"Performance is needed": Nicks breaks silence amid sacking rumours

Matthew Nicks has broken his silence on talks surrounding his future as head coach of the Adelaide Football Club.

After a sixth placed finish off the back of a straight sets September exit last season, SEN and Channel 7 reporter Tom Morris reported that Nicks will face the sack if the Crows are unable to beat the Bulldogs this weekend.

The club has come out in support for Nicks without confirming nor denying the story.

Nicks spoke on the rumours during his press conference ahead of the Crows’ Elimination Final.

“I understand the narrative - it's part of this industry,” Nicks said on Wednesday.

“It's not something I can talk to. I can talk to what we've built and why I'm really confident about where we sit as a footy club.

“The focus for me at the moment is footy. The belief we’ve got as a playing group and a staff off the back of 12 months’ worth of work puts us in a really good spot.

“I’ve had a lot of support in the last 24-48 hours, as I’ve had over the last seven years.

“I’ve spoken to our CEO, President, and a number of board members about where we sit as a club - at this point in time, we’re really looking forward to the challenge we’ve got on Saturday night.

“I had a lot of positive conversations about what we’re seeing.

“It’s a tough one to give insurances and 100 per cent guarantees over what happens over the next week – there’s a lot of pressure over the jobs that we have - I've always said that it's the pressure that I love.

“I feel incredibly supported by our President and CEO. I sit in a position where I feel pressure as a coach, as we all do, but that’s why we're in the seat. I feel great.

“My relationship with our board and exec is a really strong one – it has to be.

“We have to be aligned and connected and we’ve been that throughout. We’ve had some tough times throughout – it was a grind over the first few years.

“We’ve had more recent conversations off the back of the narrative that comes out this time of year.

“When you play finals footy, the attention is on you. We want the attention on us.

“Prioritising others has been my motto – it’s become our motto as a football club.

“That’s why my head goes to footy. Let’s talk about what it is we need to do this weekend, not about me.

“A win against the Bulldogs is a good way to go. That’s our goal every week; to perform, get a result and get the outcome we desire.”

When questioned on whether he believes to remain in the job, Nicks cited the confidence he has from the players, board and senior members at the club.

“There’s always an understanding that performance is needed,” he said.

“A part of that is performing in September.

“What’s come out of this is more research into where we sit as a football club which has been quite pleasing.

“We’ve spoken about it internally; our players have incredible confidence in what we’re building.

“I don’t want to comment on whether it’s made up or not – that I don’t know.

“What I do know is I have incredible support from the football club.

“Things change quickly, but the momentum we have as a football club is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“Where we sit as a football club, we should be incredibly proud of. I don’t want to get into the he-said-she-said.”

“When you’ve got confidence and belief, things like this galvanise you as a group. I’ve got incredible support from colleagues, players, our CEO and our President.”

Nicks and the Crows host the Western Bulldogs this Saturday night in a do-or-die Elimination Final.