Nick's Collingwood Bulletin Board

Sounds like Alastair Clarkson will be making a decision on his coaching future in the coming days.

Who will he coach?

Essendon sabotaging themselves in an effort to lure Clarskon only works if they get Clarkson.

Piss funny if he ends up at North.

Very funny - and now confirmed: https://www.afl.com.au/news/825006/roos ... -term-deal

Bloody hilarious, suffer in your jocks Essendon. Rutten will stand his ground now too, he won’t get a payout if he walks.

It will be interesting to see what Clarkson makes of Stephenson, just by the way.

Pies4shaw wrote:It will be interesting to see what Clarkson makes of Stephenson, just by the way.

Pretty much what he thought of him when he played for us.

Upcoming trade period will be interesting.

North has been approaching players & player agents for the past month on the premise that Clarkson would be coach next year. No specific targets, but they have been sounding out quite a few players from various clubs.

Apparently Clarkson says he didn't seriously consider Essendon's offer:

A SENTIMENTAL Alastair Clarkson says he never gave Essendon's coaching search "serious consideration", revealing his past history with North Melbourne became a genuine factor in his decision to join the club as its new coach.

Clarkson rejected overtures to replace contracted Bombers coach Ben Rutten and described the situation as "unsavoury", having been approached about the position by their new president David Barham earlier this week.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/825224/bomb ... turns-home

Essendon "unsavoury"? Never!

What does this mean for Barham's position as Essendon president? He has a coach he doesn't want and can't land the one he chased. This could be like 2013 - Essendon imploding. Gotta love it.

Did anyone see the Barham presser today? I was embarrassed for Essendon!

^ Not me- but thanks for letting me know there was one. I’ll look up the footage - I bet it’s hilarious. If he had any capacity for this sort of thing, he’d have known not to speak publicly for about a month.

OK, Norf got their man, much to my surprise. A club with few members, very low supporter base, and does not pull big crowds, ever, even at home, lucky to get 10 000, never play big crowd games. Look, at the Hawks, Clarko had a bloody team of absolute champions, some got by Graham Wright, aka Hodge, Roughie, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Riolie, Dixon, etc etc, a litany of champions, that won him four flags. But,w hen they all retired left, Clarko came right back to the field, and his last two yrs at Hawks were pretty lousy. Hes living off his reputation now, sure he will imporve Nth, but their list is putrid, an ageing ruckman, its going to be a very hard slog for him, i reckon, and he better realise he will be playing matches before small crowds from now on. Of course the Dons totally stuffed up, they should have dismissed Rutton few weeks ago, and got staright onto Clarko, big big mistake to leave their run for him so long and haphazard, total idiots, typical Essendon.

I suspect Clarkson will resemble what Roos did at Melbourne.

His job won't necessarily be about winning flags, but laying the foundations for the club to be competitive and regular finalists even long after he's left. The club is coming from a long way back, so any sort of progress under him will be seen as a win.

I think Clarkson is past his prime, but is still a more than capable match day coach who do will reasonably well with North. I'd be surprised if he won another flag though.

Essendon is dysfunctional. Clarkson was wise not to join them.

Kingsley appointed GWS coach.

Essendon are the only club with a vacancy at this stage.

^ My vote is for a Hird/Dank joint ticket.

Pies4shaw wrote:^ My vote is for a Hird/Dank joint ticket.

The prospect of Hird returning is a possibility if certain factions get their way