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

[Strapping Young Lad]

Full Presser at the link below.

 

[Carl Spackler]

He will, of course, deny all the gossip. All the rumour. And we'll have to conclude that like Clarkson he's either a liar or a mewling weakling in the face of Kennett's overbearing power.

 

[Jazzfan]

Are you getting tied up in the media hysterics or do you have some inside knowledge of the hawthorn situation ?

It comes across as hysterics

No inside information mate. I'm not worried about the leak. If one media personality run with this story, I wouldn't blink. From my count that's five 'journalists' now, and our very best in the know poster confirming issues. That's enough for me to logically think something is wrong, as opposed to an orchestrated media attack.

My issues is the club has effectively sacked Clarko, but has tried to spin it and get him to walk. As we can see, this is incredibly destabilising. It's just mounting pressure on Mitchell.

I really applauded the club for having the guts to be progressive and make the change we needed. But they have created this mess by not going all the way through with it. It's unfair on Clarko to try and force his hand, to leave, and unfair on Mitchell to allow the media to portray him as backstabbing Clarko... at the very least it's horrific mismanagement and governance.

 

[kawker]

Just to be clear, I want to make sure this is what you're saying.

Kennett and Reeves, despite helping ship Sam to WC five years ago and helping bring him back; despite signing deals two or three years ago with Clarkson, Mitchell and it turns out Burgoyne that all align to 2022 with continued unspecified roles afterwards; despite consistently saying publicly many times over the years before the last few weeks that Clarkson is the man for Hawthorn. Despite all that they actually want the opposite of those plans? And to top it off, he's intentionally making his chosen new coach look like a backstabber just to get rid of Clarkson?

Wouldn't have been easier to just make Clarkson's end date 2021? Wouldn't it be healthier to just keep quiet about it all until 2022? And wouldn't that have been the case if Collingwood (Wright) didn't all but give Mitchell that job now?

I don't know how you do it, but thank you. I've got zero patience. Ignore button is exhausted!

 

[CHUBBSS]

He will, of course, deny all the gossip. All the rumour. And we'll have to conclude that like Clarkson he's either a liar or a mewling weakling in the face of Kennett's overbearing power.

Can we play guess the headlines that come out of this?

“Mitchell said he wants clarko their but that is a LIE” or;

“Mitchell is making his bed now he has to LIE in it” or;

“The secret rift between Mitchell and Clarkson that has torn a club a part” or;

“The secret meetings Hawthorn doesn’t want people to know about”

(any media reading on this I’ll expect a cheque in the mail you peasents)

and all the while we beat whoever we end up playing this week

 

[Carl Spackler]

I will say this. I could very well be wrong. Clarkson could be a rube. Mitchell could be a backstabber. Kennett could be destroying the club for his own infantile pleasure. And if any or all of that is true then I'm massively disappointed and disillusioned with Hawthorn.

But I think the odds that any or all of that is true are significantly less than me having some happy time with the Olsen twins. So we'll see.

 

[TylerDurden]

Sam's on at 11.30. Let's let the man speak at least.

 

[Mercy Seat]

I will say this. I could very well be wrong. Clarkson could be a rube. Mitchell could be a backstabber. Kennett could be destroying the club for his own infantile pleasure. And if any or all of that is true then I'm massively disappointed and disillusioned with Hawthorn.

But I think the odds that any or all of that is true are significantly less than me having some happy time with the Olsen twins. So we'll see.

I strongly doubt there is much going on between Clarkson and Mitchell, beyond a normal amount of jostling that you'd expect with two bulls in the pen.

The only story I'm paying any attention to is the fact there are leaks, which appear to be coming from multiple sources at the club, with multiple agendas.

We haven't leaked in 15 years. To me, that's a big ****ing alarm bell of a club that is somewhat divided.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I dont think its Jeff that's leaking this

 

[play2win]

I dont think its Jeff that's leaking this

not convinced there is a leak at all, just the media trying to fit a story to their own narrative. They hate us

 

[matey]

How good a position to be in. Clarko will be at the Hawks until next year guiding and teaching the best young assistant coach going around that will take us to another golden era.

So many negative types around these days ..... liven up and stop watching those in the media that struggle to sleep straight at night!

 

[HairyO]

not convinced there is a leak at all, just the media trying to fit a story to their own narrative. They hate us

Linda CRS has said there is leaking and has had inside info. The question is what level and which group and to what purpose.

He / She has been very cryptic on that (presumably to avoid giving away which group it is).

Kennett looks like a total flog if they now drive Clarko out after his letter to members. There would absolutely be a Board spill. So it would be crazy if it turned out to be him.

As for Reeves, he has been very quiet in all this. But then, he doesnt seem to talk much anyway. Maybe thats his style.

Mitchell in 1 hour will be interesting. If he also denies it then that means every senior person involved has publicly denied it and will be outed as an untrustworthy liar if it ends up changing.

 

[Flukey!]

Much of what is reported in the media is OPINION people.
Until such time as Clarko leaves/is sacked/is ravaged by COVID because he travelled more than 5kms from home...

Then its all just opinion.

 

[Topiary]

In my opinion:
1. It was always going to happen
2. The one year handover is a really good idea
3. For the Kennett haters.... he explicitly says in his email when he will be gone.... AGM in 2023
4. Honestly, Clarko was getting a bit stale.... read the game day comments.... chipping backwards and sideways.... no heart in the team..etc
5. Sammy has clearly been lined up for this since the day he was shipped off to West Coast
6. But... just because he has done a good apprenticeship and is a favourite son.... there's no guarantee he will succeed
7. I like the idea of locking it in now... if the board did decide that they would not renew Clarko after 2022... this is the right way to do it
8. Now nobody hassles Sam, and Clarko has a clear objective to hand over a decent team
9. Otherwise, Clarko would have been told at the end of this year that he wasn't being offered another contract
10. Then we would have to sniff around Buckley, Ross Lyon, etc...... (TBH: I would not be unhappy with Buckley)

Anyway.... it's done... no amount of bitching and hand-wringing will change it !

And just accept it. Of course.

 

[Kanga Commando]

Plus Clarko can take some of the inevitable heat.

For sure.
A developing team is still going to trip over unexpectedly now and then. That can shake a new coach. Let the experienced guy deal with that for now.

 

[Topiary]

Much of what is reported in the media is OPINION people.
Until such time as Clarko leaves/is sacked/is ravaged by COVID because he travelled more than 5kms from home...

Then its all just opinion.

He has been sacked.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

He has been sacked.

Not renewed/sacked.

Depends on the emotional state of the onlooker really.

 

[Flukey!]

He has been sacked.

No he hasn't. He is still working there.
People who are sacked don't hold on to their jobs for 18 months.
If and when he is sacked, he will no longer be coach.

 

[Kanga Commando]

I will say this. I could very well be wrong. Clarkson could be a rube. Mitchell could be a backstabber. Kennett could be destroying the club for his own infantile pleasure. And if any or all of that is true then I'm massively disappointed and disillusioned with Hawthorn.

But I think the odds that any or all of that is true are significantly less than me having some happy time with the Olsen twins. So we'll see.

 

[Stottzy]

I can't understand how people are getting so sucked into the drama. As Glen Archer said on Crawfs podcast about his experience being on the roos board yesterday, " Once you're privy to all the information, you find it extraordinary how wrong the media get it. They get it 110% wrong, it's unbelievable".

 

[Jazzfan]

He has been sacked.

In part... which is the issue.

 

[daniel23]

I must be the only one comfortable with where this is at and putting faith in the club to be honest with us. No matter how this went down it was always going to be clickbait for journalists, with the season a rabble with covid this is the only thing to talk about. Any other team this would barely be brought up.

 

[MrPremiership]

We should have had Mitchell do some media after the announcement, or some time before 2 weeks after it once s**t hit the fan.

 

[Milkshaker]

Please delete if its not ok to post this : ( from Jeff of course )

Hi there, fellow Hawkers.

Well, what a roller coaster ride we have experienced over the last two weeks.

Two weeks ago, we were thoroughly thrashed by Fremantle. Last Saturday we had the most wonderfully stirring draw against Melbourne.

17th on the ladder drew with the ladder leaders. After a flaky first quarter the boys applied themselves as though there was no tomorrow. We never gave up, and although our skill and ball handling at times leaves a lot to be desired, their will, determination and persistence carried the day. We all should be immensely proud of their effort.

I will never forget the scribblings of former coach Allan Jeans who wrote before a Grand Final we won, “if you win the tackles, you win the game”.

Such was the case on Saturday when we delivered 81 tackles to Melbourne’s 60.

Remember what our strategy is: to get as many games as possible into the legs of our new younger players. Last week we had ten players under-22 learning what AFL football is all about, learning week on week what it is to be a team player and learning the culture that is Hawthorn.

We are not going to win every game, but we are building towards something special.

Can I turn to another subject? Someone sent me a clip of what Caroline Wilson said on Footy Classified on Monday night. I do not watch the show, and I suspect many of you do not as well.

She made a few incorrect comments and assumptions.

Last week there was a scheduled meeting between coaches Alastair Clarkson, Sam Mitchell, our Head of Football Rob McCartney and Leading Teams Founder Ray McLean.

It is one of several meetings that will take place over this period of transition. These meetings are designed to work out the individual and shared responsibilities between Alastair and Sam as we prepare for the transition at the end of next year’s season.

These meetings are common sense. We would be derelict in our duty if these meetings did not take place. It is a surprise to me that some, including Ms Wilson, are surprised that they are taking place.

Ms Wilson described the meeting as a mediation meeting. Even though she was directly told by our CEO Justin Reeves that this was incorrect. These meetings are and will continue to be a very basic part of planning out our succession plan.

Ms Wilson chose to ignore this truth and continued to refer to it as a mediation meeting.

Let me be very clear, this was a planned meeting, and our players knew it was going to take place. We like to be transparent at Hawthorn and there will be more of these meetings to plan our future.

Ms Wilson also inferred there had been some sort of blow-up between Alastair and Sam. This is also wrong.

Both men have behaved admirably since the announcement. Of course, they are going to have different views on different aspects of the game. This is how good football clubs are developed. Our leaders need to be able to challenge each other. I would expect nothing less. But to characterise a respectful exchange of ideas as a “blow-up” makes clear that not only was she not in the room, she has no idea how or what was discussed.

Finally, she concluded the segment by saying that I would be happy to pay out Alastair’s contract and have Sam coach next year. This is a complete fabrication. I have always said I want Alastair to complete his contract, not only because at Hawthorn we honour contracts but also because Alastair has said several times publicly, he intends to honour his contract.

I make these comments only to inform you of the truth. As members this is what you are entitled to, the truth.

Some commentators have questioned our succession plan. Many commercial organisations insist their CEOs identify and train people within their organisation to potentially succeed the CEO. It is good practice across the world.

Sam Mitchell came back to the club because Clarko saw in Sam a potential senior coach. We have seen enough of Sam to believe he should be eventually our next senior coach.

Coaching is not easy. It can be a very lonely job. You need to be able to work with many different characters and Presidents. Those skills need refining.

We at Hawthorn are in a good place, with good people. Yes, we are following good governance practices, but those who often sit in judgment, including journalists, have never themselves had the experiences or the responsibility of leading anyone or any business. They are only interested in breaking through the crowd to be noticed, and so much of what they say is coloured, not professionally sourced, or just opinion not based on fact. Matters not to them as they pursue headlines and ratings.

In the meantime, we get on with our job. All of us. For no one of us is more important than the club of which we are part.

Of course, like everything the proof is there for everyone to see, and what we saw last Saturday says to me, collectively, we are on our way.

Stay well, and COVID free. Get vaccinated so we can crawl our way back from these horrible lockdowns.

Thx Kanga. I think this should be stickied under Clarkos press conference.

 

[Milkshaker]

not convinced there is a leak at all, just the media trying to fit a story to their own narrative. They hate us

Exactly. I agree. It is not hard to create speculation. Especially, when the media is able to draw on the experiences of others clubs, involved in succession plans. All they have to do then is try to conjure up parallels to our situation good or bad. Buckley v Malthouse, Sam v Clarko for example.

It reminds me of an article during the Trump V Biden election process. A flotilla of pro Trump boats was going down some river or another. A lot of boats.

Three or four boats sunk and and that was the headline. The headline could have read thousands of boats travel river in support of Trump but that was never allowed to be part of the narrative.

The point of this post is not to start a Trump thread just to highlight that the media can choose to spin things how they want.

The media has never been a friend of the club during Clarko's tenure. I suspect it does not bother him that much.

 

[CHUBBSS]

11:30 will become 11:45 after all the ads…

They are milking it!