Ahead of his final two games with the Blues, Director of Coaching, Development and Performance Neil Craig has praised the direction of the Club under the tutelage of senior coach Brendon Bolton.
After nearly two decades of service within the AFL, Craig on Monday announced he will step away from the industry, and full-time professional sport, at season’s end.
Since arriving at Ikon Park at the end of 2015, Craig has steered the Blues’ coaching panel including Bolton, stoppages coach John Barker, Dale Amos (defence), Shane Watson (forwards) and Tim Clarke (midfield) as well as the development and high performance teams.
“Internally, I see huge development. Carlton supporters should feel really confident about their football club and what’s happening internally,” Craig said.
“First of all (you see) the young talent coming in, the standards and the learning environment (that the coaches have set) and the respect for values and behaviours, training ethic… And the environment Brendon Bolton has brought to the football club.
“They are all the things you have to get in place first before the scoreboard ticks over.
“Externally, the only real measure people have got is the scoreboard, premiership table and results. In reality, where this club has come from, the scoreboard might be the last thing that changes.
“So I understand a certain amount of criticism but that’s where, when you’ve been in the game for a long period of time, I understand it but I disagree with it. I’ve seen first-hand here the development and the direction and I see huge development.”
Neil Craig says he's seen "huge development" at Carlton under the tutelage of Brendon Bolton. (Photo: AFL Media)
Craig was also quick to dismiss the suggestion that the Blues would be concerned by prospect of the 'wooden spoon' this season.
“It’s not a concern. If it was a concern, there’d be some decisions that would have been made, that haven’t been made if you’re decision was not to win the wooden spoon,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“I’d prefer to look at it the other way - what are our best decisions to win the premiership? You go down two different paths there. I’m more concerned about the decisions you have to make to become a consistently high performance football club. And they are different if you decide you don’t want to win a wooden spoon.”
