Neil Craig

[Sir Why You Little 36,981]

I am impressed Neil Craig is a Roy Orbison Fan. The "Big O" is just one of the true great singers who have ever lived on this Earth.

Anyone who does not know Roy Orbison....Youtube him now!!!!

[ICU2 Jerry Jerry 257]

High performance music!

I love him already!

[Lutz 76]

This is the best news we've had since 186...

I have barely posted since then, of at all... I've been so hurt, and unenthused. But this appointment outstrips the Neeld one for excitement, in my opinion.

Well done dees.

I said it at the time -- 186 (30 July 2011) was a great day for MFC.

It was the catalyst for REAL change.

Without it, some of the developments we have seen recently might not be coming to fruition.

[Guest johnjones]

very well spoken imo

[Whispering_Jack 29,789]

Back in the 60s and 70s, the Big O (Roy Orbison) was all the rage but there's also another interesting aspect of Craig's background which is that he played for SANFL club Norwood which was considered in those days as the MFC's sister (ouch) club.

They wear red and blue and are known as the Redlegs and, on my infrequent visits to Adelaide, I used to support them. We recruited Graham Molloy, a Tassie Medallist - best player in the old national carnivals - from Norwood (c. 1970) and they recruited Ross Dillon and Stephen Kerley from us. Craig was playing for them in the mid 70s when his name was recommended to the club as a potential recruit along with another Norwood player Jim Thiel. I believe the latter suffered a long term injury and, in the end, nothing became of the idea of recruiting either or both of them.

Anyway, he's finally made it here.

[rpfc 28,262]

Thread back on track, please.

Wow, our coaches are good and speak proper.

[Whispering_Jack 29,789]

Thread back on track, please.

Just going off track a second, the SANFL grand final's on today and an upset's brewing with the Woodville West Torrens Eagles leading perennial premier Central Districts by 25 points halfway through the second quarter.

[Ned 156]

Craig played for Sturt, not Norwood.

[DemonWorshipper 304]

Craig played for Sturt, not Norwood.

Neil Craig played 126 games for Norwood from 1973- 1979, He then moved to Sturt where he played 134 games from 1980-86, He finished his career with North Adelaide, where he played a further 61 games.

Edited October 9, 2011 by DemonWorshipper

[Watt and Howe? 16]

Neil Craig played 126 games for Norwood from 1973- 1979, He then moved to Sturt where he played 134 games from 1980-86, He finished his career with North Adelaide, where he played a further 61 games.

wikipedia ftw

[Whispering_Jack 29,789]

He was definitely a Norwood player when Melbourne was considering him at around 1976 when he was young and coming into calculations as a player worth looking at to recruit for the VFL.

[Ned 156]

I take it back. Always remembered him as a sturt player.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I said it at the time -- 186 (30 July 2011) was a great day for MFC.

It was the catalyst for REAL change.

Without it, some of the developments we have seen recently might not be coming to fruition.

I don't buy that. Not one bit. The team would likely have improved at about the same rate. We would have likely found out what elements of the leadership structure, both off the field and on, were doing the damage, only we would have gotten rid of the offending elements behind closed doors. The squad wouldn't have needed an overhaul, there wouldn't have been a teething period with a new coach, we would have been less likely to leak players...

That loss was an embarrassment for me as a member. It was damaging to the club, whichever way you cut it. And it was massively destabilising. Neeld could turn out to be the best thing since sliced bread. Or he couldn't. No-one can say for sure... All I want to see is for the list and coach/assistant tree to have come consistency from one year to the next. I don't want it to be a case of musical chairs: ie, the list is going to get better within the next few years, and it's whichever coach is lucky enough to be in charge that'll be branded a genius. WHat does that prove?

The reason I applaud the Craig appointment is that there was actally really nothing all that wrong with him as a coach. He brings a heavy sport-science background to the role, and is a serious operator. The sport science part of his role is a weakness the club has had for... well... ever. In the off season they were the two things I wanted to see in a new coach. A tough-nut (I wanted Burns) who can bark instructions at a player, and who is feared as much as he is admired. Put some hard bark on the squad... And also someone who understand the next generation of sport science to take us to the cutting edge. I wasn't naive enough to think it'd all come through in one coach, so when we got Craig, I was pumped.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,593]

Our coaching panel is highly impressive. Bailey talks the talk on SEN but Scott West was never the answer in my opinion.

Neeld comes across as a fairly inflexible character - infact to my mind he comes across as ideal for this club.

What the Dees need now is to consider whether the large number of 'nearly theres' on our list will ever really take the next step - too many havent in the last few years and I honestly think our list under Daniher was better.

And in 2012 I can see no reason why our membership wont exceed St Kildas - who lost members in each year of Lyon's contract and at 38K they are close to our 37. Ive dobbed in nine dees so far - even my wife! So get on board!

[beelzebub 23,313]

I said it at the time -- 186 (30 July 2011) was a great day for MFC.

It was the catalyst for REAL change.

Without it, some of the developments we have seen recently might not be coming to fruition.

out of curiosity...under what name ?..just so we know youre fair dinkum here ..lol

[Sir Why You Little 36,981]

out of curiosity...under what name ?..just so we know youre fair dinkum here ..lol

Yes good point BB59.....E25 Artie etc. etc. they are all no more...not a whisper.

Artie went quiet when Bails did. interesting.

[Lutz 76]

out of curiosity...under what name ?..just so we know youre fair dinkum here ..lol

? Not on this forum.

To a mate.

[Whispering_Jack 29,789]

Wondering what Neil Craig's role is at the MFC and why he's here?

Craig: a new tune (part one)

Choosing Melbourne over several options

“You’ve got to make a decision, and my decision to come to the Melbourne Football Club was based on what Mark’s trying to develop here, and the vision that he has of the coaching structure, and developing this into an absolute high performance winning environment, underpinned by a really high degree of integrity with the way you go about your business.” 

“That’s certainly been handed down from the CEO and the board of this football club - high performance, with high integrity, which suits me to an absolute ‘t’.” 

Craig: a new tune (part two)

[monoccular 17,413]

Super impressive person : I hope he can transfer his knowledge, passion and experience to the team.

I liked the bit about enjoying being out of his comfort zone at 55. Always looking for a new challenge.

Good pick up.

[Demon17 5,186]

Neeld comes across as a fairly inflexible character - infact to my mind he comes across as ideal for this club.

I got it directly from the highest echelon at the Cats that Neeld is perfect for us - right culture, team developement and hard as nails , not accepting second best from anyone and we're lucky to have him.

[Very Old Demon 8]

I recently read a book by a reporter from the Geelong Advertiser who was embedded with the G F C from go to whoa in the year they won the first of their 3 Prems. Similar to the one written about N M the year they won the replay G F Grand. Summing up his thoughts on the Club, he said in his opinion their best recruit was Neil Balme. Football Mngr I feel ours will be Neil Craig

[Sir Why You Little 36,981]

I got it directly from the highest echelon at the Cats that Neeld is perfect for us - right culture, team developement and hard as nails , not accepting second best from anyone and we're lucky to have him.

I have heard Filth people say pretty much the same thing. It is why Dean Bailey was moved on immediately. We got THE coach out of a good bunch.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

I'm surprised that I haven't read more about the issue of NC Sherking the question about him not defining his role. Does anyone know what he is doing definitively? Or is his role a work in progress? I cant think of the club or anyone explaining it to the point I can understand it!

[Sir Why You Little 36,981]

I'm surprised that I haven't read more about the issue of NC Sherking the question about him not defining his role. Does anyone know what he is doing definitively? Or is his role a work in progress? I cant think of the club or anyone explaining it to the point I can understand it!

Embrace wisdom Grasshopper.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

I recently read a book by a reporter from the Geelong Advertiser who was embedded with the G F C from go to whoa in the year they won the first of their 3 Prems. Similar to the one written about N M the year they won the replay G F Grand. Summing up his thoughts on the Club, he said in his opinion their best recruit was Neil Balme. Football Mngr I feel ours will be Neil Craig

Mark Neeld could trump Neil Craig, but I totally agree that getting Neil Craig was a simply massive coup for this club.

I recall Paul Roos saying On The Couch earlier this year - shortly after Craig resigned from the Crows in fact - that all of the coaches in the competition rated Craig as an absolutely elite coach who enjoyed the respect of everyone without reservation. Roos said, in his time coaching the Swans, the Crows were amongst the most consistently professional, well drilled teams in the comp - and this simply reflected how professional Craig was/is.

IMO Neeld + Craig + Misson will prove to be an amazing trifecta for the MFC.