North won the race to get the most highly successful and sort after coach in the last decade or more. I was hoping he’d go to North where he started his career. They needed a big name to build the club. I grew up being a North supporter due to Barry Cable playing their in the 70’s. Poor Ben Rutten has been thrown under the bus at Essendon. Seems like a likeable fella but vision of one of the players ignoring him on the bench on the weekend isn’t a good sign for him. Hopefully that’s just one player and not the whole group and he gets to serve out his contract.
Clarkson appears to be a man of strong values and would have been horrified to see the way that Essendon treated Rutten during the week, so it was really a no brainer for him to go back to his original club. Essendon are a basket case and have been for years. They have a strong supporter group but they have had no direction as a club since the drugs scandal and have not won a final for nearly 20 years. Michael Hurley alluded to this lack of stability in his retirement speech.
North Melbourne have sacked coach Alastair Clarkson, the four-time AFL premiership mentor who had a year left on his contract.
Kangaroos players were called to an impromptu meeting on Wednesday morning, when Clarkson’s departure was confirmed, with the AFL club to start the hunt for a new coach.
Clarkson was contracted until the end of 2027, when his initial bumper five-year deal with the struggling Kangaroos was due to end.
After consulting with players and football department staff, North’s hierarchy instead decided to move on Clarkson this off-season, informing the coach of their decision on Tuesday.
Maybe they have sounded out Adam Simpson? Not sure that would be a great move. A young team may needs a younger coach like the Stephen King move at Melbourne or Josh Fraser at Carlton
mike, there is only a few years difference in age between the three.
Simpson is 50, King is 47 and Fraser is 44.
Does age make a lot of difference?
Sorry my bad. Didnt realise Simpson was only 50. He just seems to have been around for so long. Age is only an issue if a coach doesnt change his long established coaching style to suit a younger group. I wonder if this is what happened with Clarko and he lost the players?
Most successful coach in the last 5 years is Chris Fagan - raised in Tassie who never played at the highest level and is 65 years old…
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Caro will be dancing in the stands at Clarko’s departure.
She’s been on his case for years.
If North are looking around,don’t pick a Coach whose previous job,left the place a Train wreck!
Simmo or Longmire. Clarko to West Perth.
Fk the sniper
Ahhh,you’re referring to The Battle of Britain.
Yep
The dog
It’s Supremely Ironic Blues supporters welcomed Diesel into their ranks,given the sniping cheap shot he gave David Rhys Jones.
Quickly forgiven by footy fans(which could happen anywhere),but I don’t think Rhys Jones really,truly forgave Diesel for his needless broken jaw.
I can assure you many Blues fans including me, never forgave Williams.
Great player, shit bloke
I’m sure many didn’t.But I’m sure a lot of footy fans of any Club would throw such feelings away,if the same Villain joined them,…
Wasn’t like David Rhys Jones was a choir boy…if you’re happy to dish it out, you’ve got to be prepared to cop it too.
True.
But Rhys made the claim he always faced his protagonists face on,never from behind.
In the commentary box,he seems like a perfect mild mannered chap.
Not sure the Melbourne runner would agree when DRJ was playing for the Swans
Well,I guess there’s an exception to that rule.
Begs the question what was the runner up to in that game?