Crows chairman Rob Chapman dismisses claims Adelaide board was forced by key players to sack Brenton Sanderson

ADELAIDE chairman Rob Chapman has denied a player revolt led to the sacking of Crows coach Brenton Sanderson, who will hold his own press conference at 4pm CST. WATCH IT LIVE HERE

AFL - Adelaide Crows v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval. Brenton Sanderson at 3 quarter time. PIC SARAH REED.

ADELAIDE critically concluded sacked Crows coach Brenton Sanderson could not change his ways — even with a new support staff — to deliver on-field AFL success.

Crows chairman Rob Chapman today explained the Adelaide Football Club’s detailed end-of-season review — that included critical and damning feedback from key players — had forced Sanderson’s immediate dismissal on Wednesday rather than a punt on an on-field revival next season.

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“All that the data that was gathered eventually made the decision itself for us,” said Chapman at Adelaide Oval today.

“The review — after talking to all stakeholders — told us some things that we concluded need to change. This board had to make some tough calls if we were going to deliver on our vision that our fans, members expect — that is a respected and successful football club.

“A tough call has been made. Now we go on the journey to find a new coach to get us closer to achieving that vision.”

Sanderson, 40, was sacked on Wednesday afternoon with two years remaining on his contract that was renewed in December.

Chapman dismissed claims the board had “a gun loaded to our heads” with key players demanding Sanderson be replaced or they would leave the club. The players are said to be key forward Taylor Walker, midfielder Patrick Dangerfield, 2010 club champion Richard Douglas and young Victorian draftees Brad and Matt Crouch.

Chapman also rejected Adelaide had moved quickly to avert club hero and current Essendon assistant coach Simon Goodwin being lost to a five-year deal with Melbourne.

He also would not endorse calls for the Adelaide board that ratified Sanderson’s contract extension — that was worth as much as $600,000 a season — to resign.

Adelaide’s board today will meet to formalise the process for finding the Crows’ next coach. The contenders range from the untried, such as former captain Goodwin, to the proven, such as West Coast premiership coach, John Worsfold. Geelong premiership coach Mark Thompson has ruled out even considering the job.

“I do not anticipate that to be an exceptionally long process, but it will be detailed,” Chapman said.

Of the supposed player revolt at Adelaide, Chapman said: “The players are just one group of stakeholders — we did listen to them, as you do in all good reviews.

“That gun was never levelled at my head. None of our players would ever do that to us. I am very proud of our playing group. They are very disappointed themselves with the season they have had. None ever put a gun to my head.

“At the end, where we were as a club — and where Brenton thought we were as a club — were two different levels. We have made a decision looking forward.

“I am on record as saying we won’t accept mediocrity. Our fans and supporters don’t accept mediocrity and they expect this board and management of the football club to make tough decisions. And we have done that. We have made a tough, uncompromising decision — we don’t like it, but we have done it.”

Brenton Sanderson lost the support of his players. Picture: Sarah Reed

Chapman acknowledged Sanderson was dealt a tough hand with the loss of draft picks in the Kurt Tippett sanctions, the loss of his senior mentor Dean Bailey to cancer and injuries to key players such as Walker last year and captain Nathan Berlo this season. But the review concluded Sanderson would not deliver Adelaide’s vision of challenging for the premiership.

“The best scenario for us was to part company with our coach and find someone we thought could take us on the journey to play finals consistently and win finals and eventually win a premiership,” Chapman said.

Chapman defined the profile of Adelaide’s next mentor as “a coach who can engage the players, put together a leadership program, a high-performance culture — and create that with rigorous feedback — and lead this team and achieve what we think it can achieve.”

“That profile I am happy to reveal when we have got that,” he said. “As you know that gene pool is not very deep. There is only a select number that can and they are in current jobs. So we may have to wait a while. We will find the right person.”

Originally published as Crows chairman Rob Chapman dismisses claims Adelaide board was forced by key players to sack Brenton Sanderson