Mark Ricciuto says the Crows are unlikely to name their new coach today and makes no apologies for speaking his mind in the media
Mark Ricciuto has responded to reports the Crows are set unveil their new coach today and confirms he was questioned by the players for speaking his mind publicly as part of the club’s external review. But he isn’t going to change.
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Adelaide football director Mark Ricciuto says the Crows are unlikely to name their new coach today and he makes no apologies for speaking his mind in the media after being questioned by the players in the club’s external review.
Speaking on his breakfast radio program on Triple M on Monday morning, Ricciuto said reports that Matthew Nicks had got the job and would be announced on Monday were wrong.
“I don’t think he’s got the job and I don’t think it will be announced today,” he said.
“He might get it, but he hasn’t got it. No one’s got the job. That’s the facts.
“They’re (media) saying as if it’s already been announced and done.”
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The Advertiser can confirm coaching candidates believed to include Nicks, Robert Harvey, Adem Yze, Garry Hocking and Scott Burns had not been notified of any decision on Monday morning.
Ricciuto did however confirm weekend reports that he had been questioned in the club’s review regarding his role as both football director and in the media.
“There were a couple of bits where players just questioned some of the things I’d said later on in the season, when things weren’t going that well,” he said.
“I say things as I see them, and the day I have to stop doing that (is) the day I have to step down from the board, to be honest.
“I am always about honesty and being up front and accurate, and I will continue to be.
Asked by co-host Chris Dittmar whether senior assistant coach Scott Camporeale and head of football Brett Burton had been made scapegoats of the situation after they were sacked on Friday, Ricciuto said “no”.
“It’s not all their fault,” he said.
“Taylor Walker has stepped down (as captain) and Don Pyke has left the football club as well, there’s four changes.
“There’s a lot of list changes going on as well, it’s definitely not all onto those two, absolutely no way in the world is it down to those people.
“They are two people who have lost their jobs recently … and there will be a lot of tweaks to a lot of roles in the football club as well, and there will be a new role in leadership and culture.
“We think at our football club at the moment with a young-ish group on the way through, they need to be fast-tracked and given a full-time resource (to) improve their leadership as quick as they can.
“Nick Maxwell is the perfect example, what he’s doing at Collingwood at the moment, everyone is saying he’s doing a fantastic job there.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au