News Edwards Retirement - Effective Immediately

[marvin]

I don't doubt macca23's sauces - there's a great history of the late mail there.

The right decision was reached, in the end. It was a struggle to get there, and I'd pin some fault on both sides.

The press conference was uncomfortable viewing, particularly the 2nd half. Craig sounded like he was having trouble swallowing that sandwich.

There's a tiny, niggling, nagging doubt (based on absolutely no evidence, just an uncomfortable feeling) that the leadership group are looking after one of the leadership group, rather than the interests of the club, in this report.

I hope we don't look back in hindsight as this era being the equivalent of the McDermott / McGuinnness / A Jarman excess of "player power" in 1996. I'd be disappointed if the current senior players finish up potting the club in the media at any opportunity in coming decades.

The club struggled to manage the transition from the first club leaders in that era, solved by the "new broom" of Blight. There was a struggle with the last of the "original 52" as Ben Hart went. And now the remnants of the back-to-back side are a hard thing to let go of.

 

[Drummond]

listening to what neil craig said in the presser today, it sounds like macca's little bombshell is on the money...

hopefully this doesn't turn uglier!!

What have I missed, care to expand?

 

[Allefgib]

Vader... I was going to say the same thing "Hopefully he will learn from this", but thought better of it for fear of being hung, drawn and quartered.

I don't think you would have been. Not by me at least and we've clashed heads alot this year as I'm sure you'll agree. He stuffed up bad. Acknowledging this is as an issue and saying he needs to learn from it would be respected by most I think. Awknowledging this is indicative of serious issues at the club you would probably consider to be a stretch? Given it evidence continues to build each week at the moment- the continual positive spin in the face of mounting evidence is what probably gets you 'hung drawn and quarterd' IYO. I really think you misunderstand where many of us are coming from. I will totally admit the screaming of others doesn't help

 

[jo172]

What I love is that people can type with absolute conviction that Craig is both too stubborn and too flexible to the playing group

 

[Allefgib]

What I love is that people can type with absolute conviction that Craig is both too stubborn and too flexible to the playing group

Despite the information that they had to confront him to inform him that he had 'lost them'?

 

[Southerntakeover]

Actually Jen, that's pretty close to the truth.

Craig was under pressure from both outside the club and inside the club to change his mind, but it wasn't until the leadership group spoke to him of the players feelings that he did change his mind, because the players are everything to him, and what they thought mattered dearly to him.

Look, all's well that ends well, but it should never have got to that stage.

Or because they carry his career in the palms of their hands?

I dont buy this its for the love routine im hearing... if Craig loved the players so much he wouldnt have shat on a club legend from a great height.

He saved his skin, pure and simple. The fact that the players declared no faith in him means his job is pretty much not sustainable. If he announces hes stepping aside now, maybe he'll get a 'farewell' game as coach?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Actually that's exactly what happened. Clubs listen to members its pretty disingenuous to spruik on about how they want the members to be involved and how much the club values them to then totally ignore them when they get inundated with calls and emails from members who don't see the value of now playing hard task master when it no longer matters.

They have done a complete 360 backflip and have now guaranteed selection for the game against Freo, something they should never had not said to start with, or at the very least said behind closed doors 'this is your last game against the Saints announce or we are dropping you back and we can't guarantee you will get back in with jaensch, symes and cook all available and fit again'.

The highlighted point I agree with .....but my point was an anonymous small minority (sample size of club members) has in effect nil impact without the other volume of feedback you mentioned.

To think that anonymous posters can set or affect the agenda of the AFC ......that was my point about getting real

I think in this instance both parties have gone away and thought about the events .....and whilst I am not agreement with a gift game, I still believe most people are happy with the outcome.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Let's not be too kind to Craig and co.

I've just been talking to someone close to the scene and they tell me that the back-flip by Craig had nothing to do with what's right or wrong.

Apparently the leadership group approached Craig around 6 to 6 30 pm and told him that the playing group had lost faith in him and the culture of the club as a result of the way that a 320 game legend of the club had been treated.

Craig's re-action apparently was that he could stand losing the supporters, but not the playing group, and as a result approached the Board to endorse a back-flip re the farewell game - which resulted in them accepting the changed recommendation.

Right decision - but not necessarily for the reasons we all originally thought.

Thanks for the feedback Macca .....but that highlighted part you've made up for dramatic affect

I know Craigy and he would not say or imply that

 

[Drummond]

Listening to Tyson now, sounds like you're on the money Macca.

Oh you know Craig do you WW, or you know of him, just as I do.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Jenny - it should not have hit that point. He was so stubborn and inflexible the playing group had to tell him they'd lost faith in him.

If you think that's a good thing I honestly don't know what to say to you.

Cmon .....Macca has been a good poster and has provided some good insights on this board

However we're now taking third hand gossip as gospel, without knowing the exact words and context and again tarnishing Craig's image.

BTW one of the attribute of strong leadership is an unwavering belief in one's vision and methodology to achieve the desired result ......some call it stubbornness ...others strength of conviction

I did not support Craigs appointment ........so I am hardly a Craig man

But what he says, the way he and the club have handled themselves in recent years has won me over

That doesn't mean blind faith .......but I have heard others comment on other teams and coaches simply having a bad patch

But when the same thing happens to Adelaide we obviously are more emotive and the knives come out .....and rational thinking is only used for other teams other than Adelaide

 

[macca23]

Thanks for the feedback Macca .....but that highlighted part you've made up for dramatic affect
I know Craigy and he would not say or imply that

Don't be a numbskull WW.

I didn't say Craig said that, My source - an insider - said that, based on the fact that the only time Craig blinked was when the players spoke to him, in spite of massive internal and external pressure which couldn't.

His actions implied it!!

FFS!!

 

[aneale]

The highlighted point I agree with .....but my point was an anonymous small minority (sample size of club members) has in effect nil impact without the other volume of feedback you mentioned.

To think that anonymous posters can set or affect the agenda of the AFC ......that was my point about getting real

I think in this instance both parties have gone away and thought about the events .....and whilst I am not agreement with a gift game, I still believe most people are happy with the outcome.

who said it was anonymous, i doubt i am the only one who sent an email with my full name and membership details on this board. i go to every game with 10 other Gold members, we have missed probably no more than a dozen games between us in 20 seasons I wasn't the only one in my little group who fired off some feedback.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

macca23 is has an excellent reputation on this board, so I'm not going to question his post, although i can't help but feel there is a little embellishment somewhere along the lines.

Although this whole scenario has been messy, I think its a good thing that NC is such a hard-ass, as long as it is complimented by an equally robust leadership group. Edwards' retirement would have taken many by surprise, (perhaps not in hindsight), but they had to make an instant reaction and rightly NC stuck to his guns. With a bit of time and feedback, it needed to be reconsidered and I think that is an endorsement of the culture of the club going forward. I still maintain that Edwards would have been back and played out the rest of the season after a week out, but going from the press conference he decided that it just wasn't worth continuing the fight when September was out of the question and the club would benefit long term from having another youngster getting regular games.

Excellent post .....Strong leaders whist appearing to outsiders to being stubborn ..... can and do have their thoughts challenged by well thought out and presented counter views

This is an excellent commentary on our leadership group .....which may I add supports the view of having experienced players in the leadership group .... rather than using the leadership process for kids to help their development

There was a maturity required in discussing this with Craig

That said I still am not a supporter of the theory that players HAVE TO have farewell games at the expense of team performance ....irrelevant of the ladder position ....that's just me

 

[mark73]

Would like to hear what Tyson has to say before speculating about him being dropped or whatever,

This is certainly a massive shock though. I mean he was clearly struggling this year, but to go out like this is very strange.

Congratulations on a sensational career. A fantastic team man. One of the very best to play for our footy club. He'll be missed.

It's also pretty average. In any case he has been a great servant of the Adelaide Football Club and I as I'm sure most people wish him the best.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

See, its posts like this that bring out the s word jenny.

A man desperately backtracks to save his job in the face of mutiny, and you praise him for his humility and are grateful for it?

FFS AMAZING POST !!!! .....I am speechless

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Actually Jen, that's pretty close to the truth.

Craig was under pressure from both outside the club and inside the club to change his mind, but it wasn't until the leadership group spoke to him of the players feelings that he did change his mind, because the players are everything to him, and what they thought mattered dearly to him.

Look, all's well that ends well, but it should never have got to that stage.

Thats better .... but Macca your first post was poorly worded and the respect you have on this board had posters after Craigs head

ATM in this environment tone and context are everything

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Listening to Tyson now, sounds like you're on the money Macca.

Oh you know Craig do you WW, or you know of him, just as I do.

Never you mind tuppance

 

[Alex99]

CAP stop talking sense

Lets compare apples with apples shall we Wayne.

1) Tyson Edwards isn’t going to a different club, he’s retiring. He’s quitting the game and doesn’t intend to play for anyone else.
2) If Kurt Tippett signed a one year contract and quit yesterday because the landscape changed, my opinion would still be the same except his remuneration from the club (like Edwards) will be stopped.
3) If Kurt Tippett went to another club, we would be compensated but due to the fact that Tyson Edwards is retiring we won’t.
so let’s not be stupid about this and compare apples with apples, not apples with grapefruits.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Honestly, apart from you repeating that theres no role for a tagger continually ive got no actual reason to believe its true. Is there even any evidence that Stenglein was pushed? He retired.

Just leaving the tagging aside, are you suggesting that we have no need for players who win clearances and contested ball at current?

The other 15 AFL clubs obviously thought they could do without a mature tagger who wins clearances and contested ball too.

 

[Southerntakeover]

The other 15 AFL clubs obviously thought they could do without a mature tagger who wins clearances and contested ball too.

Oh come on. Mature aged players are very rarely picked up again. Do you really think this is a meaningful measure?

 

[Crow-mo]

You are automatically assuming that it is the CLUB's fault. Could there not be a skerrick of possibility that Edwards has created this? Seriously.

of course its the clubs fault, the backflip concedes that. Heck Craigy says himself he made a mistake.

why do you always - and it is always - assume the club gets it right even in the face of a mass of evidence.

 

[Crow-mo]

So if Tippet comes to the club as says

"well the landscape has changed since I signed that contact, surely you'll let me go to the GC at the end of the season"

we are all expected to just accept that ? Where does it start and where does it finish?

you don't seriously think that is a comparable or appropriate example do you?

 

[Crow-mo]

Yep ....and of course you would have done it PERFECTLY ....just like everything you've done in life

I really admire people who can just sum up every situation just so magnificently ........you must be a credit to your yourself

and yet your admiration means nothing to me, must be something about the way you disappear when challenged

 

[Crow-mo]

Do you think you really have any influence

You need to get real

do you get paid by the wrong?

craig has already conceded the public backlash lead him to re-consider.

 

[Crow-mo]

And you need to pull your head out of your self righteous arse and stop trolling other posters on this site.

WW is part troll, part space cadet.

didn't use to be, but things change.