NEW Melbourne coach Neil Craig says there has been “no relief” at the club in the past 18 months, as it has battled a host of issues on and off the field.

Speaking for the first time since taking over from former coach Mark Neeld, who departed the club on Monday, Craig reflected on a tumultuous period.

“Our supporters - clearly, I would think - would be sick of hearing what’s going to happen,” he said adamantly from AAMI Park on Tuesday.

“They actually want to see some action and that’s fair enough.”

Although Craig did not rule out the prospect of putting his hand up for the position next year and beyond, he added that he had “certainly had some discussions” with chief executive Peter Jackson before accepting the senior coaching position for the rest of 2013.

“In the end, having done it for seven years, I was happy to take responsibility for the 11 weeks,” he said.

“These are exceptional circumstances, so you certainly have a responsibility in the end to the playing group, and to the football club in general, to be part of helping the club through.

“That was the sense of responsibility and experience that I had.”

But Craig said he hadn’t missed being senior coach, which finished in 2011.

“I haven’t missed that because I made my decision at the end of my time in Adelaide, which I enjoyed immensely, and that was another part of my life,” he said.

“I was still very keen to stay involved in AFL footy and Melbourne gave me the opportunity to do that, so this came from unusual circumstances … and certainly not circumstances that anyone’s enjoyed.”

Craig is contracted to Melbourne until the end of the 2014 season, but he said he clearly understood that a review of the football department was being undertaken by Jackson.

“It will depend a lot on the findings of that review and what Peter wants to set the department up, so we just need to wait for that to unfold before any of those decisions are made.”

Craig also ruled himself out of the general manager of football operations position.

“I can’t see myself being general manager of football operations,” he said.

“That’s not me, and that’s not what I want to do in AFL football.

“Josh Mahoney is currently filling that role.”

Craig said Melbourne needed to take some time to decide what type of coach it needs next year and in the future.  Although he said the likes of Mark Williams, Rodney Eade and Paul Roos would be outstanding candidates, he warned inexperienced prospects about the position. 

“For any brand new AFL senior coach out there thinking about the Melbourne position, as an old man – well, not totally old – but ask the question ‘what are you looking for?’ before you sit in the seat,” he said.

“I’m telling you guys, the seat is hard enough to sit in when you know what you’re in for, versus what you don’t know what you’re in for.”

At least for the next 11 rounds, Craig said he would bring a different style and personality to the role, but he added that any person who sat in the chair for the next 11 weeks would do that.

“It’s a significant for any AFL club to lose their senior coach, whether or not both parties agreed to it,” he said.

“It’s a big decision and it’s a key position in any AFL club.

“When it does happen, it’s a shock to people, even though there is innuendo and you read about it.”

Reflecting on Neeld’s tenure, Craig said the former coach had set some high standards at the club. Although Craig said Neeld was his own man, he added “Mark and I weren’t poles apart in terms of [our] philosophies in footy”.

“Mark Neeld’s done a fantastic job for this football club,” he said.

“He’s done some unbelievable ground work.

“My dealings with Mark, the legacy he’s left at this football club is very, very impressive.”

Craig said it was not up to him to comment whether the club had made the correct decision on Neeld.

“That’s not for me to make that decision.”