‘We’ve cast our net wide’: Mark Ricciuto gives update on new Adelaide Crows coach
The Crows are getting to the pointy end of their search for a new coach, with football director Mark Ricciuto indicating they should announce a successor within a week. Who do you think will get the gig? Vote in our poll.
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Adelaide continues to play its cards close to its chest in its search for a new coach, but Mark Ricciuto says the club should have a successor within a week.
Ricciuto was asked on his breakfast radio show if he could confirm a rumour the Crows had tried to lure a contracted senior coach from another club to replace Don Pyke, who stepped down last month with two years left on his contract.
The Crows’ football director, who joins club CEO Andrew Fagan, former Crows player James Podsiadly and four-time Olympian and basketball coach Phil Smyth on the selection panel, said he wasn’t able to comment on the search, other than to say the club was “having a look at everyone”.
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“We’ve definitely cast our net wide and had a look, absolutely,” Ricciuto said.
“You’ve got to take your time to get the right coach because when you’ve got them you’ve got them.
“I’m not saying what we have done and what we haven’t done.
“We’re definitely having a look at everyone.
“I reckon within a week or so we will have a new coach.”
GWS and former Power assistant Matthew Nicks surged into favouritism in the wake of the AFL grand final and is the bookmakers’ favourite to take over from Pyke, ahead of Richmond assistant and former Power player Adam Kingsley.
Geelong great Garry Hocking’s name emerged from left-field last week but Collingwood announced today he had accepted a new role as the club’s VFL coach.
Current Hawthorn assistant Adem Yze’s name is also still among the frontrunners with the bookies, despite him recommitting with the Hawks until the end of 2022 at the weekend.
Fellow Hawthorn assistant and the previous favourite Scott Burns has drifted from $1.10 at one stage to $21 as mystery surrounds whether he remains in the race.
Leading AFL player and coach manager Liam Pickering told SEN SA on Tuesday he didn’t hear a thing from Adelaide regarding his two clients Jade Rawlings and Leigh Tudor after putting their names forward.
“These are some guys I think are well credentialed coaches and certainly worthy of discussion,” Pickering said.
“They’re aware of them because I’ve certainly sent their CVs through to the right people at Adelaide but I haven’t had a phone call. That’s surprising and they’ve obviously narrowed their search down to a few.
“Jade was right in the mix for the Freo job and right at the pointy end of that. Leigh’s an excellent coach whose record as an assistant is as good as anyone in the game.”