Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley defends Michael Voss over decision to interview with Carlton
“Every person that works for us is totally focused on their job at Port Adelaide,’’ says coach Ken Hinkley.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has opened the door for former St Kilda coach Alan Richardson to return to Alberton next season while defending Michael Voss’s right to interview for the vacant Carlton job.
Just hours after Power chairman David Koch on Friday publicly took issue with Voss flying to Melbourne to speak to the Blues on Wednesday — “focus on the job at hand, we’re paying you at the moment, do your job,’’ Koch said — Hinkley said such meetings “go on consistently throughout the industry’’.
“We all get that, we all understand that,’’ Hinkley said before his team flew to Melbourne to play Richmond at the MCG on Saturday.
“Is there a better way to do it? I’m not sure just yet we have got that better way.’’
Koch used his Sunrise television program to question Voss’s decision to talk to Carlton during the season, saying: “People go for better jobs. That’s great, but do it at the end of the season’’.
But Hinkley said he had no doubt his right-hand man, senior assistant coach Voss remained focused on his role with Port.
“Every person that works for us is totally focused on their job at Port Adelaide,’’ he said.
“Michael’s got things he’s working through but it must be said that the industry finds it difficult and challenging to do things any differently than it currently does.
“I’ve been a part of that, I've been involved with that, I understand that.’’
Triple Lions premiership captain Voss, who coached Brisbane from 2009-13, has made no secret of his desire to be a senior coach again.
After meeting with Carlton he said he had the support of the Power to chase his ambition.
“The fact that I’ve had the club’s support is obviously pretty important,’’ he said.
“It doesn’t shift off what your focus is here.”
Voss has been a member of Port’s coaching staff for five years.
Hinkley, meanwhile, said he had “reached out’’ to Richardson, who was his right-hand man in the Power coaching box in 2013, after his resignation from the Saints on Tuesday.
“I’ve certainly given him a call and reached out to him,’’ Hinkley said.
“That’s what you should do, he's a good man and all the best to Alan.
“I’m sure he’ll have a little spell now and hopefully he’ll tune into the television on Saturday to watch the Power get up.’’