Axed Adelaide assistant coach Mick Godden says while he was aware of his precarious situation at the club, the decision not to renew his contract still was a bitter pill to swallow.
As clubs prepare to restructure their football departments around a reduced soft cap for 2021 due to COVID-19, the Crows announced on Tuesday that both Godden and fellow assistant Ben Hart – who is returning to Victoria – would leave the club.
The Crows finished bottom of the ladder for the first time in their history in 2020, winning just three matches this season.
Godden, who has been Adelaide’s midfield coach for the last two years after coaching Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL for eight seasons, said the club was open and honest with him throughout the year about his future before officially confirming his fate this week.
“It wasn’t great timing for me,” he said on SEN SA's Kymbo and The Rooch.
“I did my apprenticeship for well over a decade in the SANFL, I got my crack, but it unfortunately hasn’t worked out. Like everything, you do the best you can, and I felt I’ve done the best I can and I’ll always be proud about that.
“We were aware of the situation I was in but until the reality set in, I didn’t really think it would be true. I want to stay in football, it’s my passion and I love teaching people how to play the game.
“You’d be silly to not have the understanding that there would be some pressure (to keep my job), we had a conversation with the club about a month ago to say that no one was guaranteed a position.
“It’s probably the finality of it (which stung).”
Brad Crouch is currently one of the most in-demand free agents, with the Crows on-baller currently weighing up his options ahead of the upcoming exchange period.
Godden said Crouch was “keen to stay” in Adelaide but admitted the decision to keep him may not be entirely the call of the gun midfielder.
“Brad is a tremendous ball-winner and I hope he stays at Adelaide,” he said.
“He’s great for the footy club and he loves South Australia but this is an industry that is so ruthless, the conversations I’ve had with him I know that he is certainly keen to stay but sometimes there’s other influences.”
More in AFL
“This time next year…”: Cornes’ bold pick for his next AFL head coach in waiting
“I think he is the most ready head coach in waiting.”
Kenny still has the Power: The things we learnt during Gather Round
From Nick Daicos to Josh Treacy, here are six things we learnt during Gather Round!