Connolly gives Dockers heave hoWednesday, 18 July 2007 @ 11:38 AMsportal.com.au
Fremantle's longest serving coach Chris Connolly has fallen on his own sword and resigned effective immediately.In the final year of his contract, Connolly had been under tremendous pressure after his side failed to display the form which guided the club to a preliminary final last year.The decision to step aside was made yesterday afternoon following the club's disappointing loss to the Kangaroos on Sunday which effectively ruled the Dockers out of the finals race."After Sunday it was obvious and we'd discussed it, I wouldn't be coaching in 2008," Connolly told the media on Wednesday."After Monday and Tuesday we just felt or I certainly felt that there is a big dark cloud over the club with the speculation, with the innuendo and just felt, moving forward, that the players, the coaches, the administrators can't do their job properly.""So whilst we are still (mathematically) in the finals hunt this year and through the process we'll be setting up for next year because you are always doing both at the same time, I just felt that people couldn't do their job because it was just being, not torn apart, but certainly key people within the club were being focused on a negative way."Connolly, who told the media on Sunday he would remain at the helm until season's end, said his decision to leave now was made in a bid to end any further speculation over his tenure."(Initially) we came up with, I would coach two more games against Adelaide and here against Geelong and then in that time be able to find someone to take the role and then move on," he said."What that does is allows the club to design their system of recruiting a new coach, alleviate the deception that the club is going behind my back and all those types of things that take away from the integrity of the club.""The decision I felt yesterday afternoon was to move aside now and the club will go about its business this afternoon to find out a coach on match day."Assistant coach Mark Harvey, who would be one of the favourites to take the Dockers top job, is likely to take the reins for the remainder of the season.With Neale Daniher's departure from Melbourne two weeks ago, Connolly said he had not yet had time to consider whether he would consider a return to the club where he played 84 games.
