Don Pyke says the Crows cannot dwell on their poor run of form of late, just focus on arresting the slide
Adelaide coach Don Pyke has told his players to forget about their woeful recent run of form in a bid to salvage the Crows’ season.
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Adelaide coach Don Pyke has told his players to forget about their woeful recent run of form in a bid to salvage the Crows’ season.
The Crows went into the mid-season bye sitting at fourth but are now just struggling to stay in the top eight after four losses in five games - the only win being against the lowly Gold Coast.
The loss to Carlton has sparked calls for Pyke’s head, amid questions whether he had lost the Crows playing group, with the hashtag #pykeout soon ‘trending’ on Twitter.
Speaking on AFL360 on Monday night, Pyke said he could understand the fan anger currently among the Crows faithful.
“I’m very aware of the fact that we are not winning games of footy and the reality is that any coach is under that same sort of pressure,” he said.
“The reality is that we are not playing to the level that we believe we are capable of and we need to sort that out.
“Our season is very much alive but I understand the nature of the industry, it is a win/loss industry but if you are not winning and we have some very proud and passionate fans and they are a bit frustrated as how I can understand.”
Pyke said he was confident his messaging was still being taken on board positively by Crows players, backing his side to do what they did after the first four games of the season and bounce back.
They responded then and I have no doubt that they will respond again, starting with St Kilda (on Saturday),” he said.
After having players and coaches, as well as their families, to his place on Sunday for pizzas and beers, Pyke also addressed the Crows playing group yesterday in which he told them to look forward not back.
“I think it’s a great opportunity,” he said.
“We sit here not in great form having not played well for the last month but we have a month of big footy ahead of us to play finals.
“I encouraged our guys as I spoke to them about it (on Monday) there’s no point going back, we have to go forward and understand our best is good enough but we have to produce it.”
It could cost the Crows up to $3 million if they decided to sack Pyke, who has two more years on his contract at West Lakes, as there are no “get out” clauses in his contract.
But despite the increasing pressure on Pyke there has been a united front among powerbrokers at West Lakes.
On Sunday Adelaide chairman Rob Chapman told The Advertiser that there would be “no knee-jerk reaction” at the Crows and they would be “very calm and considered”.
It was backed up by chief executive Andrew Fagan and board member Mark Ricciuto on Monday.
Fagan said on Triple M on Monday afternoon that the players were still behind Pyke.
“Don’s a quality person and a quality coach... but I know he is up for it as well as the other coaches.”
On his morning radio show, also on Triple M, Ricciuto backed the under-siege coach, saying the players should be the ones under the microscope.
“Don Pyke is absolutely safe at the moment,” he said.
Originally published as Don Pyke says the Crows cannot dwell on their poor run of form of late, just focus on arresting the slide
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