Former Crows captain Simon Goodwin an early favourite to replace sacked Brenton Sanderson as Adelaide coach
FORMER Crows captain Simon Goodwin is the early favourite to replace sacked Brenton Sanderson as Adelaide coach.
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FORMER Crows captain Simon Goodwin is the early favourite to replace sacked Brenton Sanderson as Adelaide coach.
Long-viewed as a senior coach in waiting, Goodwin has served a four-year coaching apprenticeship at Essendon and has been linked to Melbourne as a long-term replacement for Paul Roos.
Goodwin, who played 275 games for the Crows from 1997-2010 and was a member of the club’s 1997 and 1998 premiership teams, has been listed as $2.50 favourite to take over from Sanderson, who enjoyed a strong 56.52 winning percentage in 69 games at Adelaide.
In three years at the helm, Sanderson posted the best win-loss record by any coach in the club’s 24-year history, despite making the finals just once.
Dual Geelong premiership coach Mark Thompson, who was caretaker coach at Essendon this year after James Hird’s one-year suspension for the supplements scandal, is second favourite with betting agency sportsbet.com.au.
Thompson is listed at $3. However, he is understood to want to remain with the Bombers.
Collingwood assistants Scott Burns, Michael Voss and Ben Hart also are high in the market, along with former Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams, Power coaching director Shaun Hart and ex-Carlton coach Brett Ratten.
Sydney assistant coach Stuart Dew and West Coast premiership coach John Worsfold are others who have already been linked with the Crows job, along with current Adelaide assistants Mark Bickley, Darren Milburn and Scott Camporeale.
Dew, in particular, is highly regarded by key officials at West Lakes.
Goodwin’s lack of senior coaching experience and his involvement in the Dons’ supplements affair could hurt him.
He also was fined for betting on football matches while at Adelaide.
But Goodwin is considered to be an astute coach who is an excellent strategist. He was development coach at Essendon from 2011-13 before being promoted to senior assistant this year.
He filled in as senior coach for the final game of 2013 — a loss to Richmond — after Hird was suspended.
Goodwin, 37, also is a great mate of former Crows teammate and new board member Mark Ricciuto, which could help his cause.
Goodwin was last week given permission by the Bombers to interview for a senior assistant coach’s position at Melbourne, with speculation he could be offered a five-year contract.
This would include two years as a senior assistant and three as the senior coach when Roos’ contract expires at the end of 2016.
It is possible this forced Adelaide into making an early call on Sanderson, who had two years remaining on his contract.
His sacking is likely to cost Adelaide about $1.2 million.
Sanderson’s shock axing yesterday came after what the club said was an extensive review of the club’s entire football operations.
His future is likely to be at Collingwood, where he could link up with best mate, senior coach Nathan Buckley.
Originally published as Former Crows captain Simon Goodwin an early favourite to replace sacked Brenton Sanderson as Adelaide coach
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