I want to stay at Essendon: Goodwin - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

I want to stay at Essendon: Goodwin

Steve Larkin 14/07/2011 04:14:55 PM Comments (0)

Adelaide's favourite son Simon Goodwin has all but ruled out replacing Neil Craig as Crows coach.

As Craig reiterated his desire to coach the Crows beyond this AFL season, Goodwin said he was keen to remain at Essendon.

Goodwin, revered in Adelaide as a former Crows captain, retired after a decorated 275-game career last year and joined Essendon as an assistant coach to James Hird.

"I'm only one year out of the game and really enjoying developing here as a coach and working with the players here at Essendon," Goodwin told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.

"Not only that, but the coaching staff and the club here have been terrific.

"I'm here for a while and that is the way I'd like to keep it."

Craig's tenure is under scrutiny given their lowly season of just four wins and a current 14th spot on the ladder.

Adelaide's board will likely decide Craig's future next month, after effectively handing him a one-year contract when placing him on the club's staff during the pre-season.

"Clearly if I feel like I don't want to continue - forget everyone else, me ... as soon as I feel like that, I will let them (the board) know so they have an opportunity to find someone else," Craig told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.

"I certainly don't feel like that at the moment. I'm really keen to continue with the way I feel at the moment, that is my feelings.

"But in the end it will be up to the board because they will get the final decision."

Craig said being a staff member of the club, as opposed to having a series of rolling coaching contracts, was a factor in heightened interest in his future.

"The position for me is too important for the footy club, and if at any stage the board of our football club believed it's time to change or there is a better person to do the job, they should make that decision," he said.

"And I don't want to be a hindrance by contractual arrangements for that.

"I guess that is one ofthe negatives of having a year-by-year contract, but I think all the other benefits far outweigh that."

Craig said he remained "really comfortable" with the arrangement, which is unique among AFL coaches.

"Whilst I stay in the position, it will be a year by year job - or less, because the club... have the capacity to end my term as a senior coach whenever they like, for minimal cost," Craig said.

"I think it's a very healthy situation for our footy club to be in."

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