Already contracted for next year, the new agreement is for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons, after which Craig would have completed seven full years as Adelaide’s senior coach.
He started in the senior coach role, as caretaker, in round 14, 2004. At the end of that season he was appointed for three years and then in August 2006 this agreement was extended by two years to the end of 2009.
Craig coached Adelaide for the 100th time in the AFL on the weekend. Under his guidance, the Crows have won 62 of these matches. Craig is now eight games away from becoming the longest serving Adelaide coach, overtaking predecessor Gary Ayres (107 games).
Adelaide chief executive officer Steven Trigg said: “Neil continues to do an outstanding job for our football club. Extending his term provides a clear direction for our club, as well as a stable environment for the coaches and playing group.
“External expectations at various times over the past four or five years have been that we were not going to be competitive. To the contrary, under Neil’s full-time leadership we have been extraordinarily competitive, competing in the finals series each year (to date). At the same time, we’re delighted with the progress made in terms of list management.”
More news and details to follow after this morning's press conference.
