AFL coaching great Alastair Clarkson drops hint on future
Alastair Clarkson has become known for holding his cards close to his chest when it comes to his future, but he dropped a hint on Wednesday.
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Alastair Clarkson says it’s “more than likely” he will coach again, but the four-time premiership winner admits he has still not made a definitive call on his future.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in AFL history, Clarkson stepped down from his post at Hawthorn, where he won four premierships, at the end of the 2021 season.
The 53-year-old was linked to vacant positions at Carlton and Collingwood but, after 390 games in the hot seat with the Hawks, insisted he would take a year out in 2022.
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Clarkson has since spent time in Tasmania and has been working with the state government on a bid to secure the AFL’s 19th licence.
Clarkson previously indicated he would be interested in coaching a Tasmanian AFL side. The super coach is popular on the Apple Isle – Hawthorn frequently took home games to Launceston during his senior coaching tenure.
Speaking to SEN Breakfast on Wednesday, Clarkson said it was “more than likely” he hadn’t coached his last AFL game, but he couldn’t make any promises at this stage.
“Now that I’ve had this little bit of a break, and it might be longer too, I’m undecided on what I’ll do,” he said.
“I think more than likely I’ll coach again, but given what I’ve experienced over the last six months, there’s some blue sky over the side of this coaching caper.”
Clarkson said it would take a special club to lure him out of the wilderness.
“Probably what club it is and where I am in that particular stage (would determine whether I coached again),” he said.
“The two most powerful clubs when I was growing up (were Carlton and Collingwood). I was mesmerised as a young country kid.
“Last year I had the opportunity perhaps to put my hand in the ring for either one of those clubs to coach and the circumstances didn’t suit myself or my family at that point in time.
“So, who knows if I will coach again?
“I didn’t know that the grass would be so green on the other side in terms of the freshness that I’ve had out of having a spell having done it for so long.”
Sam Mitchell, Clarkson’s protege, will take the reins at Hawthorn in 2022. Mitchell captained the Hawks to their first premiership under Clarkson in 2008 and coached Hawthorn’s VFL side, Box Hill, last season.
Originally published as AFL coaching great Alastair Clarkson drops hint on future
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