Alastair Clarkson has a message for the sceptics: Hawthorn’s coaching succession plan will work.
The four-time premiership coach has reiterated his intention to remain at the Hawks until the end of 2022, before handing over the coveted job to Sam Mitchell.
Succession is almost a dirty word in AFL, mainly due to the messy transition at Collingwood from Mick Malthouse to Nathan Buckley in 2011.
However, there are examples of succession plans working with Paul Roos successfully handing over the Sydney reigns to John Longmire at the end of 2010 and also the Melbourne job to Simon Goodwin at the end of 2016. However, in both of those instances, the coach handing over was more than happy to be departing.
Clarkson is determined to leave the club seamlessly and on course for a 14th premiership.
“I’m coaching the footy club until the end of next year,” he said on Friday.
“The only thing that changes in terms of decision making is to do with some staff and some players and list management and the future of the club beyond 2022.
“All the day-to-day stuff is still pretty much run by me and I’ll consult with Sam on that, like we always have done anyway.
“There’s plenty sceptics out there that say ‘well that’s not going to work, they’re two hard-nosed and stubborn lads’, but tell me a coach that’s not.
“It’s highly unlikely that I’ll be here for securing the next piece of sliverware for our footy club but I’ll be enormously excited if I can contribute towards it in some sort of way.”
Big offers are coming in thick and fast for the greatest AFL leader of the modern era, with Clarkson joking his daughter had already approached him to coach Caulfield Grammar’s touch footy team.
But being contacted with enticing deals to move from Hawthorn has been almost a yearly occurrence for Clarkson since leading the Hawks to the 2008 premiership.
Clarkson’s looming departure comes when Collingwood search for a replacement for Buckley, who recently left the Magpies after almost 10 seasons in charge.
David Teague is contracted at Carlton for next season, but a coaching icon like Clarkson now available could bring about change due to an underwhelming season forcing an external club review.
Despite the added scrutiny of this week’s bombshell announcement, Clarkson believes his players have focused quickly on Saturday’s clash with Fremantle in Launceston.
“The clear focus for the group is what we can achieve together in the next 30 games or so until the handover happens to Sam, so we’ve got to roll our sleeves up and get to work,” Clarkson said.
“If we stay idle in these next 30 games then it’s been a waste of time.”
AAP
