Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark ‘Choco’ Williams said it’s not impossible to get an AFL job despite being over 60
Port Adelaide premiership coach and current Werribee mentor Mark ‘Choco’ Williams said while it’s difficult to get a job in the AFL if you’re over 60, it’s not impossible.
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Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark ‘Choco’ Williams admitted a return to coaching in the AFL would be difficult considering his age, but said it wasn’t “impossible.”
The 61-year-old, who coached the Power to its only AFL flag in 2004, has been out of the AFL system since he departed Richmond at the end of 2017.
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However, Williams has made it no secret he wants to return to a top job in the AFL, but said on SEN Breakfast on Friday morning he’s enjoying his time at Werribee in the VFL.
“I love coaching and I’m enjoying what I’m doing at Werribee,” he said.
“If you look at the people who have been under me who have become senior coaches or assistant coaches, Jeff Andrews is the new coach at Central District he was with me at Werribee.
“The facts are it’s difficult when you’re over 60 to get a job, it’s not impossible.”
Williams has always been praised for how he teaches those under him, both coaches and players, and he believes it’s one of his strongest assets.
“I think the most important thing in the environment that I was in, I could show the players the value of development of people,” he said.
“Because I’m a teacher, they can understand there’s progression, you have to build connections between people and work out how to get the best out of people and you can’t treat everyone the same.
“It’s always my belief us coaches need to get off our bums.”
The Werribee mentor had high praise for his former assistant Andrews, who is filling the void left by legendary coach Roy Laird at Elizabeth.
“He’s analytical, he comes from that sort of background, but he’s a bit of a sponge when it comes to idea and he’s open minded to learn different things,” he said.
“He’s very good at defensive stuff, he and I have talked quite a bit, even when the interview came for Centrals, I walked him a bit of what would’ve happened in that interview.
“The fitness side of it, if you can’t run you can’t play, I think Jeff has been thrashing them a bit, and he was comparing them to a bit of what the Werribee boys were doing.
“Jeff is a scholar of the game, so he keeps learning all the time.
“He is a relationships person so he’ll be great for them out there.”
Williams also took the time to reflect on a highlight of his own coaching career, when he led the ‘Dream Team’ in the last State of Origin style match back in 2008.
“We convinced the group it was a worthwhile game, it was a real delight, a fond memory of my coaching time, getting all these great players together,” he said.
“It was a really close game, it was fantastic fun.
“There was no mucking around, there’s no way I’d be accepting players mucking around and playing a circus act for show.
“The players are excited to get themselves in shape for the upcoming season.
“When it’s pride on the line, the best players will shine, there’s no chance Dusty Martin won’t want to show off and show how good he is against the best.”