Showdown king Josh Francou has told Crows to enjoy the hype of Showdown 44

TRIPLE Showdown Medallist Josh Francou has told the Crows to embrace the hype as he goes up against former club Port Adelaide for the first time as a coach.

Josh Francou, right, gets away from Kym Koster and Shane Ellen in Showdown 6. Picture: Ray Titus

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ADELAIDE assistant coach Josh Francou has encouraged the Crows players to absorb and enjoy the extra hype and attention surrounding Showdown 44.

Francou, who played 156 games for Port Adelaide, collected three Showdown Medals and was one of the kings of the local derbies.

As he faces his old club for the first time in a Showdown — he has coached against it as an assistant for Sydney — Francou advised his players to welcome the extra attention rather than shying away from it.

“I think from a player perspective you get exposed and talk to a lot of supporters so it’s front of mind,” Francou said. “There’s quite a bit of talk about it.

“But I think it’s a matter of just embracing the excitement around it and going out there to enjoy doing what you’re doing.

“I’ll say embrace it.”

Josh Francou, left, with the Showdown Medal and Matthew Primus, right, with the trophy after Port Adelaide triumphed in Showdown 10.

The awkwardness and emotions that can come with plotting against your old club have subsided for Francou.

After coaching North Adelaide in the SANFL and then moving to Sydney for a stint with the Swans, changing allegiances has now become part of the deal for those who remain in the game for a long time.

Josh Francou says his focus is on his job — which is to plot to beat every other team in the league, including his old club Port Adelaide. Picture: AAP/Mike Burton

As much as returning to Showdowns is an occasion, the fact that Francou is coaching against the Power doesn’t worry him, much like it would not concern former Adelaide key defender Nathan Bassett that he is now plotting to break the Crows’ five-game winning streak against Port Adelaide.

“It is part of the deal; part and parcel of the industry that we work in,” Francou said. “I’ve been out of the game as a player since the end of ’06 so that’s 12 years.

“It’s pretty much all new faces at Alberton that I don’t know, other than Chad Cornes who works there and is the runner and maybe a couple of others.

“But it changes so much.

“It’s one of those things from a job point of view that all of my loyalties and full commitment lie here with the Crows and Port Adelaide becomes another team that we’re trying to beat.”

But as clinical as coaches have to be, the magic and romance of Showdowns wasn’t lost on Francou.

He would cherish being involved in one again after years of only watching it from a distance.

“I think from a city point of view, a spectator point of view, a football supporter point of view it’s a really good event,” Francou said. “The buzz and the banter leading into the game and then the hype around the game.

“As a player, having played in a few, that buzz does rub off on you as a player.

“Not that there’s anything more at the end of it; it’s just the expectation and the build-up around the game.

“It is special within the sporting character.”

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