Coach Alastair Clarkson - NMFC Senior Coach - Coaching & Football Discussion

[Mississippi]

If I can butt in and say something about the Hawthorn experience of Clarko.

His last few years’ coaching at Hawthorn was dreadful - overly defensive and lacking vision. There had to be a compelling reason why a board would sack a multi-premiership coach and actually be prepared to pay him close to a $million for a year to get him away from the club.

It’s also relevant to note that Clarko’s success as a coach coincided precisely with Fagan being at the club and having major influence over Clarkson. As soon as Fagan left to go to Brisbane, Clarko went downhill and our football was awful with some terrible losses despite the fact that we still had a core of premiership players. That’s why he was sacked for a younger untried coach who promised innovation and the ability to have his players adopt a modern gameplan.

Many of us (Hawthorn supporters) were surprised by the beyond-excited attitude at North that Clarko’s arrival was like the second coming of Jesus.

Hopefully for you all it may still work out because a 5 year contract (?) at $1 mill plus a year is serious lucre. But it seems he’s surrounded himself with his own yes men and a very compliant footy department which isn’t necessarily a good thing.

 

[Roosurgence]

Unless he is already a natural leader at the clubs.

Older blokes look up to him on the ground. He could possibly bring that off the field as well

I have no doubt he is a leader and can do the job, I just worry at this young an age the impact to his game.

The last thing we want to do is throw him in a role that is detrimental to his footy.

He will be a Captain of the club, but let’s not burden him with that until he is ready.

If he’s ready next year, great, I just have a feeling we need to let him grow more as a footballer before putting the clubs worries on his shoulders.

 

[King Corey]

I'm not overly fussed with who's a coach, history tells us the role isn't that important. They get too much credit along with too much blame.
In saying that I think it is time for al clarko to stamp his authority on this group.

Column A/Column B eh?

Warne used to say that Buchanan had the easiest job in the world, it would've been harder to not win so many accolades with the team he had at his disposal.

On the flip side, if Beveridge wasn't such an unhinged feisty bastard, the dogs wouldn't have gone near a flag. Reckon he could've done the same to us. Their list was average.

 

[RossHenshaw]

If I can butt in and say something about the Hawthorn experience of Clarko.

His last few years’ coaching at Hawthorn was dreadful - overly defensive and lacking vision. There had to be a compelling reason why a board would sack a multi-premiership coach and actually be prepared to pay him close to a $million for a year to get him away from the club.

It’s also relevant to note that Clarko’s success as a coach coincided precisely with Fagan being at the club and having major influence over Clarkson. As soon as Fagan left to go to Brisbane, Clarko went downhill and our football was awful with some terrible losses despite the fact that we still had a core of premiership players. That’s why he was sacked for a younger untried coach who promised innovation and the ability to have his players adopt a modern gameplan.

Many of us (Hawthorn supporters) were surprised by the beyond-excited attitude at North that Clarko’s arrival was like the second coming of Jesus.

Hopefully for you all it may still work out because a 5 year contract (?) at $1 mill plus a year is serious lucre. But it seems he’s surrounded himself with his own yes men and a very compliant footy department which isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Thank you for your sensible comments . Some supporters here have to take their blindfolds off & get their heads out of their arses …
I get bombarded by the “I Clarko “ nuffies here every time I mention he needs to go …

 

[amaz199]

If I can butt in and say something about the Hawthorn experience of Clarko.

His last few years’ coaching at Hawthorn was dreadful - overly defensive and lacking vision. There had to be a compelling reason why a board would sack a multi-premiership coach and actually be prepared to pay him close to a $million for a year to get him away from the club.

It’s also relevant to note that Clarko’s success as a coach coincided precisely with Fagan being at the club and having major influence over Clarkson. As soon as Fagan left to go to Brisbane, Clarko went downhill and our football was awful with some terrible losses despite the fact that we still had a core of premiership players. That’s why he was sacked for a younger untried coach who promised innovation and the ability to have his players adopt a modern gameplan.

Many of us (Hawthorn supporters) were surprised by the beyond-excited attitude at North that Clarko’s arrival was like the second coming of Jesus.

Hopefully for you all it may still work out because a 5 year contract (?) at $1 mill plus a year is serious lucre. But it seems he’s surrounded himself with his own yes men and a very compliant footy department which isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Gotta love it when Hawks posters come in here not when we looked better post bye but when we've been belted by 20 goals. Sam Mitchell was mentored by Clarko as well wasn't he? The apprentice doesn't become successful unless there is a master to guide him.

You guys got 4 premierships out of him then decided to ruin his reputation, mental health and push the bloke away from footy with the accusations from the report with no due process. Your club's horrific handling of the racism report and accusations towards people singled out has been a disgrace.

Be happy your team won by 20 goals yesterday but respectfully **** off from this board.

 

[DuckYeah]

8 wins - I’ll do a Nudey run up Arden street

Can we pin this? Mods, remember this

 

[DuckYeah]

Do the players serve that up if they have any respect for Clarko? I do worry the investigation has hampered Clarko and our players haven't built any trust or buy-in with him.

Who really knows though? Maybe he's in control and told half of them after the West Coast game that they're gone.

Could potentially be the case? They’re all mates together, sleevo is mates with quite a fee of the blokes that have had stinkers and so is Taylor.. interesting thought.

 

[shinboner magic]

Gotta love it when Hawks posters come in here not when we looked better post bye but when we've been belted by 20 goals. Sam Mitchell was mentored by Clarko as well wasn't he? The apprentice doesn't become successful unless the there is a master to guide him.

You guys got 4 premierships out of him then decided to ruin his reputation, mental health and push the bloke away from footy with the accusations from the report with no due process. Your club's horrific handling of the racism report and accusations towards people singled out has been a disgrace.

Be happy your team won by 20 goals yesterday but respectfully **** off from this board.

And Kennett was trying to sack him from the time they win the flag in 08.

 

[ferball]

I just went and had a look at his first two years.

Lots of 10 - 12 goal thrashings, the odd 90 and 100 point loss. Bottom two or three on the ladder, four and five wins in those years and they weren't in the shit we were when he took over. They'd played finals two years earlier then finished 9th and 10th.

In the third year it started to turn. So maybe eight wins is a fair pass mark for him next year.

 

[The acurate one]

Column A/Column B eh?

Warne used to say that Buchanan had the easiest job in the world, it would've been harder to not win so many accolades with the team he had at his disposal.

On the flip side, if Beveridge wasn't such an unhinged feisty bastard, the dogs wouldn't have gone near a flag. Reckon he could've done the same to us. Their list was average.

Well I did say on Thursday evening what the league record score was. and ferball informed me it was going to be horrific weather. That I do believe saved us, I stand by that. Vince Lombardi couldn't have done any better.

I will hold judgement on al clarko for now. I want to see him have access to Comben/Logue at the same time for more than 5 minutes.

If he can get some games with the below in 2025 and we still sit on the bottom, well he can **** off too.

Bergman Logue Archer
Goater W Dawson Hardeman
Tucker LDU Stephens
Duursma Larkey Zurhaar
Curtis Comben Hansen Jnr
Xerri Wardlaw Sheezel

pick 2, Corr, Simpkin, McKercher.

Scott

No more, teakles , Pinks, Drurys, Stephensons, Powells, Phillips, McDonalds. K Dawson becomes depth, not blardy Pinks and Bert bloody Nuyon.

Comben to spell Xerri in the ruck, swing Duursma to FF for that period of time, push Sheezel to the flank. 5 minutes a bloody quarter is all.

Now well aware Hardeman, Goater, Archer, W Dawson, Bergman, Hansen Jnr may not all make it, but non have glaring faults that Phillips, Powell, Teakles, Pinks etc have.




So until such time as our side starts to resemble the above, we can't judge al clarkos.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

If I can butt in and say something about the Hawthorn experience of Clarko.

His last few years’ coaching at Hawthorn was dreadful - overly defensive and lacking vision. There had to be a compelling reason why a board would sack a multi-premiership coach and actually be prepared to pay him close to a $million for a year to get him away from the club.

It’s also relevant to note that Clarko’s success as a coach coincided precisely with Fagan being at the club and having major influence over Clarkson. As soon as Fagan left to go to Brisbane, Clarko went downhill and our football was awful with some terrible losses despite the fact that we still had a core of premiership players. That’s why he was sacked for a younger untried coach who promised innovation and the ability to have his players adopt a modern gameplan.

Many of us (Hawthorn supporters) were surprised by the beyond-excited attitude at North that Clarko’s arrival was like the second coming of Jesus.

Hopefully for you all it may still work out because a 5 year contract (?) at $1 mill plus a year is serious lucre. But it seems he’s surrounded himself with his own yes men and a very compliant footy department which isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Very interesting and thanks for contributing. Part of our excitement was we felt we were getting a real experienced successful coach with a North background. This compared to our immediate previous coaches who were inexperienced and non North people so didn't have a good feel of the club (and in hindsight not great coaches).

There are clearly some significant personal reasons behind Clarko's underwhelming start at North. However even with that context this year has been very poor year from a coach of his experience and background.

Thursday night selection has been conservative, match day strategy and tactics have been non-existent - it is reminiscent of Weekend at Burnie's in the box most times. Yes - Clarko is working with a young developing list - but for his reputation and experience there hasn't even been marginal improvement in team discipline, mental state, resilience under his watch. It is very disappointing when you hear Clarko opine on issues like Dan Rampe, the West Coast and Tassie jobs when his own backyard is in such poor shape.

Clarko also needs to own the appointment of our senior leadership group - which imo has been a key reason for the competitive malaise we have faced and the general lack of any fighting spirit in the playing group. Clarko just doesn't seem to have the wherewithal or the energy to do anything about it. Your comments re his last years at Hawthorn are very interesting in that context.

Next year will be the key - Has Clarko lost it? At this stage the answer is looking like a yes - there is simply no evidence in his last 5-7 years to suggest he is still the great coach he was. Can he help North - of course he can - but there needs to be a massive turnaround in his mental state and his commitment to be a great coach again for this to be meaningful for us. Whether Clarko is up for that given everything that has happened - we will know the answer in 12 months.

 

[Mississippi]

Gotta love it when Hawks posters come in here not when we looked better post bye but when we've been belted by 20 goals. Sam Mitchell was mentored by Clarko as well wasn't he? The apprentice doesn't become successful unless there is a master to guide him.

You guys got 4 premierships out of him then decided to ruin his reputation, mental health and push the bloke away from footy with the accusations from the report with no due process. Your club's horrific handling of the racism report and accusations towards people singled out has been a disgrace.

Be happy your team won by 20 goals yesterday but respectfully **** off from this board.

So many false assumptions and misconceptions !!
Clarko didn’t mentor Mitchell. Sam did 2 years as an assistance coach in WA. And in fact when he returned to Hawthorn, he disagreed with Clarko on a host of coaching issues and thankfully Sam’s coaching philosophy prevailed. Sam was far more innovative and not locked into the Clarko traditional defensive mindset.

Secondly, those issues concerning the racist stuff have Clarko’s fingerprints all over it. If you doubt that read the 80 page statement of claim which is freely available. Sadly, it will all come out in the court hearing - there’ll be no winners there - but don’t for a second think that Clarko’s as pure as the driven snow. And do you seriously think that Clarko’s the only person suffering mental health issues as a consequence of these distressing circumstances?

But you’re right, the racist stuff was messed up - by Hawthorn, by the AFL as well as being distorted by the media.

Not wanting to start a controversy here and won’t post again. I respect your forum and your club and loved our rivalries going back to the mid 1970s - but just needed to respond to your irrational post.

 

[Spud11]

I’ve had a bit of time to calm down IF we had beaten Collingwood, Melbourne and West Coast like we should have then a 5 win season is looking so much better than a 2 win season and we reflect on the year as one of improvement.

The reality is we weren’t quite good enough to win those games but I don’t think we’re that far away. We almost turned the corner after the bye, lots to do over the preseason but I think we’re close to turning this around.

170 to 40-odd against a team many had penciled in as a win this year.

Yeah, we’re so close I can taste it

 

[Shermanator]

All I want from Alastair in 2025 (apart from 8-10 wins) is for him to let go of the Hawthorn era.

I’ve had enough of him mentioning his time at Hawthorn in his pressers and people/media referring to his time at Hawthorn, it’s over, gone, time to create some history with this club.

North Melbourne or bust from hereon Clarko..

 

[DuckYeah]

.

Secondly, those issues concerning the racist stuff have Clarko’s fingerprints all over it. If you doubt that read the 80 page statement of claim which is freely available. Sadly, it will all come out in the court hearing - there’ll be no winners there - but don’t for a second think that Clarko’s as pure as the driven snow. And do you seriously think that Clarko’s the only person suffering mental health issues as a consequence of these distressing circumstances?

I read the 80 pages and its a load of horse shit. But enjoy your finals series, over performed their ability. Belief is a wonderful thing, like the great man once said, you cant go down to puckle street and buy a jar of confidence. Add that with a couple of decent leaders and you get what Hawforn have.

 

[koshari]

Agree as always with you 100% Accurate …
In saying that I think Clarko is sadly passed or has been forced to stay away from that type of authority you & I are thinking / hoping about.
Let’s face it every time he wants to speak his mind , show some authority by flying the flag he gets swarmed by these politically correct soft ***** & people in the media “saying you can’t say that “ “ you can’t do that”
Press writing “ Clarko farks up again”
I reckon all this has got the better of him & he’s basically coaching with one arm behind his back … sad reality

Do you not think any other coach would not be subject to the same limitations re speaking their mind.

Look at recent examples of ross and bevo being muzzled.

Even mitchell was criticised for a recent spray.

Simply part of the modern landscape.

 

[kool kangas]

Looking forward to watching some players getting surprised and shocked when Clarko and the admin start to swing the axe and delist players who thought they were safe...This will be the culling that needed to be done.

 

[Spud11]

All I want from Alastair in 2025 (apart from 8-10 wins) is for him to let go of the Hawthorn era.

I’ve had enough of him mentioning his time at Hawthorn in his pressers and people/media referring to his time at Hawthorn, it’s over, gone, time to create some history with this club.

North Melbourne or bust from hereon Clarko..

He’s steeped in the past isn’t he?
He’s also obsessed with how great every other team is, and how so many other teams have been terrible at various stages.
I don’t know what he’s trying to do. Sell hope?
Sorry man, if you’re sitting there rubbing your neck, slurring out “ums” and “uhs” after the latest annihilation where you’ve done nothing to inspire the boys, change the course of the game, it’s not hope. It’s excuses.

We’ve got him for another 3 years and I hope he comes good, but it’s not looking likely at this stage. He looks like yesterday’s man with less of a clue than ever. Feel like we should’ve given him a 3 or 4 year deal. Have we gone for stability, or are we just digging ourselves further into a hole?

(Which would be quite an incredible achievement considering we’re already the W.O.A.T)

 

[Shermanator]

He’s steeped in the past isn’t he?
He’s also obsessed with how great every other team is, and how so many other teams have been terrible at various stages.
I don’t know what he’s trying to do. Sell hope?
Sorry man, if you’re sitting there rubbing your neck, slurring out “ums” and “uhs” after the latest annihilation where you’ve done nothing to inspire the boys, change the course of the game, it’s not hope. It’s excuses.

We’ve got him for another 3 years and I hope he comes good, but it’s not looking likely at this stage. He looks like yesterday’s man with less of a clue than ever. Feel like we should’ve given him a 3 or 4 year deal. Have we gone for stability, or are we just digging ourselves further into a hole?

(Which would be quite an incredible achievement considering we’re already the W.O.A.T)

Still think he’s our man.

The 5-6 week stretch after the bye was as good as footy we’ve played in a long time but our reliance on a 19 year old is a true reflection of where we’re at. The moment he got injured during the west coast game everyone dropped their bundle.

I want Clarko locked in from today, the past can GAGF AFAIC..

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Well, we’ve been pretty ****ing stable in the bottom two for five ****ing years.

More stable than any other side in the modern era.

 

[roo blitz]

Instead of praising the opposition and saying the spirit fell out of us, is it to much to expect an apology to the supporters for yet another shambolic performance once again and probably the worse in the last 5 years . Where is pride for the jersey and respect for the long suffering supporters. Dont hold your breath waiting for one.

 

[roo blitz]

The problem for Clarko now is he has been muzzled by the woke brigade and cant say or do what he really wants anymore. He has to be seen as the nice guy and I think as a result he has lost his passion and ability to coach

 

[Danni_Benson]

He’s steeped in the past isn’t he?
He’s also obsessed with how great every other team is, and how so many other teams have been terrible at various stages.
I don’t know what he’s trying to do. Sell hope?
Sorry man, if you’re sitting there rubbing your neck, slurring out “ums” and “uhs” after the latest annihilation where you’ve done nothing to inspire the boys, change the course of the game, it’s not hope. It’s excuses.

We’ve got him for another 3 years and I hope he comes good, but it’s not looking likely at this stage. He looks like yesterday’s man with less of a clue than ever. Feel like we should’ve given him a 3 or 4 year deal. Have we gone for stability, or are we just digging ourselves further into a hole?

(Which would be quite an incredible achievement considering we’re already the W.O.A.T)

Maybe because the past is the best predictor of the future! Hang in there Spud11 hang in there! His 2nd year is coming up! Cant count the first. It was a debacle with what he had to endure.

 

[Spud11]

Still think he’s our man.

The 5-6 week stretch after the bye was as good as footy we’ve played in a long time but our reliance on a 19 year old is a true reflection of where we’re at. The moment he got injured during the west coast game everyone dropped their bundle.

I want Clarko locked in from today, the past can GAGF AFAIC..

Bolded bit - me too. I’d like to still think that.
A 6-7 goal loss to Hawthorn yesterday I would’ve kind of accepted. Given where the two teams began the year, I wouldn’t have been happy, but I wouldn’t have been overly worried about it.

How do you reconcile the Noble-era bullshit of yesterday and the round prior?

How do you see hope given that this year is as bad as any since 2018?

 

[Spud11]

If I can butt in and say something about the Hawthorn experience of Clarko.

His last few years’ coaching at Hawthorn was dreadful - overly defensive and lacking vision. There had to be a compelling reason why a board would sack a multi-premiership coach and actually be prepared to pay him close to a $million for a year to get him away from the club.

It’s also relevant to note that Clarko’s success as a coach coincided precisely with Fagan being at the club and having major influence over Clarkson. As soon as Fagan left to go to Brisbane, Clarko went downhill and our football was awful with some terrible losses despite the fact that we still had a core of premiership players. That’s why he was sacked for a younger untried coach who promised innovation and the ability to have his players adopt a modern gameplan.

Many of us (Hawthorn supporters) were surprised by the beyond-excited attitude at North that Clarko’s arrival was like the second coming of Jesus.

Hopefully for you all it may still work out because a 5 year contract (?) at $1 mill plus a year is serious lucre. But it seems he’s surrounded himself with his own yes men and a very compliant footy department which isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Thanks for your insight. These seem to be some inconvenient truths about Clarko. We’ll wait and see. But have we blown $5 million on a has-been/pretender?
Legends of the Hawks seemed apprehensive about him being handed the keys to any club… What did they know about him?
As you say, he’s surrounded by yes-men and it seems like he needs contrarians (or presidents who outright don’t rate him).

Interesting that Ratten left and went to the Hawks too. Strange if he’s such a good mate.