SA Footy

What are your expectations in 2011?

Is finishing 8th in 2011 enough?

Is it time to say thankyou but Bye bye.

I think he has under-achieved so far.

My scoreCard D+

F

B

Craig has an excellent win loss ratio and for the majority of his career he has been one of the most innovative coaches in the AFL. Craig has been a better than average coach who for some reason or another hasn't been able to deliver the chocolates in September at AFL or SANFL level. As much as I love bagging the bloke (I even tried to blame him for Norwood 1996 at one stage) I reckon he was only denied an AFL premiership because the Crows were the Eagles bitches at a time when they had the best midfield in the comp.

Craig has produced (statistically) winning seasons at a time when the Crows have suffered a lenghty injury toll and more recently during a period when the side has lost some of it's most decorated players. This season a lot of people will be saying that the Crows can make the eight but a lot of young players who made great starts last year might turn out to have 'Bernie Vince' years and not quite hit the ground running this season.

The Crows will miss the eight this year not due to the coaching of Craig, but because they held on to all of Burton, McLeod, Edwards and Goodwin instead of perhaps letting two of them go a year ago, thus costing the club a full year's development of the next generation of Blackbirds. Even though I am talking Craigy up here a bit, I stated years ago that he would never win a premiership at West Lakes so if the Blackbirds are fair dinkum Craig probably has to perform miracles and win the flag in order to remain at the helm.

regards,

REB

c+ has a good win loss record, but has been found wanting when it counts most (much like my mob)


as for dog_ger's spelling that's an f-

No chance of winning the flag (D)

Thinker in residence....

Bet those fans would be happier with a recent Premiership Cup in residence.

No doubt a very good football brain and isn't afraid to think out side the square. Pity is his inability to be flexible when it counts has hurt him and the club.

He's a sound B in the coaching ranks. Not many A graders around though.

Younger, more flexible coach required asap.

Could another coach take the current list to a flag? I guess we cant ever know but I'd highly doubt it.

In terms of the past, I reckon he's been very good for the Crows, took a team well and truly on the slide and took them to a serious contender for at least a couple of seasons, big tick for a couple of seasons.

In terms of the present and the future: I think he was worked out a while ago and isn't flexible enough, nor does he invite enough natural flair or individuality among his group, I think he's probably done with the Crows soon as I cant see him re-inventing himself which he would need to do.

[quote="Rik E Boy"]B

Craig has an excellent win loss ratio and for the majority of his career he has been one of the most innovative coaches in the AFL. Craig has been a better than average coach who for some reason or another hasn't been able to deliver the chocolates in September at AFL or SANFL level. As much as I love bagging the bloke (I even tried to blame him for Norwood 1996 at one stage) I reckon he was only denied an AFL premiership because the Crows were the Eagles bitches at a time when they had the best midfield in the comp.

Craig has produced (statistically) winning seasons at a time when the Crows have suffered a lenghty injury toll and more recently during a period when the side has lost some of it's most decorated players. This season a lot of people will be saying that the Crows can make the eight but a lot of young players who made great starts last year might turn out to have 'Bernie Vince' years and not quite hit the ground running this season.

The Crows will miss the eight this year not due to the coaching of Craig, but because they held on to all of Burton, McLeod, Edwards and Goodwin instead of perhaps letting two of them go a year ago, thus costing the club a full year's development of the next generation of Blackbirds. Even though I am talking Craigy up here a bit, I stated years ago that he would never win a premiership at West Lakes so if the Blackbirds are fair dinkum Craig probably has to perform miracles and win the flag in order to remain at the helm.

regards,

REB[/quotThe Crows had the only midfield that could match the Eagles. I blame Roo for getting suspended for the qualifying final against St Kilda the Crwos should of steamrolled to the flag that year had all momentum untill he was suspended and in 2006 the Crows were never the same when hentcshell donw his knee aginst port

Rik E Boy wrote:B

Craig has an excellent win loss ratio and for the majority of his career he has been one of the most innovative coaches in the AFL. Craig has been a better than average coach who for some reason or another hasn't been able to deliver the chocolates in September at AFL or SANFL level. As much as I love bagging the bloke (I even tried to blame him for Norwood 1996 at one stage) I reckon he was only denied an AFL premiership because the Crows were the Eagles bitches at a time when they had the best midfield in the comp.

Craig has produced (statistically) winning seasons at a time when the Crows have suffered a lenghty injury toll and more recently during a period when the side has lost some of it's most decorated players. This season a lot of people will be saying that the Crows can make the eight but a lot of young players who made great starts last year might turn out to have 'Bernie Vince' years and not quite hit the ground running this season.

The Crows will miss the eight this year not due to the coaching of Craig, but because they held on to all of Burton, McLeod, Edwards and Goodwin instead of perhaps letting two of them go a year ago, thus costing the club a full year's development of the next generation of Blackbirds. Even though I am talking Craigy up here a bit, I stated years ago that he would never win a premiership at West Lakes so if the Blackbirds are fair dinkum Craig probably has to perform miracles and win the flag in order to remain at the helm.

regards,

REB

Agreed - I'd give him a B for much the same reasons.
I agree too with REB's comment about keeping on the ageing players too long.
It is something they have always done except under Malcolm Blight.

mighty hounds wrote: I blame Roo for getting suspended for the qualifying final against St Kilda

Bingo. If we would've beaten St Kilda we would've stayed on the same side of the draw as Sydney who were our bitches at the time = GF ticket.

Anyway, coulda shoulda woulda.

Neil Craig is a quality coach. However it's been the same songsheet at the club for a long time now and you have to wonder whether it's getting a bit stale.

I'm still a fan of NC, but probably not as staunch as I was 12 months ago.

He's a B+ from me for the impact he's had on the way the game is played.

Gingernuts wrote:

mighty hounds wrote: I blame Roo for getting suspended for the qualifying final against St Kilda

Bingo. If we would've beaten St Kilda we would've stayed on the same side of the draw as Sydney who were our bitches at the time = GF ticket.

Anyway, coulda shoulda woulda.

And then in 2006 Sydney beat WC in Perth in week 1 of the finals and switched WC to our side of the draw. As soon as that happened I had a sinking feeling about that year. Still, if we couldn't beat WC in Prelim finals then we wouldn't have beaten them in the GF. However, it was frustrating that Sydney managed to avoid us in those two finals series but that's footy. You have to take the opportunities that you do get.

We a rebuilding phase now on I expect NC will be reappointed for another tilt with a list that he has coached from the start rather than an inherited one. I still feel our sweet spot will come again sort of 2012-2014. I don't think 2011 will prove his worthiness one way or the other unless we over achieve in the minor round and then find ourselves in finals again ... and lose again.

As for being able to adapt to changes in the game for every Dennis Pagan there's a Mick Malthourse circa 2010 (who surprised me) so you never know.

C+

No good having a good win/lose ratio if oyu cant convert when it counts goes missing game day, and seems to have an excuse for EVERYTHING!

.. and the fonz is NEVER wrong!

Phantom Gossiper wrote:.. and the fonz is NEVER wrong!

Any comment on Neil Craig??

here's the thing... only ONE out of 16 AFL coaches each season will be deemed to have been successful. That ignores the talent pool, luck with injuries/suspensions and other factors beyond the coaches control. I don't like Craig personally but I respect his coaching and his ability to develop players and winning teams. To rate him any lower than a B is poor form imho as I'd give the bottom sides' coaches in todays AFL at least a D+ . I don't reckon his players are really that brilliant individually, but collectively they seem to keep getting the job done. Bottom Line ..... B

Chuck Wepner wrote:here's the thing... only ONE out of 16 AFL coaches each season will be deemed to have been successful. That ignores the talent pool, luck with injuries/suspensions and other factors beyond the coaches control. I don't like Craig personally but I respect his coaching and his ability to develop players and winning teams. To rate him any lower than a B is poor form imho as I'd give the bottom sides' coaches in todays AFL at least a D+ . I don't reckon his players are really that brilliant individually, but collectively they seem to keep getting the job done. Bottom Line ..... B

How about better progress in finals series? Better win/lose ratio in finals? Ability to be flexible on game day, not freeze up?
Lets see how the crows travel this year without having Goodwin, Mcleod, Edwards, Bock to rely on, see how well Craig has developed his players then.

I'm not a fan of the bloke but I reckon I'd give him a B+ for getting the most out of an ordinary list. Having said that, he should accept a large portion of the blame for putting that list together.

One would think that the Crows are in a position where some decisions need to be made about the contract of the Senior Coach and no doubt others on the Assistant Coaching staff. I think going from the signals from Stephen Trigg, a longer term contract extention will be in the offering for Craig. My suspicion is that the club realise that they have much work to do in terms of player development to make the side competitive at the top level and perhaps they feel that is where Craig excels in the player development type role.

Its fairly easy to take pot shots at Neil Craig, yet few people that are observers really can coach at the same capacity as Craig and would have little idea of what is required in the role. So for an outsider its fairly difficult to critisize, the one concern that I would raise is based on comments from Neil Curleys observations on Craigs coaching in finals where it was raised that Craig appeared slow to make decisions and perhaps had to much faith in specific players to do the job required. Clearly Craigs finals record then comes up for examination along those lines.

Its easy to look back and be an expert, yet most agree that when the Crows rushed out and signed Shaw as coach that it set the club back several years. Whatever the decision made at this time has the same capacity to do the same damage if the club makes the wrong decision. Suppose Craig does get the sack, who replaces him then? An untried Sanderson or Bickley? Does the club throw money at Malthouse to get him away from the Director role to the Senior Role at Adelaide? Do they try and poach someone like Eade and hope for a better result? Plenty of questions and no doubt mountains of critiscm of any choice made in any direction.