News Clarkson news, media etc - he’s off into the Sunset!

[Strapping Young Lad]

Full Presser at the link below.

 

[Hawkk]

Good one re: retraction.

Yes it is a head scratcher giving him a 5 year extension...

Stability is one thing but so is keeping people on their toes. He hasnt proven himself yet in my eyes so 5 years is a long extension for someone who isnt yet proven.

What about this for leadership - quoted as follows on 28 May re: succession plans:

"its dangerous to go down that path and weve never gone down that path with any of our assistant coaches"

fast forward a month and he has done a 180.

Reeves lost me when he didn’t come out and say anything after our beloved president floated a relocation to Tasmania - even North has a CEO that was more proactive.

For what it’s worth it was Clarkson who came out and rebuffed Kennett.

So in essence the departing head coach picked up the slack for Reeves.

Go figure...

 

[toomanysquibs]

Good one re: retraction.

Yes it is a head scratcher giving him a 5 year extension...

Stability is one thing but so is keeping people on their toes. He hasnt proven himself yet in my eyes so 5 years is a long extension for someone who isnt yet proven.

Some bad actors behind this imo.

I've never heard of any business appointing someone for 5 years who isn't a bonafide world beater, or transcendent talent.

If the coach has to go, then all is fair.

But if the coach was potted by a coterie of nutters who 'strategically' leaked narratives to the me-diuh, then we're also going to need a cleanup in the back office at least to equal the one in the football department.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Hawkk I didn't think much of the Justin Reeves extension at the time, but you've made some quality points and it does seem strange he got such a lengthy deal.

 

[flinchfree]

I think an evaluation of performance of the board is needed. Needs to be pushed in a different thread me thinks.
And while I see the correlation to this thread in that Clarko has been let go by said board, he owns every part as much in that lack of delivery of results as everyone else. And is being moved on because of that. Had he been achieving promising results the decision and discussion would likely have gone differently.

He's had some cattle who have gone backwards, stagnated, not improved, seemed lacking in real desire at times, played uninspired and ugly football for professionals. That's on the coach's watch if lasting more than half a season or so.
In that we haven't seen, IMO, a maximization of the talent we DO have, nor any particular game plan or style that is being trialed/implemented that would lead me to believe a change in fortunes when those ideas have become better ingrained, nor ANY word from the players insisting they want Clarko to continue, I see the time as reasonable for us to try a new direction.

ZERO guarantee it will be successful. But sometimes you just have to DO and create success FROM the doing.

I understand the loyalty to Clarko. But he's not bigger than the Club.
We moved forward after Kennedy, Parkin, Yabby, and we'll do the same after Clarko.
It's our mission statement, our ethos, our history, and our unwillingness to simply accept mediocrity or worse that has driven our success.
It's time to go again.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Reeves lost me when he didn’t come out and say anything after our beloved president floated a relocation to Tasmania - even North has a CEO that was more proactive.

For what it’s worth it was Clarkson who came out and rebuffed Kennett.

So in essence the departing head coach picked up the slack for Reeves.

Go figure...

Wait. Is Reeves a failure because he’s missed every metric ever invented by God and Man or because he failed to climb on your Tasmania hobby horse? You should have brought up Tasmania (again) the first time you bagged him.

 

[toomanysquibs]

I think an evaluation of performance of the board is needed. Needs to be pushed in a different thread me thinks.
It's our mission statement, our ethos, our history, and our unwillingness to simply accept mediocrity or worse that has driven our success.
It's time to go again.

Nah, this is the thread for it, the whole thread exists because of the malignant ineptitude inherit in this announcement.

Leaking to the me-diuh, handing out 5 year deals to a seemingly dour, no frills back pocket etc., circumventing the power of the club and concentrating it into one guy's hands. The list goes on, even in this thread.

We haven't so much accepted mediocrity on this front, as we've married it.

Why?

 

[Flukey!]

I agree with the general comments you make here but I think as far as Mitchell’s concerned we need to review fact. Alistair was integral in getting Mitchell back, he created it and verbally offered Mitchell the opportunity to follow him as coach. Mitchell was approached by Wright, in knocking back his opportunity to go through Collingwood process and basically he was assured the Collingwood job to see out 18 months with Hawthorn as Box Hill coach has cost himself possibly 5/600k. I would argue with a better Collingwood list. Clarkson and Mitchell both no this won’t work but continue to work together, fact. The only shining light in this disgraceful saga has been the two leading men’s loyalty to the HFC, fact. Somehow the CEO gets a further 5 years overseeing but not intervening in the mess he created and forcing our greatest coach out, fact.

Can I pose this to you Linda CRS

I believe Clarko knew this was his last coaching stint, hence why his contract has a clause for 23 and 24 but in a non-coaching capacity.
Its a totally logical assumption and reinforces his commitment to the HFC.
I agree that Mitch was brought back specifically to take over from Clarko, but perhaps without any guarantees. He was yet to prove himself.
The Collingwood opportunity comes up, Mitch is interested, and the club decides that they need to act earlier than they would have liked to guarantee Mitch the job for 23 and retain him.

Isn't it just a play that has come about from circumstances rather than anything else? Why is it disgraceful?

I am not sure why the angst directed at the CEO or anyone else really.

 

[Charchi]

Reeves might have been right in the hunt at Geelong since Brian Cook is leaving (he was their finance head i think) and we didn't want to have a coach and CEO depart in short succession, too much change creates instability.

 

[Accipiter]

I think an evaluation of performance of the board is needed. Needs to be pushed in a different thread me thinks.
And while I see the correlation to this thread in that Clarko has been let go by said board, he owns every part as much in that lack of delivery of results as everyone else. And is being moved on because of that. Had he been achieving promising results the decision and discussion would likely have gone differently.

He's had some cattle who have gone backwards, stagnated, not improved, seemed lacking in real desire at times, played uninspired and ugly football for professionals. That's on the coach's watch if lasting more than half a season or so.
In that we haven't seen, IMO, a maximization of the talent we DO have, nor any particular game plan or style that is being trialed/implemented that would lead me to believe a change in fortunes when those ideas have become better ingrained, nor ANY word from the players insisting they want Clarko to continue, I see the time as reasonable for us to try a new direction.

ZERO guarantee it will be successful. But sometimes you just have to DO and create success FROM the doing.

I understand the loyalty to Clarko. But he's not bigger than the Club.
We moved forward after Kennedy, Parkin, Yabby, and we'll do the same after Clarko.
It's our mission statement, our ethos, our history, and our unwillingness to simply accept mediocrity or worse that has driven our success.
It's time to go again.

Yep !

 

[Hawkk]

Wait. Is Reeves a failure because he’s missed every metric ever invented by God and Man or because he failed to climb on your Tasmania hobby horse? You should have brought up Tasmania (again) the first time you bagged him.

You mean the metrics that the club published at the AGM (only 8 KPI’s which is pretty much a piece of piss)

Oh and yes, Tasmania was on that (one of 8 that Reeves failed to achieve)

 

[flinchfree]

Nah, this is the thread for it, the whole thread exists because of the malignant ineptitude inherit in this announcement.

Leaking to the me-diuh, handing out 5 year deals to a seemingly dour, no frills back pocket etc., circumventing the power of the club and concentrating it into one guy's hands. The list goes on, even in this thread.

We haven't so much accepted mediocrity on this front, as we've married it.

Why?

Nope.

This thread exists because Clarko and the playing group have failed to achieve reasonable and promising results for a number of seasons.
You've decided the announcement was inept.
I think it was a difficult scheduling moment that couldn't have been foretold.

All the other stuff about the board performance, contracts handed out, concentration of power.....belongs in it's own thread.

BTW, the 'news' of Jeff being able to ask for any of the board to quit is NOT news.
It was discussed on here at the time.
Back then, JK carried the confidence and imprimatur of having been involved previously at our Club in successful times and was thus considered teflon.
I argued strongly a few seasons back I didn't agree with his methodology or results but was shouted down by nearly all here. That's ok, time is the best revealer.
I don't think he's a great man for managing a business, but simply a great man for a crisis with his tone and stature and belief. He will convince you to not give up as the boat is sinking, he will implore you to believe, and might just be your best chance of not giving up and simply drowning. Many would push eachother off some valued flotsam, Kennett would promise you that if you shared the flotsam and kicked in unison then there was enough for everyone including an oversized one for himself.
However, should you make it to an island and need to organize fishing, water collection, shelter, a plan for returning to civilization, a positive mindset for your collective, an understanding of the profound and all within it.....well, you sure as shit better like doing it his way or you'll wake up with sand in your mouth and staked out in the hot hot sun.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Reeves might have been right in the hunt at Geelong since Brian Cook is leaving (he was their finance head i think) and we didn't want to have a coach and CEO depart in short succession, too much change creates instability.

We also lost the COO to Adelaide quite recently, and Silvers was very highly regarded as a shrewd operator inside the club. Had Adelaide not appointed Silvers to its CEO role, then I daresay he could have been a potential appointee for Hawthorn. I don't know whether it justifies appointing Reeves for five more years, but it's also worth bearing in mind that Kennett hand-picked Reeves from Geelong to replace Gaudry a few years back, so while he continues to enjoy the support of Kennett, there was no way known he would be leaving Hawthorn.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Can I pose this to you Linda CRS

I believe Clarko knew this was his last coaching stint, hence why his contract has a clause for 23 and 24 but in a non-coaching capacity.
Its a totally logical assumption and reinforces his commitment to the HFC.
I agree that Mitch was brought back specifically to take over from Clarko, but perhaps without any guarantees. He was yet to prove himself.
The Collingwood opportunity comes up, Mitch is interested, and the club decides that they need to act earlier than they would have liked to guarantee Mitch the job for 23 and retain him.

This is my thinking also, but I think we could’ve handled it better

Why couldn’t we have just had Mitchell not apply for the Collingwood job stating he doesn’t think he’s ready, knowing full well he takes the Hawks job in ‘23

Clarko coaches till end of next year and then Hawks announce the change then

What’s done is done now so we move on with the succession plan

 

[hawkman]

Reeves might have been right in the hunt at Geelong since Brian Cook is leaving (he was their finance head i think) and we didn't want to have a coach and CEO depart in short succession, too much change creates instability.

Giving Reeves 5 years to get Hocking out of the AFL head office is worth it

 

[Carl Spackler]

Why couldn’t we have just had Mitchell not apply for the Collingwood job stating he doesn’t think he’s ready, knowing full well he takes the Hawks job in ‘23

Perhaps Mitch wanted more than a promise. If Wright had all but given Mitch the job, as someone on here has claimed, the Sammy could reasonably ask for more than potential from Hawthorn. He could reasonably say he's not willing to pass up a guaranteed gig for a potential one. If potential was all he was going to get from us then he may as well try his best for the Collingwood job and if he doesn't get it then he's still got the Hawthorn one.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I just dont understand why we renewed a CEO on a 5 year contract extension when he has failed to meet every performance indicator as tendered to the members.

Just to reiterate...

Hawthorn launch 2050 vision

Hawthorn has unveiled its new strategic plan, labelling the number of premierships the club intends to win by 2050.

www.hawthornfc.com.au

1. 2 flags by 2022 (we finished 5th in 2018, 9th in 2019, 15th in 2020 and we're 17th in 2021)
2. 100,000 members (our membership is approx 75,000 from a high of 81,211 in 2018/19)
3. Good Governance and Welfare of Our People (I mean in 2018 there was this?)
4. An AFLW licence (tick tock)
5. Extend the Tasmanian sponsorship agreement (again tick tock)
6. Generate funding for Dingley (apart from the Geoff Harris money what actual commitments have we secured in 4 years?)
7. Community leaders in womens and indigenous affairs
8. New revenue streams from non football related activities (apart from pokies have we got anything?)

Against every indicator the Kennett / Reeves administration has been an abject failure.

But hey on the plus side, the CEO got his son a job

The first two points are on the coach more than anything. The rest though....

 

[CHUBBSS]

In Reeves Defence lets go through what he has come in to handle and achieve; The glass is half full...

The good:

- Jump in after the Gaudry Mess
- Run with the now failed strategy that came from the greatest coach in the modern era...
- Begin removing some of the control from the greatest coach in the modern era
- Deal with Covid
- KFC Sponsorship secured
- Still have money flowing in to create Dingley whilst dealing with covid
- Box Hill well structured and development pathways further established
- AFLW Womens license looks ontrack with the current setup of coaches and team quite strong
- Manage behind closed doors the relationship with Clarkson and Kennett
- Oversee the departure of wright (rightly so...pun intended)
- Establish Mark McKenzie to re-look at a new strategy - seems to be going well bar the collision injuries
- His son plays with us...we are the family club instead of saying what a conflict of interest, what a good story; not for one second would the coached be giving him a free pass, if anything he would just be held to a higher standard

The Bad:

- The only mark and I would say is his weakness is his management with Jeff, whether he is biding his time here, as we can't have to much movement in one year

- Now as for all the leaks, if they really are true and real I would be cleaning out every single board member and hanging them out to dry, doesn't matter if you did not know - I just can't for the life of me work out why it would be intentional and not just made up gossip



Now he is not necessarily responsible for each aspect here, but the sum of the parts is working in a positive direction in the current year, and that would be my main benchmark this year. He has come in an incredibly hard period and his next challenge is Kennett, everything else is in motion. Everyone is so quick to jump on the 5 year extension but that would be quite standard if you are in demand and changing CEO now would be incredibly bad timing so he might of been able to secure a year or two more.

The whole club has been undergoing a complete change/shift in personal and strategy over the last 2 years for the next crack at silverware, we still have two more drafts, mid seasons and free agents periods to really sure up the structure of the list, to give everyone the best chance of achieving any targets. It all starts with the talent we have on the field

 

[mustang]

Reeves might have been right in the hunt at Geelong since Brian Cook is leaving (he was their finance head i think) and we didn't want to have a coach and CEO depart in short succession, too much change creates instability.

If Reeves didn’t come but was at geelong Ned would have become a cat.

 

[Opens positions]

No one here knows the circumstances about what's going on and that includes the media, they haven't got a clue.
Clarke wanted an extension and wanted answer now and not at end of season as agreed.
Jeff and board went through the process with all the relevant information and decision made that employee Clarkson of Hawthorn football club will not get extension.
The King of the hill attitude was brought back down to terra firma with a almighty thud.
The employee was informed of decision and free to accept any offer from rivals if wants.
HFC receive more information about Clarko that he nor his manager supplied until confronted about it.
So far I can't see what the club has done wrong except maybe bending over backwards to please him.
Something no rival would do I don't think.
Best for Hawthorn football club to part ways with employee ASAP so club can move on I think.

 

[Yardie]

I understand the loyalty to Clarko. But he's not bigger than the Club.

I don't disagree at all with this statement but the underlying issue is that the bolded statement should also apply to Jeff. Unfortunately Jeff has created a situation, IMO, where he thinks he is the club and it is his way or the highway. I can see the culture starting to fall apart under Jeff.

 

[Yardie]

No one here knows the circumstances about what's going on and that includes the media, they haven't got a clue.
Clarke wanted an extension and wanted answer now and not at end of season as agreed.
Jeff and board went through the process with all the relevant information and decision made that employee Clarkson of Hawthorn football club will not get extension.
The King of the hill attitude was brought back down to terra firma with a almighty thud.
The employee was informed of decision and free to accept any offer from rivals if wants.
HFC receive more information about Clarko that he nor his manager supplied until confronted about it.
So far I can't see what the club has done wrong except maybe bending over backwards to please him.
Something no rival would do I don't think.
Best for Hawthorn football club to part ways with employee ASAP so club can move on I think.

Jeff and the Board made a decision that did not include any process after said decision. If the club thinks that Clarko is not fit to make decisions then why are they backing his decision to have Sam take over?

 

[Linda CRS]

Can I pose this to you Linda CRS

I believe Clarko knew this was his last coaching stint, hence why his contract has a clause for 23 and 24 but in a non-coaching capacity.
Its a totally logical assumption and reinforces his commitment to the HFC.
I agree that Mitch was brought back specifically to take over from Clarko, but perhaps without any guarantees. He was yet to prove himself.
The Collingwood opportunity comes up, Mitch is interested, and the club decides that they need to act earlier than they would have liked to guarantee Mitch the job for 23 and retain him.

Isn't it just a play that has come about from circumstances rather than anything else? Why is it disgraceful?

I am not sure why the angst directed at the CEO or anyone else really.

Yep I get the process and your right with the only clarification Mitchell being was verbally told the job was his day one. I’ve typed and deleted, typed and deleted cos I risk revealing sources. I’ll settle on this, there’s been a concerted effort to get rid of the coach or hope he calls it, instead of being integral in undermining that a strong administration should find a pathway to solving it. Particularly given this coaches history.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Hear your concerns but respectfully try this out (applies to some other posters too); don't read, watch or listen to ANY AFL related media for a week - I can guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised 'what you haven't missed out on' after your sabbatical

Assumes you do not consider knowing Buddy took out the bins or that Brooke Cotchin just had blue tints put in her hair as 'football news'...

You may be right.

 

[JoondalupJ]

I got the same mail a month or two back and posted it. And I share the view of the board. Clarko - absolutely love him but his time at Hawks is over. He costs too much for what has been delivered recently. His recent press conferences and explanations of performance (see the ridiculous spin on a 1 goal first half in Silk’s 400th) have just confirmed this for me. I wish him well and I believe he could do really well at another club.

Him staying or leaving next year is neither here nor there. The most vital aspect going into next year is our recruiting through the draft. Rinse and repeat the year after. Our cattle is missing many vital pieces.

The best value out of Clarkson staying on (if he chooses to do so) will be the shielding of Mitchell from the inevitable fall out of another poor year. We need to completely suck it up and go full rebuild. I suspect at the end 2022 we will not regret letting go a coach who let our list get this bad. There will be no Malthouse like scenario. Clarkson will not be coaching finals next year if he stays with the Hawks.

It gives me no pleasure posting this. Like I said - I love Clarko. However we need some ruthlessness in recruiting and selection.

I don't understand how you can say "he costs too much for what has been delivered" he has begun a re-build, what has been delivered is what is expected. Time is taken, high performance and understanding a plan with 30 to 40 blokes takes a long time. Clarkson is a specialist remember 2005 2006 2007, then an early surprise , for 2008, remember that then 09, 10, still not that hot, 11 played off in a Prelim then 12 we lost the GF , then coming together after around 8 years was 13, 14, 15 came about, then 16 , we came a kick from following on into the 2016 finals ONE KICK.
For three seasons and this one we saw big names leave after that, no Poppy no Birch we lost Brian Lake, we lost David hale , Hodgy goes to Brisbane Sam goes to the Eagles.

So what is happening now, is it starts all over again, except Clarko 's input will be watered down and the main man will be Sam, whether Clarko is head coach or not , if he stays he is not the MAN.
For me that is insulting because I always believed that Hawtgorn would let him make the call?
It appears to me he was jumped on and put aside.

I hope Sam is good , he will never be a Clarkson a once in a lifetime coach. Sam is still in the infancy of people handling and trying to fathom out this very weird game the AFL has turned footy into now.
Well football is too different for me, sometimes , and the contest is been killed.
But Clarko moved through all those rule changes and built an intelligent top line group of people to play almost impossibly skilfull football, and to know what each team mate had , very very special people only can do that.

BIG BIG shoes to fill for Sammy! Good luck.

 

[daniel23]

Yep I get the process and your right with the only clarification Mitchell being was verbally told the job was his day one. I’ve typed and deleted, typed and deleted cos I risk revealing sources. I’ll settle on this, there’s been a concerted effort to get rid of the coach or hope he calls it, instead of being integral in undermining that a strong administration should find a pathway to solving it. Particularly given this coaches history.

I just don't understand why Mitchell would take an interview from Collingwood if he knew he was guaranteed the job, this could of been sorted alot quieter if that was the case?. Clarkson could of got through to 2022 .