Welcome to Collingwood, Coach Craig McRae

[Mr Miyagi]

No pressure, all in good time, but make it happen mate, we are with you

I hope you all remember these admirable and realistic sentiments the first time we lose a game next year.

[jatsad]

Im concerned fly was with us in 2011-2015 the buckley horror years

Could be the reason he left

[Mr Miyagi]

First time in my life the coach is younger than me

[K]

God he speaks well, love it!
...

That's what everyone said about the last coach!

[K]

...
Welcome to Collingwood, Fly.
...

How long is his contract? ...

i.e. how long do Dyso and I have to convince everyone to call him McFly?


Oh, I see the answer...

McRae confirms it's a 3-year deal.

Of course, as long as Dyso and I can find 1.21GW, the length of the deal does not matter...

[magpieazza]

I prefer this from the board, rather than Eddie’s hysterical style. Calm and boring is what we need.

Agree 100%.

Noticed some people elsewhere complaining about Korda's public speaking skills. Would rather a president with substance over style.

Fair call and each to their own. I know little of Korda and what he will bring to CFC but I generally miss the passion at such events. This event felt like a funeral but as you said if the substance is there, then thats a big tick.

[BazBoy]

He said what he had to say and put a stop to the board spill chat

That was not what today was about

[Culprit]

I watch the entire press conference, a lot to like, and McRae (got it finally right) ticks all the boxes. Time will tell and in saying that there is a lot to like. The smiling assassin will be ruthless with the playing list.

[BazBoy]

The bloke don’t walk on water and breath,s same air as you and I

There will be wins and losses that’s pretty certain but it’s what he learns and does all he can to eliminate any mistakes he makes (there will be) and on same token build on things that work

Be as good as we can get better as quick as we can

I’ll smile when we win and grumble at a loss. But hey that’s part of following any sports club

FWIW. I see him as our next premiership coach

[Dave The Man]

Korda is such a poor media performer.

dreadful. the tone of an undertaker; which i guess is what his day job is.

super pleased to have mcrae lead us back to the promised land.

Just sounds Naturally Negative and Boring

[Cam]

I was rrrrong. Hope it all works out though. Go Pies!

[scoobydoo]

I prefer this from the board, rather than Eddie’s hysterical style. Calm and boring is what we need.

Agree 100%.

Noticed some people elsewhere complaining about Korda's public speaking skills. Would rather a president with substance over style.

Yeh, we’ll said. Ed had absolutely no substance.

[Jezza]

From the man himself.

[quote]So grateful to @CollingwoodFC for the opportunity to coach this amazing football club. Thank you for all the messages of congratulations & support.
Looking forward to making all the Pies supporters proud.
Side By Side

[Jezza]

Should we be thanking Aker?

Akermanis helped McRae overcome Collingwood doubts

Jason Akermanis encouraged close friend Craig McRae to apply for the Collingwood senior coaching vacancy after McRae told his three-time premiership teammate that he doubted he had a high enough profile to land the job.

On that front McRae, 47, was wrong. The former Brisbane Lions goalsneak was confirmed as the Pies’ new coach on Wednesday, taking over the role left open after Nathan Buckley’s mid-season resignation.

Akermanis, a 25-year friend of McRae’s since the pair’s playing days at Brisbane, said McRae had questioned whether he was a big enough name to get the gig at such a storied Victorian club.

“When I said to him when Buckley stepped down, I said, ‘you should go for that job’. And he said ‘I’m not high enough profile for that job, there’s no way I’ll get it,’” Akermanis revealed to The Age on Wednesday.

“I said ‘mate, you’re really good at what you do’. As a friend, you’re always trying to help him out and give him a push along. He wasn’t that confident in his profile yet within the industry, how well he’s regarded is probably the reason he was able to get the job. He deserves it.

“He’s been part of seven VFL/AFL premierships. It’s a really cool story.”

Akermanis and McRae built an instant rapport when they arrived at the Gabba in the mid-1990s and would remain tight until McRae’s retirement at the end of 2004 and then beyond.

The Brownlow medallist said McRae had a somewhat unusual personality type, being outgoing and chatty but also exceptionally thoughtful and organised.

“He’s one of the most popular players I would have played with because he’s just a very humorous guy,” Akermanis said.

“He’s got a great balance between seriousness and the jovial nature he does have. He would run our Mad Mondays, he would run our overseas trips and just a great organiser.”

Akermanis added that McRae was “able to soften up bad news” as well as being good at instilling confidence in others and talking people through difficult situations.

“He’s also got the subtle art of the velvet sledgehammer.”

Akermanis, these days living back in Brisbane and working in real estate, has long bemoaned his own inability to land a coaching job at an AFL club, and said he would entertain any offer from the Pies, but noted that McRae had an abundance of strong candidates to support him.

“He knows my footy brain. It’s always been a shame that I couldn’t use it because of the reputation that precedes me ... I’d never say never,” Akermanis said.

“Craig’s got plenty of choice ... If he asked me, I’d talk to him about it. In the end, the most important thing is he’s got the new role.”

The article also goes on to mention some comments from Mav Weller who was coached by McRae in Richmond's reserves.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/ake ... 58ns3.html

[Damien]

He seems to be in the mould of Clarkson and Hardwick which has to be a good thing.