Adelaide Crows extend Neil Craig's reign

[The Crows Truth]

ADELAIDE is ready to announce an extension to coach Neil Craig's contract. The Crows have called a press conference at 11.30am to confirm the long-awaited news Craig's contract will be extended until at least the end of the 2011 season.

Craig, who took over from Gary Ayres mid-way through 2004, is already under contract for next season.

But the concern throughout the AFL that the new franchise on the Gold Coast will want an experienced coach in 2011 has prompted Adelaide to put Craig out of reach – regardless of his vow to coach only the Crows.

Craig at the weekend coached his 100th AFL game. He is expcted to become Adelaide's first 10-year coach.



couldnt see a thread on this - has it now been announced?

 

[magtrev]

It's not 11:30 yet.

Good news though, I know some don't like him but he's getting the best out of our list.

 

[IddyBiddy]

Very pleased. I think he is a good coach for our club.

 

[The Crows Truth]

It's not 11:30 yet.

Good news though, I know some don't like him but he's getting the best out of our list.

woops. i was looking at EST.

fantastic news for the club. offers a complete package as a coach. and the finals wins will come over coming years

 

[Vince Van Mackay]

This is awesome, completely prevented any worry over his contract next year, and to top it all off, what a perfect week to announce the coach being re-signed. I mean, the week we played Essendon last year, Sheedy was sacked/retired.

 

[Seanason]

Neil Craig! Neil Craig!

 

[beartoo]

what a perfect week to announce the coach being resigned.

I hope you mean re-signed.
Great news. Great coach. Premierships will come.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Im happy - despite some people not being flash on our finals record..well, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink the stuff

 

[cmndstab]

Awesome news

 

[The Crows Truth]

article from afl.com.au

Craig signs until the end of 2011
By Katrina Gill
12:37 PM Tue 12 August, 2008


ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has signed a two-year contract extension that will see him become the club's longest-serving coach.

The new deal will see him at the helm of the Crows until the end of 2011.

Craig, who last week coached his 100th AFL game, has taken the Crows to the finals in each of his three full seasons, and has them in the box seat to do so again in 2008.

"I have probably said I will only be a senior coach at one AFL club, and that's the Adelaide Football Club," Craig said on Tuesday.

"I'm really clear in my mind on that, and I can't see any reason why that would change."

“Neil continues to do an outstanding job for our football club. Extending his term provides a clear direction for our club, as well as a stable environment for the coaches and playing group," Adelaide chief executive officer Steven Trigg said: .

“External expectations at various times over the past four or five years have been that we were not going to be competitive. To the contrary, under Neil’s full-time leadership we have been extraordinarily competitive, competing in the finals series each year (to date). At the same time, we’re delighted with the progress made in terms of list management.”

Gary Ayres, who led the Crows 107 times, is the longest-serving Adelaide coach.

 

[absolutezero]

Glad they've done this. Love Craig as a coach. He's doing wonders for our young players that are coming through the ranks. One more clean out at the end of this year and were on a good track.

 

[natty]

I think there will be one cleanout this year and one after that, we should then be on the right track to launch for a flag.

there will be some nervous 30+ aged players in a couple of months time throw in K Mac into that for sure.

 

[Geoffa32]

Great news....

Some may scoff at his finals record, but it is better than most coaches in their first four years.

 

[KingsCrow]

Love Craigy. Glad we extended his contract.

As much pain and suffering he has brought me during September, I am really excited about this year! C'mon Criagy!


Fire up for a win this week and we are SET.

 

[The Crows Truth]

There isn't as much dead wood on the list nowadays. A lot of the players who are in and out and or haven't played this year are youngsters.

I would break a list into 4 quarters.

A - Vets - (over 30)
B - Peak - (26-30)
C - Coming good (21-25)
D - Youngsters (20 and under)

We have too many from column A and not enough in column B.
C and D are looking good though.

a good point made very well

 

[forever_crows]

Yay, Craigy

 

[johnnypanther]

I think there will be one cleanout this year and one after that, we should then be on the right track to launch for a flag.

there will be some nervous 30+ aged players in a couple of months time throw in K Mac into that for sure.

Whilst what you say is true, i think that our problem
has not been the over 30s players (who mostly comprise good to excellent),
but rather the problem has been the next tier down -the 26-29yo group (comprising McGregor,Shirley,Doughty,Massie etc) all servicable players but no top rated players amongst them. This means that when our 30+ group retire, so too would those in that 26-29 group be ready for delisting at the same time and consequently there is a vacuum with the next lot of leaders and top rated players being in the 21-25yo group.
It will take another 2-3 years of delistings & new draftees to get the list into a decent balance.

 

[Alex99]

With the news today that NC has signed a contract extension for an extra 2 years (until 2011) I would not be surprised to see the list management being far more aggressive than everyone is expecting.

I think he will be far more aggressive on who and how many players are delisted and what direction the team takes next year and heading into the future.

 

[The Crows Truth]

more from the great man
afc.com.au

A matter of balance: Craig
By Katrina Gill
2:57 PM Tue 12 August, 2008


CROWS coach Neil Craig believes he’s found the right balance of work and play to counter the inherent workaholic nature that once threatened to cut short his AFL coaching career.

Earlier this season, Craig, a keen observer of attention to detail and the betterment of both his club and himself, was encouraged to spend some more time away from West Lakes out of real concerns he would suffer from burnout.

Craig, who on Tuesday signed a two-year extension on his contract with Adelaide, reflected the high demands placed on AFL coaches by identifying “survival” as his greatest pleasure so far.

“I find it a really tough job. I find it enjoyable, but it’s a tough industry. It’s a highly competitive industry and it grows each year with the skills you need to have as a senior coach,” Craig said.

“Sometimes you think 24/7 is the way to go and you fall into that trap, which is a bit of my personality to think that more is better. It’s clearly not the case and there’s a tipping point, like most things in life, and I probably found that last year for a period of time.

“I think there’s a better balance in what I do here now. We make sure players have time off and it’s important for coaching groups and everyone involved in the industry [to have time off as well] because it’s such an intense, long program and getting that balance in what you do is critical.”

Craig maintains the best winning record of any current coach in the AFL, but has been deprived of the ultimate success- a premiership.

The Crows have fallen short in two preliminary and one elimination final under Craig’s reign and, while the club has not declared a flag a must in order for him to continue beyond 2011, Craig knows there’s a demand for success.

“The club don’t have to say it [we want you to win a premiership]. That’s a given. We’re in high-performance sport and, as a club, we have a responsibility to try and provide our group with the ultimate success. It’s [a premiership] not the only success you can have in our industry, but it’s the ultimate success and we need to make sure that our number one agenda item is that we continue to push towards that in every decision that we make,” Craig said.

“In general, I think our fans would say that we give reasonable value for money. Over the journey, our win-loss record has been okay.

“The finals situation is there and it’s been well documented. I’m sure our supporter group and our sponsors would want a better record than that and we’ll continue to, first of all try and get into the finals because you’ve got to get there to make a difference to that record, have a real, aggressive go at it again.

“If we fail, we’ll go back again and have another go. It’s just like the whole season, in reality. I’ve already seen with our playing group this year that if you don’t put limitations on them, it’s amazing some of the things that they can do.”

Craig, a non-believer in the premiership ‘window’ theory, has again defied outside expectations this season, taking a developing list to sixth place, with a look at fourth spot, after 19 rounds.

The former fitness coach conceded he didn’t know just how long he could hold down the top spot at Adelaide for, but maintained his senior coaching days would end with the Crows.

“I’ve publicly said that I’ll only ever be a senior coach at one AFL club and that will be Adelaide. I’m really clear in my mind on that and I can’t see any reason why that would change,” he said.

“When it [my tenure] finishes here, whenever that will be, that will be it for me as far as senior coaching is concerned. Obviously, I might still stay in footy somewhere and, hopefully, I can be with this club forever, but who knows.

“It certainly won’t be at another club in terms of an AFL senior coaching position.”

 

[Crow-mo]

Great news....

Some may scoff at his finals record, but it is better than most coaches in their first four years.

should we hire Alan Joyce then?

 

[Crow-mo]

for all the good things, and the less good things, one thing always stands out about him.

Craigy does seem to love the club. really love the club, and that has to count for a lot. It's great the way he keeps saying he will never coach another club.

 

[macca23]

With the news today that NC has signed a contract extension for an extra 2 years (until 2011) I would not be surprised to see the list management being far more aggressive than everyone is expecting.
I think he will be far more aggressive on who and how many players are delisted and what direction the team takes next year and heading into the future.

What would you be expecting then C98??

I'm tipping 7 to go (Could be 6 or 8 admittedly) and Vader is tipping 8.

After our big turn around last year, are you really expecting more than that??

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

for all the good things, and the less good things, one thing always stands out about him.

Craigy does seem to love the club. really love the club, and that has to count for a lot. It's great the way he keeps saying he will never coach another club.

Without a doubt. A 2 year contract is a no brainer. Good luck to him.

 

[Alex99]

What would you be expecting then C98??

I'm tipping 7 to go (Could be 6 or 8 admittedly) and Vader is tipping 8.

After our big turn around last year, are you really expecting more than that??

This is just my opinion and I think they will turnover about 8 players from the list but it could be more if NC and the match committee see it that way but i believe the minimum number of changes will be 8 and if they add Petrenko, this will give them 7 picks.

Six players in the national draft and one for the pre season draft.

1) Rhett Biglands (retire)
2) Luke Jericho (delist)
3) Bryce Campbell (delist)
4) Greg Gallman (delist)
5) Kris Massie (delist – not offered a contract)
6) Ken McGregor (asked by the club to retire)
7) Trent Hentschel (delist but will retire for a club job)
8) Robert Shirley (retire)

Note – like you, I have no inside word and don’t know what NC is thinking so this is simply my individual speculation.

I think Nathan Bassett, Tyson Edwards and Simon Goodwin will all go on for another 12 months and see how their bodies stand up. I think player like Myke Cook and Tony Armstrong will be safe for another 12 months to develop and will not be consider delisting and with Brett Burton being injured, Nick Gill will be kept around.

But with the safety of a new contract and the entry of a few new clubs, NC may decide to strip the list right back and start again with what he already has.

 

[macca23]

But with the safety of a new contract and the entry of a few new clubs, NC may decide to strip the list right back and start again with what he already has.

Nah, I don't think so C98.

Craig has always said he doesn't believe that to be necessary as he believes that lists can be regenerated while remaining competitive.

Strip the list back and we wouldn't be.