching coup and that he is the coach of the year. Coaching the Cats would be a doddle, the Hawks gameplan is an abomination, Lyon is a goose and I don't think Ratten is a genius with the bevy of number one tank picks his club has. The Crows have an underwhelming forward line which was then decimated by injury but somehow the Blackbirds have managed to win six of seven to be the one club to put their hand up for fourth. Kudos Neil Craig.

regards,

REB

[Psyber]

Greetings Blackbirds. I'm normally a harsh critic of the man I call 'The Professor' (well there are worse things a coach could be called I believe) but I think the effort to get the Blackbirds into the top four is a coaching coup and that he is the coach of the year. Coaching the Cats would be a doddle, the Hawks gameplan is an abomination, Lyon is a goose and I don't think Ratten is a genius with the bevy of number one tank picks his club has. The Crows have an underwhelming forward line which was then decimated by injury but somehow the Blackbirds have managed to win six of seven to be the one club to put their hand up for fourth. Kudos Neil Craig.

regards,

REB

Yes it was temporary, and credit to the Saints for pulling of a big enough win against the Essendon remnants.

As a realistic Crow supporter I'm not cocky about our chances in the finals, but I think a couple of less formidable opponents before facing one of this seasons big two may be the better option.
I didn't like the idea of the BIG one first up.

I do agree with REB that the Crows have done much better this year than I expected, and than everyone else expected too.
They need to develop a better forward structure, but we all expected this to be a year they would struggle to reach the eight at all, let alone be well up the list.

[JK]

Thompson coach of the year I reckon, I know it's boring because they've been the dominant team, but they've improved on last years record which in itself is a great achievement.

Craigy good IMHO, but not COY imho.

[locky801]

I would give it to Craig cause it is the only thing he will ever win, will never win an AFL premiership, football coaches will always win in the long run over football scientists

[Interceptor]

I would give it to Craig cause it is the only thing he will ever win, will never win an AFL premiership, football coaches will always win in the long run over football scientists

You make it sound like he's never played a game of football in his life

The 'scientist' tag is just dumb IMO

[Dirko]

It's results that count my friend.

regards,

REB

You said it REB....

[locky801]

I would give it to Craig cause it is the only thing he will ever win, will never win an AFL premiership, football coaches will always win in the long run over football scientists

You make it sound like he's never played a game of football in his life

The 'scientist' tag is just dumb IMO

I know exactly what he has done footy wise and actually was involved with his footy career, as for his coaching, he uses too much machinery and technology and gets away from the basics, if he went back to the SANFL to a club that could afford it they would never lose a game but in the high pressure moments of AFL footy, itn gets back to body slamming into body, hard ball gets which are even harder in finals, not how many km's you have run on the outside of the pack waiting for an easy ball get, also perhaps if his club purchased some forwards it may well help as well.

[Interceptor]

I would give it to Craig cause it is the only thing he will ever win, will never win an AFL premiership, football coaches will always win in the long run over football scientists

You make it sound like he's never played a game of football in his life

The 'scientist' tag is just dumb IMO

I know exactly what he has done footy wise and actually was involved with his footy career, as for his coaching, he uses too much machinery and technology and gets away from the basics, if he went back to the SANFL to a club that could afford it they would never lose a game but in the high pressure moments of AFL footy, itn gets back to body slamming into body, hard ball gets which are even harder in finals, not how many km's you have run on the outside of the pack waiting for an easy ball get, also perhaps if his club purchased some forwards it may well help as well.

So you are you claiming for a fact they don't really do hard, competitive training??

Yes finals are big on high pressure contests, but I don't buy for a minute that the Craig's 'fitness' training regime is to blame for finals results.
I'm say the player's mental toughness and determination is at the root of it.
You need to be extra hard at it in finals and I didn't see enough of that today.
There are also some players like Doughty and Massie whose decision making is consistently poor and guys like that cost you finals.

[locky801]

No arguments there Interceptor, however there must be something there, our finals winning record under him is pathetic, of course everyone will get on board and say at least we are making the finals, true to a point but my point is whats the use getting there if you are going out in one or two sets. If they players haven't got he hardness questions must be asked why not, if they aint got it, piss them off, same with bad decision making, it all comes down to how things are tuned. Alot of Crows players should sit back and watch a video or DVD or whatever of todays game, a bloke by the name of Medhurst, basically shown the door at Freo cause he was a loose cannon, played one out of 10 good games, this bloke did everything today and has all year, this comes straight down to the coach getting the MAXIMUM out of his players, IMHO the Adelaide Coach does not get that, these are only my opinions from observations on TV, as I said in the game day thread, I have never been to an AFL game live and never will, however at the end of the day MALTHOUSE came mout with a match winning game plan and they were way too good on the day

[overloaded]

If Neil Craig coaches next year I will hand back my membership, we will never win a GF with him as a coach. He is a joke as is any suggestion he is coach of the year.

[Dirko]

If Neil Craig coaches next year I will hand back my membership, we will never win a GF with him as a coach. He is a joke as is any suggestion he is coach of the year.

Better hand it back, they re-signed him for another two/three years didn't they ?

[Interceptor]

No arguments there Interceptor, however there must be something there, our finals winning record under him is pathetic, of course everyone will get on board and say at least we are making the finals, true to a point but my point is whats the use getting there if you are going out in one or two sets. If they players haven't got he hardness questions must be asked why not, if they aint got it, piss them off, same with bad decision making, it all comes down to how things are tuned. Alot of Crows players should sit back and watch a video or DVD or whatever of todays game, a bloke by the name of Medhurst, basically shown the door at Freo cause he was a loose cannon, played one out of 10 good games, this bloke did everything today and has all year, this comes straight down to the coach getting the MAXIMUM out of his players, IMHO the Adelaide Coach does not get that, these are only my opinions from observations on TV, as I said in the game day thread, I have never been to an AFL game live and never will, however at the end of the day MALTHOUSE came mout with a match winning game plan and they were way too good on the day

Yep, Malthouse has the great ability to get his players to perform in backs-to-the-wall situations.
The Pies were terrible last week, but came to play today.
Even when they were 4 goals down, they weren't in big trouble.

I would agree then that Craig does fail to get maximum performances out of the players when it really matters.

[Westsider]

LOL at this thread... I hope the praise for Neil is sarcasm. He is a joke.