Well, if you believe The Advertiser there are four candiates for the position with Wallace out of the running.
Eade
Case for:
The only senior AFL experienced candidate. Is regarded as a great tactician. Had some level of success at Sydney making the finals 4/6 years and one grand Final. Has had two years in the media and should come back a better coach (Matthews and Blight had success this way).
Case against:
Under his guidance the Swans seemed to be in steady decline. His replacement coach significantly improved the team.
Craig
Case for:
Has been an assistant with the Crows for several years and knows the players and the club well. Has extensive coaching and sports science experience including other sports. Has shown in his limited time that he is willing and capable to promote and develop youngsters - the results produced by players like Reilly, Rutten and even Skipworth so far are encouraging. Has had experience with two vastly different styles, Blight and Ayres.
Case against:
Was part of the failed Ayres regime. Has very little senior AFL coaching experience. Does not have a particularly good SANFL coaching record. Has had no involvement with another AFL club and therefore hasn't seen how other clubs operate first hand.
O'Donnell
Case for:
Has been involved in the Brisbane Lions three premierships as an assistant. Played his career under Kevin Sheedy and had success as a player. Knows what it takes to win premierships. Is new to the Crows so he can immediately walk in and spot strengths and weaknesses and differences to other clubs.
Case against:
Has no senior AFL coaching experience. (I don't think he has any senior coaching experience at a lower level either but not sure). Hasn't really experienced the pressures on coaches that come with losing.
Harvey
Case for:Has been involved for many years with one of the great coaches (who is also a great recruiter/trader), Kevin Sheedy. Has won premierships as a player. Knows what it takes to win premierships. Is new to the Crows so he can immediately walk in and spot strengths and weaknesses and differences to his former club.
Case against:
Has no senior AFL coaching experience. (I don't think he has any senior coaching experience at a lower level either but not sure). Has only ever played and been an assistant under the one coach - doesn't have a variety of coaching influences.
Please feel free to add or dispute any of these.
In my mind Eade is probably the favourite. I am nowhere near as keen on him as I was on Wallace. So much so that I don't have an opinion on whether he would be a good choice or not. I am really not sure. He'd be the safe choice.
I am keen on O'Donnell. I like the idea of bringing in someone new from outside to bring some new ideas and change the mix. He is a risk being inexperienced but the potential upside is there.
Harvey is similar to O'Donnell but I think he has slightly less going for him.
As for Craig, well while I think he should be far from a certainty and I am not convinced I would like to make it clear I am not totally against him. I don't think he's the best choice but I don't think he will be a dud. He had his upside. If he gets signed I think at worst we will have someone who will look to rebuild, and will do it with young players. Young players have already responded well to his coaching and even if we have a couple of mediocre years under Craig I think he will rebuild us well and put us in a good position to challenge for a flag in three to four years time. A bit like Robert Shaw. And that's a worst case scenario.
In closing I'd like to see us take a risk and go for O'Donnell. But that of course is withouth the insight that the Crows board will get through their interviews and discussions. We can only judge as outsiders and we have to realise what we know about these ccandidates is a lot less than the selection committee will know.
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Eade
Case for:
The only senior AFL experienced candidate. Is regarded as a great tactician. Had some level of success at Sydney making the finals 4/6 years and one grand Final. Has had two years in the media and should come back a better coach (Matthews and Blight had success this way).
Case against:
Under his guidance the Swans seemed to be in steady decline. His replacement coach significantly improved the team.
Craig
Case for:
Has been an assistant with the Crows for several years and knows the players and the club well. Has extensive coaching and sports science experience including other sports. Has shown in his limited time that he is willing and capable to promote and develop youngsters - the results produced by players like Reilly, Rutten and even Skipworth so far are encouraging. Has had experience with two vastly different styles, Blight and Ayres.
Case against:
Was part of the failed Ayres regime. Has very little senior AFL coaching experience. Does not have a particularly good SANFL coaching record. Has had no involvement with another AFL club and therefore hasn't seen how other clubs operate first hand.
O'Donnell
Case for:
Has been involved in the Brisbane Lions three premierships as an assistant. Played his career under Kevin Sheedy and had success as a player. Knows what it takes to win premierships. Is new to the Crows so he can immediately walk in and spot strengths and weaknesses and differences to other clubs.
Case against:
Has no senior AFL coaching experience. (I don't think he has any senior coaching experience at a lower level either but not sure). Hasn't really experienced the pressures on coaches that come with losing.
Harvey
Case for:Has been involved for many years with one of the great coaches (who is also a great recruiter/trader), Kevin Sheedy. Has won premierships as a player. Knows what it takes to win premierships. Is new to the Crows so he can immediately walk in and spot strengths and weaknesses and differences to his former club.
Case against:
Has no senior AFL coaching experience. (I don't think he has any senior coaching experience at a lower level either but not sure). Has only ever played and been an assistant under the one coach - doesn't have a variety of coaching influences.
Please feel free to add or dispute any of these.
In my mind Eade is probably the favourite. I am nowhere near as keen on him as I was on Wallace. So much so that I don't have an opinion on whether he would be a good choice or not. I am really not sure. He'd be the safe choice.
I am keen on O'Donnell. I like the idea of bringing in someone new from outside to bring some new ideas and change the mix. He is a risk being inexperienced but the potential upside is there.
Harvey is similar to O'Donnell but I think he has slightly less going for him.
As for Craig, well while I think he should be far from a certainty and I am not convinced I would like to make it clear I am not totally against him. I don't think he's the best choice but I don't think he will be a dud. He had his upside. If he gets signed I think at worst we will have someone who will look to rebuild, and will do it with young players. Young players have already responded well to his coaching and even if we have a couple of mediocre years under Craig I think he will rebuild us well and put us in a good position to challenge for a flag in three to four years time. A bit like Robert Shaw. And that's a worst case scenario.
In closing I'd like to see us take a risk and go for O'Donnell. But that of course is withouth the insight that the Crows board will get through their interviews and discussions. We can only judge as outsiders and we have to realise what we know about these ccandidates is a lot less than the selection committee will know.
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