And The New Coach Is

[My Man Croad]

Alistar Clarkson

Could someone please explain to me WHY??? Haven't we been down the road of untried guys at AFL level?

My year couldn't get any lower when it comes to this club.

 

[Mappa]

MMC,

Every single coach had to be a "new coach" at some stage. Jeans, Kennedy, Parkin, Pagan, Sheedy (although over-rated), Malthouse etc etc. For me, it is how early they can gain the respect of the players that matters.

We live in the age of instant satisfaction, and that's where Richmond will go wrong, they have gone for what will appease the members straight away. The way i see it, Clarkson has won just as many flags as Wallace (not counting SANFL where he has won more), yet he doesn't talk himself up as the new messiah which is fine by me.

I don't think any of us realistically think we were going to win the flag next year no matter who coaches us. Let's carwl before we can walk. Lets be competitive, which will start to get respect back, then let's have a full tilt.

Let's judge him at the end of 2005 or maybe even 2006. I have been a member for 30 years, I am not about to jump off because of a couple of s**t seasons.

 

[My Man Croad]

Its going to take more than 2 seasons to get this club out of the hole that it is in.

I figure in 2 years some change may of happened and Lethal will be more than ready to finish his coaching career with his beloved HAWKS.

 

[mulhollanddrive]

What's the odds on him getting another contract in 2 years time. I would think itd be something like

Lasting more than 2 years - $1.50
Told to p.o.q - $2.30

The one external factor in his favour is that while rebuilding its pretty hard to tangibly fail as results are less important in this phase.

 

[Grendel]

The last 'tried' coach we had wasn't exactly a roaring success either.

Eade of all the 'tried' coaches is the only one I have any real sense of 'what might have been'. Glad it wasn't Ayres, gladder still it wasn't Wallace and that leaves who?..

Clarkson (and other untried blokes) have to be given a go eventually. Someday the likes of Matthews, Sheedy, Malthouse are going to drift out of the game. New blokes will become the 'super' coaches of tomorrow.

Who's to say that maybe Clarkson wont be one of them?

He's ours. He starts with a clean slate and hopefully a mandate to MAKE change happen.

Two seasons to show improvement, that's enough imo and if he's doing alright.. well.. then we sit down and see where we go from there.

 

[andrew coombs]

Alistar Clarkson

Could someone please explain to me WHY??? Haven't we been down the road of untried guys at AFL level?

My year couldn't get any lower when it comes to this club.

Have you ever heard of Clarkson before MMC? Know anything about him?

May turn out out to be a gun coach, may not. All he has to be is decisive and capable of recognising which blokes are worth hanging onto and which arent to be a major improvement on the last full time occupant.

 

[My Man Croad]

Andrew what makes you think that I may not of heard of him before?

I have done my research PAL.

Sure I am disappointed that Ayres didn't get the job but I am also happy about the fact that we didn't become the McHawks.

Lets see what evolves over the next 2 seasons. SHALL WE.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

The question may also be ... "Can someone tell me WHY NOT?".

I can't believe there's criticism of Clarkson's appointment before he even starts. You have to give the guy a go. As a candidate he measures up beautifully, and I can see why the Board have chosen him.

At the end of his 2 years we will have a better understanding of whether he is the coach the club needs. Unitl then, how about we get behind him and support him?

There is enough division in our club already. Let's start the ball rolling by showing some solidarity with this one.

 

[Funky Colin]

Not to criticise Clarkson, as he is untried, and the posts about untried coaches having to start somewhere are duly noted.

My concern is this appears to be a carbon copy of the Western Bulldogs/Rohde situation. Club in a big slump, personnel and playing list changes abound, new untried coach appointed (on pretty low retainer too), who has been a good assistant and coached a SANFL senior premiership.

In a similar state of disarray, Carlton went and got Pagan - and he turned things around very well. Rohde failed to do that with the Dogs. I'm hoping, despite the obvious similarities in pedigree, Clarkson takes more of a Pagan approach.

If so, then I'll be delighted and the first to toast the board for thinking outside the square (that's if they, and Clarkson, survive an EGM!!)

 

[Buster the hawk]

Alistar Clarkson

Could someone please explain to me WHY??? Haven't we been down the road of untried guys at AFL level?

My year couldn't get any lower when it comes to this club.

You should give this guy a chance the way i see it the three rookie coaches we have had recently were not chosen as a result of a selection process like we have had with Clarkson & you can't compare him with the other three he is way better credentialed to take over .Schwab was only ever the umpires coach if i remember rightly ,Judge wasn't a total disaster only he recruited too many homesick East Freo players & tried to shaft us in an effort to get back to WA ,Knights was pathetic but lets face it he was appointed on his former playing credentials rather than his coaching ability .
Besides if you are correct & he doesn't work out he is being paid bugger-all (250k 1st ,300k 2nd) & @ this stage has only a two year contract .But give the guy a chance personally i think he'll prove to be exactly what we need .

 

[Bojangles17]

Alistar Clarkson

Could someone please explain to me WHY??? Haven't we been down the road of untried guys at AFL level?

My year couldn't get any lower when it comes to this club.

I reckon you guys have done ok with this appointment, I'll tell you why...If the decision is rookie then it is vital that they at least have some experience in coaching a side at any level. this should indicate if a playing group responds to his style..he won flags with Central district. secondly he is a terific communicator..in all interviews i saw and heard he was razor sharp, not hard to see how he impressed during the job interview.

Courageous decision , but a measured one..good Luck