Malthouse on Clarkson's Future

[Sanctorum]

Following article in The Australian online by Mick Malthouse raises the prospects of Alastair Clarkson's return to coaching, with St Kilda very much in the frame :

"And the coaching merry-go-round begins.

Very few coaches resign. They are pushed, moved sideways, moved out. Sacked is sacked.

Quite often it’s very ugly, but Leon Cameron and Greater Western Sydney handled his departure graciously. Cameron’s shoulders have returned to their normal position, no longer slumped forward by the stress that weighed upon him.

It is only when you step away from the game that the full impact of that immense pressure is revealed. The toll it has taken on you and your family.
Having said that, the role itself is a wonderful job, so you take the highs and the lows.

Coaching is an extension of your playing career, helping young people live-out their football dreams. The coach aids the clubs in giving their supporters what they’re after. There’s only one premiership each year, but there are many heroes along the way. Some clubs are very capable of winning a premiership, some are only capable of holding ground. Now that the first coach has fallen on his sword, the wheels have started turning early.

The sheer presence of Alastair Clarkson — re-emerging as a 2023 coaching contender — will no doubt have some coaches second guessing where they’ll be or if they’ll be. It will put unnecessary pressure not only on vulnerable coaches, but the committee members who make up the boards.

Who will hold their nerve? Who will panic?

There will be more scrutiny from the media, and the supporters. And players will start to question what is around the corner. Doubt in any player’s mind is like a cancer. It spreads to create a very unhealthy environment.

The media has established that Clarkson, with a win-loss average of 58 per cent from 390 games, and four premierships, is the principal candidate. He is a fine coach, make no mistake. But by “prioritising the potential to win a premiership” he has taken many clubs out of the equation.

Does that include the Tasmanian job, if there is a decision on that soon?

His last finals appearance with Hawthorn was in 2018. So, the question is, will his premiership cup aim be a short-term or long-term investment?

The Giants are proven finalists. They are a very good young side that is now maturing. Any team with Toby Greene, Lachie Whitfield, the emerging Tom Green, Tim Taranto, Nick Haynes, Sam Taylor, and Josh Kelly, will always be around the mark. Injuries, suspensions, and free-agency raids have hampered them in the past, but they would be a terrific team to take on as coach. It’s western Sydney, so, you coach it, you must live it. Embrace the crowd, embrace the area. It’s in rugby league heartland, and as much as Cameron and the club made great inroads, that code will always be a threat to AFL involvement and development. How close is GWS to 12 on the premiership clock? I don’t think they’re far off it.

Clarkson says he won’t talk to the Giants. Yet.

You rarely look at clubs that are going well on the ladder for a change of coach. That cancels out more options. Perhaps under current contractual arrangements North Melbourne is looking at a change? I hope not. David Noble needs time. The Kangaroos aren’t blessed with the best list, so it’s a constant uphill battle. Maybe that rules Clarkson out of that one. It can be argued that Port Adelaide is entering a period of change, with Ken Hinkley’s record of three preliminary finals and no premiership. Again, I hope not. Hinkley holds his nerve and has demonstrated again this year to never underestimate him, powering Port from bottom to just outside the top eight with four consecutive wins.

Would Clarkson be a fit here? I think not, I can’t imagine him moving back to Adelaide. Travis Boak, Robbie Gray and Charlie Dixon have held Port together for a long time. Even with the young talent coming through in Connor Rozee, Xavier Duursma, Zak Butters and Mitch Georgiades it won’t be a quick fix, so it might not be the right fit for Clarkson.

West Coast won the premiership in 2018. It has an ageing list that’s been hit hard by Covid and injuries. Its current ladder position is not a true reflection of the team’s ability. The Eagles are certainly in a rebuild, so by Clarkson’s admission would he be truly willing to move across the country for the long-haul?

By inference, that leaves two teams. Gold Coast or St Kilda. Both clubs, while in different positions, are on the up. Cementing their credentials. I take my hat off to both coaches.

The Saints’ have rallied around Brett Ratten’s methodologies. He is a rare, recycled coach who wears his heart on his sleeve, clearly happy to be back in the hot seat. And he is proving St Kilda to be worthy top-four contender this year. As the self-belief grows and the best 22 are capable of being on the ground together regularly, the Saints have a legitimate claim to be a contender this season.

Why on earth a club would want to remotely think about changing that system is beyond me. But over the Saints’ 100-year journey, with only one premiership, there has been some strange decisions made.

Stuart Dew is nearing his 100th game as coach of Gold Coast. He has done a remarkable job with a young side that has transformed itself from being highly inconsistent into a team that is aggressive and hard to beat. One must remember that the Suns lost their key forward in Ben King before the season started. Wins over Sydney and Fremantle have boosted their confidence. The body language of the players shows that Dew has them onside.

But there is a sneaking suspicion that the AFL hierarchy wants Clarkson to be Gold Coast’s next coach. The league may well support many clubs financially to keep them viable, but I can only hope that is where it ends. Any hint of interference in coaching contracts should never be tolerated. It can only end in disaster if the AFL has any impact on who coaches and who doesn’t coach a football side.

There is still a lot of water to flow under the bridge this season. It’s already looking choppy. As decisions are made it could become quite turbulent.

Who will get the life-vests? We wait to see."

It is not beyond the realms of possibilities that Clarkson will decide to offer his services to the Kilda FC Board, it is after all the most challenging coaching position in the AFL - who would not want to be celebrated as the coach who achieved a 2nd premiership for St Kilda??? And maybe more....

Even if the AFL Commission vote to finally give the green light to Tasmania become the 19th team, that is considered will not happen until 2025 at the earliest, and Clarkson is unlikely to want to stay out of the coaching caper for the next three years.

In this context it is significant to note that Brett Ratten's contract expires at the end of 2022. He has St Kilda well positioned this year to play finals, but is he the coach to take St Kilda all the way to a premiership if they don't make it this year?

As much as we might like/love Ratten and respect what he has achieved so far this year, it needs to be remembered that there is no room for sentiment in elite competitive team sports, and given the interminable wait long suffering Saints supporters have to to endure in the past 56 years, I for one would be delighted if the Board secured Clarkson for the next three years....

[Vortex]

Clarko is headed for the sunny beaches of the Gold Coast.

Take it to the bank.

[SaintPav]

MM:

[happy feet]

Malthouse also told us that Essendon would be premiers this year.

[wally]

It genuinely worries me when these media knobs start talking nicely about the saints.

[WellardSaint]

He's entitled to his opinion.
But I don't agree with him usually.

I understand that senior coach brings huge sacrifices for families.
An interview years ago, when he was in the last years of the WCE job, he mentioned noticing lots of photos in his house, on walls and mantlepiece, etc.
Important family events, maybe engagement of daughter, things like that. He wasn't in most of the pics.
He was absent with coaching duties.
Bloody sad to miss out on stuff like that.
When Skunk and Ross declined to be available last year for new births- it makes sense

[Vortex]

MM:

You've nailed it, 10 000 chimps in a room seems to be MMs point. Like a mad chicken's shiit...all over the place.

Ghost writer needs to be drug tested.

[WellardSaint]

MM:

You've nailed it, 10 000 chimps in a room seems to be MMs point. Like a mad chicken's shiit...all over the place.

Ghost writer needs to be drug tested.

1000 monkeys banging on typewriters for 1000 years...
There's a chance one of them will accidentally produce the complete works of Shakespeare

[minneapolis]

I never ceases to amaze me that Malthouse gets paid to sprout the exact same crap that your mate says down the pub.

Drivel.

[SunnyErnie]

I never ceases to amaze me that Malthouse gets paid to sprout the exact same crap that your mate says down the pub.

Drivel.

It just goes to show how clever he is

[saynta]

I never ceases to amaze me that Malthouse gets paid to sprout the exact same crap that your mate says down the pub.

Drivel.

It just goes to show how clever he is

He's that clever, he predicted that the druggies would win the flag this year.

[Devilhead]

If Clarkson is available and he is interested in the St Kilda coach position you take him

Sorry but Malthouse is correct when he questions ..... is Ratten the coach to take St Kilda to the Premiership?

Ratten took Carlton to Finals and then they fell away

Ratten has been great so far but maybe his strength lies in developing players

Does Ratten have the matchday coaching nous to win a Premiership?

Clarkson is a 4 time proven premiership coach ..... he knows what it takes to win the thing

Either we go left or right and far too many times we have taken the wrong path

If Clarkson is there and wants to come ..... no 2nd thoughts .... you take him

[SunnyErnie]

If Clarkson is available and he is interested in the St Kilda coach position you take him

Sorry but Malthouse is correct when he questions ..... is Ratten the coach to take St Kilda to the Premiership?

Ratten took Carlton to Finals and then they fell away

Ratten has been great so far but maybe his strength lies in developing players

Does Ratten have the matchday coaching nous to win a Premiership?

Clarkson is a 4 time proven premiership coach ..... he knows what it takes to win the thing

Either we go left or right and far too many times we have taken the wrong path

If Clarkson is there and wants to come ..... no 2nd thoughts .... you take him

Post of the Year!!!

[Waltzing St Kilda]

If Clarkson is available and he is interested in the St Kilda coach position you take him

Sorry but Malthouse is correct when he questions ..... is Ratten the coach to take St Kilda to the Premiership?

Ratten took Carlton to Finals and then they fell away

Ratten has been great so far but maybe his strength lies in developing players

Does Ratten have the matchday coaching nous to win a Premiership?

Clarkson is a 4 time proven premiership coach ..... he knows what it takes to win the thing

Either we go left or right and far too many times we have taken the wrong path

If Clarkson is there and wants to come ..... no 2nd thoughts .... you take him

There's a ruthless logic to do this but you#d have to be Carlton-ruthless to follow through with it.

No way the current admin will dispose of Ratten if he makes the finals. More likely they'll give him a new three-year contract in bye week.

If the wheels fall off, 1998-99 style, however ...

[Wayne42]

Let's hope Ratten is re-signed by the Saints before this Clarkson bulldust grows legs.

[bigcarl]

MM:

Monkey pox

[saynta]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

[Devilhead]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

Why would getting Clarkson set us back 5 years?

[CQ SAINT]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

Why would getting Clarkson set us back 5 years?

Because Ratten is the masthead of the coaching department that has changed the culture within the club and the direction the squad is heading in.
20 players in the squad have worn the jumper for less than the 53 games he has been head coach and another 8 came in 2019 when he was assistant. More than half the squad.
We have won 27 of those 53 and sit 5 on the ladder, and could be in the top 4 midway through this year. He also coached our first finals win in a decade.
Just have a think about that for a minute.
We need a director of football. Clarkson might like that role.

[Devilhead]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

Why would getting Clarkson set us back 5 years?

Because Ratten is the masthead of the coaching department that has changed the culture within the club and the direction the squad is heading in.
20 players in the squad have worn the jumper for less than the 53 games he has been head coach and another 8 came in 2019 when he was assistant. More than half the squad.
We have won 27 of those 53 and sit 5 on the ladder, and could be in the top 4 midway through this year. He also coached our first finals win in a decade.
Just have a think about that for a minute.
We need a director of football. Clarkson might like that role.

All fair and justifiable points ...... but is he the right coach to win us that elusive 2nd Premiership?

He coached Carlton to a finals win as well .... then the wheels fell off .... maybe he has learnt however there is still ?? over his matchday coaching ..... can't afford any mistakes in Finals

I wouldn't be signing him until the season is done & dusted ..... IMHO

[bangaulegend]

IMO If we make the 8 Ratt's stay's (Which I hope we do) but if we don't I'm not sure maybe maybe not

[CQ SAINT]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

Why would getting Clarkson set us back 5 years?

Because Ratten is the masthead of the coaching department that has changed the culture within the club and the direction the squad is heading in.
20 players in the squad have worn the jumper for less than the 53 games he has been head coach and another 8 came in 2019 when he was assistant. More than half the squad.
We have won 27 of those 53 and sit 5 on the ladder, and could be in the top 4 midway through this year. He also coached our first finals win in a decade.
Just have a think about that for a minute.
We need a director of football. Clarkson might like that role.

All fair and justifiable points ...... but is he the right coach to win us that elusive 2nd Premiership?

He coached Carlton to a finals win as well .... then the wheels fell off .... maybe he has learnt however there is still ?? over his matchday coaching ..... can't afford any mistakes in Finals

I wouldn't be signing him until the season is done & dusted ..... IMHO

It looks like that challenge has been set.
Leathlean is a pretty shrewd operator but credibility and accountability isn't a historical strong point of this club. Historically, we fick these moments up. Lets not do that again.
This list has been plucked out of thin air. The program is fifty games in. We have witnessed a rebuild that is likely to see us playing finals in 2 of the 4 years it has been executed. Next year, the premiership window opens. Ratten didn't get any super drafts, we created our own, through the NGA. We are serious contenders for 2 very notable UFA's. and from.the outside, our football program looks red hot.

[bigcarl]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

Seems we’ve been here before. Get a “proper” tactical-minded coach in to “finish off the job”. Lol

[skeptic]

I will say this... Ratten is growing on me more and more

Was concerned about his tendency to make the same errors over and over again... most notably repeatedly picking some under performing players and the reversion back to a very slow ball movement game plan.

He’s continued to turn the list over and done fairly well with it despite some challenges and it’s apparent that the negative game play/plan was ingrained into a lot of the playing list by the previous coach. Not that it’s a big secret... but I dare say Richo was pbly far more damaging then even his critics realised.
Nice to see quite a few maligned players of his time really flourish in the last few years.

[Teflon]

Ditching Ratts could set us back 5 years, IMHFO

Why would getting Clarkson set us back 5 years?

Because Ratten is the masthead of the coaching department that has changed the culture within the club and the direction the squad is heading in.
20 players in the squad have worn the jumper for less than the 53 games he has been head coach and another 8 came in 2019 when he was assistant. More than half the squad.
We have won 27 of those 53 and sit 5 on the ladder, and could be in the top 4 midway through this year. He also coached our first finals win in a decade.
Just have a think about that for a minute.
We need a director of football. Clarkson might like that role.

All fair and justifiable points ...... but is he the right coach to win us that elusive 2nd Premiership?

He coached Carlton to a finals win as well .... then the wheels fell off .... maybe he has learnt however there is still ?? over his matchday coaching ..... can't afford any mistakes in Finals

I wouldn't be signing him until the season is done & dusted ..... IMHO

I think that’s right
Like Ratts but Malthouse is correct - no room for sentiment.
We’ve clearly improved this year but yet to play 4 quarters and win in bursts with some individual brilliance
I have enjoyed the attacking style under Ratts
I still do t like our entry into forward 50… been like that for a while
I would absolutely wait till years end to sign Ratts - second half of the season against top contenders will tell us much
Fall away badly or suffer a few snackings like last year….
It’s “hello Al” time…
Club has to be ruthless to get to the top and we can’t afford 20 years in the wilderness and never really contending…