Neil Craig quits as Crows coach
NEIL Craig has quit as Adelaide coach. He will be replaced immediately by senior assistant Mark Bickley.
NEIL Craig has quit the Adelaide Crows saying it was the ''right decision'' to leave the helm of a team he has lead for the past seven years.
The 55-year-old said speculation about his job had created unhealthy pressure on the playing group.
"If I could quarantine that pressure to myself, I could handle that. But it infiltrates (the playing group)," he said.
"It was always going to be tough when you come to the final decision but the key thing is it's the right decision ... no doubt in my mind, because of the pressure that mounts because of our performances."
Dressed in a suit and tie and flanked by chief executive Steven Trigg and club chairman Rob Chapman, Craig told the media and players he was saddened to leave but it was in the best interest of the football club.
"I said from day one I don't have a job for life here," he said.
Craig, who coached the club since Round 14, 2004 and led it to five finals series, said Friday night's 103-point belting by St Kilda impacted his decision to quit, but wasn't the final straw.
"To a certain extent it did, it was a really poor performance from our football club but it was certainly not just one game,'' he said.
"(But) if that's the pressure that builds ... it's not conducive to produce the best results."
Trigg paid tribute to Craig and said he had been "in awe quite frankly" of the way in which he had handled public speculation about his future at the Crows.
"The Adelaide Football Club today is a much better club as a direct consequence of Neil Craig having coaching it the last seven years," Trigg said.
Premiership captain Mark Bickley has been appointed caretaker coach but has been given "no guarantees" the job is his next season, according to Trigg.
Bickley's first game will be the Showdown against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
Craig issued a statement before his press conference saying: "It's time. To continue would hurt the club, given the negativity and distraction that my own role has become. We have clearly underperformed this year and as senior coach, I take the responsibility for that."
Crows chairman Rob Chapman also released a statement saying: "Neil has, as always, demonstrated enormous integrity in making this decision. He's been true to his word that the club would come before his own career, and has made the call as we expected he would.
"I can't speak highly enough of Neil. He's made an extraordinary contribution to our club since 1997; and more particularly since taking over as coach midway through 2004.
"He has led the way in bettering the culture of our football team, and has driven standards and professionalism that has earned respect throughout the competition. And he has been an incredible role model in terms of the respect he's shown for his club and the game generally.
"Despite the disappointing results of late, Neil led us to five finals series, and re-established the list and the team to a strong and respected position."
Craig, 55, stepped away from the Crows job today after Adelaide's 103-point loss to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Bickley's first game will be the Showdown against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
Craig issued a statement saying: "It's time. To continue would hurt the club, given the negativity and distraction that my own role has become. We have clearly underperformed this year and as senior coach, I take the responsibility for that."
Chapman issued a statement saying: "Neil has, as always, demonstrated enormous integrity in making this decision. He's been true to his word that the club would come before his own career, and has made the call as we expected he would.
"I can't speak highly enough of Neil. He's made an extraordinary contribution to our club since 1997; and more particularly since taking over as coach midway through 2004.
"He has led the way in bettering the culture of our football team, and has driven standards and professionalism that has earned respect throughout the competition. And he has been an incredible role model in terms of the respect he's shown for his club and the game generally.
"Despite the disappointing results of late, Neil led us to five finals series, and re-established the list and the team to a strong and respected position."
It had been anticipated that Craig would voluntarily leave his post on Thursday.
Craig has presided over a 2011 win-loss count at 4-12, with just one win in its past nine games. Craig's record in the past two seasons is now 13-25.
He leaves the club with a win-loss record of 92-74, with five finals series in seven years.
Out of contract with the Hawks, Alastair Clarkson is the ultimate "outsider" considered by many as the best replacement to Craig and who can be assured success at West Lakes.
An SANFL premiership coach with Central District, Clarkson also has the much-needed grounding in SA football. It is uncertain if Clarkson would retain Craig.
Adelaide's more realistic options are current AFL assistant coaches, but not former captain Simon Goodwin, who is in his first year at Essendon. More fancied are Scott Burns at West Coast and Brenton Sanderson at Geelong.
Burns, a former Norwood player who led Collingwood in the AFL, is in his third season at West Coast. He will be endorsed by Alan Stewart in the Adelaide front office.
AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou paid tribute to Craig.
"Neil has been a tremendous coach at AFL level with the Adelaide Crows and maximised every resource at his disposal to achieve the best both for his players and his club,'' he said.
"Beyond the week to week competition of our season, Neil has also been an outstanding contributor to our game with his willingness to look at the broader picture of football how to improve the game, how to build the game and the duty of all players, coaches and officials to ensure the game is left in a better state for those who come after us.
"On behalf of the AFL, I would like to congratulate Neil on his tenure as a senior coach at the Crows after a stellar playing career with Norwood, Sturt, North Adelaide and South Australia and, most importantly, to record the game's appreciation for his efforts to promote our sport, provide opportunities for young men, develop the careers of those around him and to always act in the best interests of football.