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

[DuckYeah]

I’m glad that’s what you took away from my post, hardly surprised

Well technically no, you banged on about your ideology, saying this and that and then turned the AFL into a gender war. Its not AFLM. Its AFL. Im not into calling shit woke or anything like that. I say it how it is.

 

[roo blitz]

Without going in to who is or isn’t woke, our players are certainly happy, and have been for a while.

Since the start of the Scott era, I’d say only Harvey, Goldstein and Cunnington have been both very good players, with a bit of you-know-what in them.

There is a very long list who this board used to love, but who I always felt were comfortable just being ok and could have produced more.

The younger players (post 2010) didn’t like Harvey that much. Maybe he in fact was not a good leader. I am open to that. But I suspect a lot of them just weren’t up for it.

The problem though Black Diamond is that the players seems a little bit too happy and a few home truths need to be told to shake them out of what is becoming a slide into oblivion for the club if they dont shake things up a bit and change. 5 years is a long time to not turn things around. Hawthorn yet again showing how its done. Unless Clarko behind closed doors is giving them some home truths it all nicey, nicey lovie , lovie from what we see and how great all the other teams are. No wonder we feel inferior to everyone else.

 

[Passmore]

But don’t worry, they will still make sure they have a mad Monday to celebrate the great year we’ve had with members cash

It won't go long. Most of them will have one Midori and pass out.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[Black Diamond]

If Dal Santo and Brown both noted the gulf in training intensity between North and their other clubs, the proof is in the pudding. We've been behind most other teams training wise for more than a decade.

We did ok in 14-15 with a list that was far better than many admit. We could've been Grand Final calibre. Standards probably held us back.

Agree they're happy with their current situations and agree that it's been going on for a while. I and a few others have identified a couple of blokes currently who show that same fight, but my God, they're few and far between.

Just on Boomer, I'd say both are true. I don't think he was a particularly likeable bloke, or that he was great at leading others, and also I think that others weren't up for the exhaustion and pain that comes from really lifting standards and expectations from the pits.

It's a huge ask right now to reverse all this, given the collective misfortune that's hit the club in other spheres. Hopefully some of them are looking inwards and thinking that this isn't right, but I'm not holding my breath. Frankly, I'm not sure Clarko has it in him right now to push them all to the brink at training and in the way they think about their football. He seems perpetually buggered

I left out guys like Scott Thompson who I thought was up for it.

I respect his contribution but he was not that good. Probably reached his ceiling.

 

[utility]

I swear morons who use the word woke are up there with scum supporters. Anything you dislike or disagree with is “woke”, sorry the world isn’t perpetually stuck in the 1980s old white man, get over it.

North Melbourne 1925-1930: 15 wins, 1 draw, 91 losses
North Melbourne 2020-2024: 15 wins, 1 draw, 91 losses

We haven't been such a disgraceful club since joining the VFL a century ago. Back then we had an uphill battle because we weren't provided any favours as a new club. Now it is purely down to culture. It is loser culture. Woke culture.

Combative sport is a proxy for war - domination. Kill or be killed. The club's culture sucks. I want Clarko from Battle of Britain, not Clarko apologising for calling some players "effeminate".

Yeah no doubt all the soy and estrogen is great for the club. Hasn't helped to actually win games of football... which is what the club exists to do.

Oh and I don't get offended by racist remarks because I'm not a soft ****, but surprised the mods are not consistent in censoring racist comments.

 

[DrZaius]

North Melbourne 1925-1930: 15 wins, 1 draw, 91 losses
North Melbourne 2020-2024: 15 wins, 1 draw, 91 losses

We haven't been such a disgraceful club since joining the VFL a century ago. Back then we had an uphill battle because we weren't provided any favours as a new club. Now it is purely down to culture. It is loser culture. Woke culture.

Combative sport is a proxy for war - domination. Kill or be killed. The club's culture sucks. I want Clarko from Battle of Britain, not Clarko apologising for calling some players "effeminate".

Yeah no doubt all the soy and estrogen is great for the club. Hasn't helped to actually win games of football... which is what the club exists to do.

Oh and I don't get offended by racist remarks because I'm not a soft ****, but surprised the mods are not consistent in censoring racist comments.

Has no correlation whatsoever, you have been on the internet too long and consumed too much bullshit idpol/culture war clickbait to the point it has rotted your brain.

Sydney are top of the ladder and they are what a stubborn old campaigner like you would consider to be woke.

 

[Waynesworld]

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

Exactly what I was coming here to state.

The game has changed since Clarko was at his peak. You now need to consider everyone's wellbeing before speaking otherwise you get wacked, or in the case of certain ex Hawthorn players - sued.

The racism saga has also played a bigger part in all of this than people give it credit for. Not only has it meant we have lost a year from Clarko, but I reckon it would have knocked his confidence a fair bit, and possibly even made him doubt the coaching style / process that he was planning to implement.

And although I agree with some of Corneholes comments from the weekend I think the fact that Clarko has lost a year really needs to be taken into consideration.

Add to that our horrid drafting and recruiting and we are where we are, with the potential to delist 18 players off a very average list.

 

[Black Diamond]

Two things can be true though.

The Hawthorn accusations are not quite correct, and also he is now spooked because of it. It would spook me.

Remember heaps of the Hawthorn players still love him, along with his assistants.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

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.

Just listened to it and wowsers.

It basically goes along the lines of

....ignore the first half of the season; ignore the losses to Swans, Dog's and Hawks (as the latter 2 are really good teams!) and then look at our 3-5 run in that 8 game period and you can see all the progress we have made.

Of course I am sure he doesn't actually believe what he is saying - who could? - but fmd - we have just put together the worst back to back games in one of the worst 5 year periods of the AFL.

Some comments with more passion, with how this isn't accepted and individuals will need to own it as part of their end of year review - something for supporters to suggest that he just isn't phoning it in now.

 

[Disco Dew]

Players are too busy patting themselves on the back telling everyone how good they will be. Well guess what ?. They are just about the worse performing team of all time and have nothing to show for all their efforts besides more losses and limited improvement. Its time to get serious and wake up to themselves

This is what pisses me off the most. It’s not just the players, but everyone at the club including some supporters keep telling us about how good we’ll be.
It starts now. A good half here and a good quarter there isn’t getting it done, start playing full games hey.
“Oh but the fitness” “oh but the youth” etc etc, idgaf.
What is it 44 players on a list? 44 professionals. I havent played footy in 20 years, fat af and one run away from shattering a knee or ankle but I have no doubt that I could show more effort and intent than more than half of these campaigners.
“The wheel will turn” is the new nourishment. Get ****ed you weak pricks

 

[choppy]

I swear morons who use the word woke are up there with scum supporters. Anything you dislike or disagree with is “woke”, sorry the world isn’t perpetually stuck in the 1980s old white man, get over it.

Us caring about women and making Australian sporting culture more inclusive does not change a second of how our AFLM team play on the field and if you think it does (redacted cause don’t want to be banned but you can fill in the blanks with your 17 brain cells)

Back in my day it was referred to being stuck in the 1960s.

Here's some reality champ in 2050 your generation will be referred to as being stuck in the 2020s.

They will be getting there jollies of having relations with a cyborg AI machine with 3 ***** and five t***ies you'll be longing for the day when a man could become a woman and when being woke was cutting edge.

 

[Mute Point]

I'll back him in ....
Just wish in his press conferences he'd stop giving us history lessons & stop talking about how good the oppo are.
After the Hawks game I think it would have been a perfect opportunity to tell the supporters what was dished up isn't good enough instead of giving three players an out by saying they're cooked.

 

[desie]

Just listened to it and wowsers.

It basically goes along the lines of

....ignore the first half of the season; ignore the losses to Swans, Dog's and Hawks (as the latter 2 are really good teams!) and then look at our 3-5 run in that 8 game period and you can see all the progress we have made.

Of course I am sure he doesn't actually believe what he is saying - who could? - but fmd - we have just put together the worst back to back games in one of the worst 5 year periods of the AFL.

Some comments with more passion, with how this isn't accepted and individuals will need to own it as part of their end of year review - something for supporters to suggest that he just isn't phoning it in now.

He’s essentially been giving the same presser all season, I’ve been waiting for him to change tone to no avail.

I’m a bit like the Billy Beane character in Moneyball now when he’s listening to his scouts sprout the same old nonsense.

“La, la, la, la”.

 

[muttley45]

Win , lose or draw, i don't want to hear the coach bagging out individual players at presser's, team effort and performance, sure, but save the individual stuff for behind closed doors. I'm sure the players would respect the latter, and not the former approach, i don't think Clarko is incapable of a decent bake when warranted, but the media are sweating on him to give them a headline every time, you just have to hear the questions he get asked.

 

[ferball]

Settle down Skarrz, saying woke dosnt make someone a moron. Whether you want to call things woke or not its infected the whole of society for better or worse controlling what people can or cant say for fear of being called out for having views. Even now you are saying we cant use that word. Clarko is muzzled by it. No decent person agrees treating woman badly is acceptable, that racism is acceptable and inclusivity is suppose to work for everyone which is clearly not the case, just look at the Olympics opening ceremony for an example. Anyway we are losing the point of the discussion. Its was about Clarko having his hands tied behind his back and having to change his whole coaching style that has made him a different type of coach that I'm not sure suits him .

I think you'll find it does.

 

[toepoker]

The "nothing to play for" line was what really annoyed me. I understand where he's coming from, but it undervalues the significance of the humble members. Barracking for North has been an absolutely disheartening and dispiriting experience for 5 years now, so to hear the players couldn't be bothered giving effort just rubs salt into a gaping wound

 

[Black Diamond]

I also want to hear less “At Hawthorn…” but other than that, Is ranting and raving through the press conference better?

When does turning up the temperature in a press conference help?

 

[hilly]

cyborg AI machine with 3 ***** and five t***ies

Tell me more.

 

[giantroo]

 

[DrZaius]

Tell me more.

 

[Loose_Cannon]

I also want to hear less “At Hawthorn…” but other than that, Is ranting and raving through the press conference better?

When does turning up the temperature in a press conference help?

Freo played better for a time after their coach gave them a collective bake, but that would be an exception not the rule.

 

[gerry101101]

Great post. I do wonder if he listens to his post match interviews after he has done them. You can almost push the repeat button. Thats not the Clarko of old

Could care less about press conferences or anything in the media. As much as in an ideal world - as paid up members - we’d love to get more insights, I would hope we all accept that’s just not how it works and it’s 100% all about what is said and done behind close doors. The press stuff is just lip service and meeting afl obligations. I also acknowledge that internally it doesn’t necessarily look like there’s a lot of value going on….. based on results…. but we just don’t know.

We have no other choice but to cross our fingers and hope for the best - we just can’t move on another coach.

 

[Nylex]

Kingy is on the money..
We need a tight, cohesive game plan. A game plan that suits our groups strengths, and the players bye into and know back to front.
It has to include a high-pressure rating at all times.
If players/teams can’t or won’t apply high levels of pressure to the opposition, they can’t win AFL games

 

[zoomba23]

Kingy is on the money..
We need a tight, cohesive game plan. A game plan that suits our groups strengths, and the players bye into and know back to front.
It has to include a high-pressure rating at all times.
If players/teams can’t or won’t apply high levels of pressure to the opposition, they can’t win AFL games

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we have a six-week patch where the players did exactly that? 6/23 is pretty lousy in terms of a whole year, but it can't have come out of nowhere. There'd have had to have been coaching to that effect.

Not sure the gameplan is the issue so much as literally everything else; players drop their heads at adversity very easily, no leadership, standards at training are poor, the forward line is fickle and dysfunctional, coach is weighed down/tired and may not be communicating as well as he could, etc. etc.

Forward line gameplan, needs work. Rest of it is coming together glacially slowly and should continue in that vein, as long as the playing group isn't completely broken (which it may actually be).

 

[justroyal]

Nice little whack at the group we know is to blame. ‘It’s not the young guys’