Alastair Clarkson joins North Melbourne: Ron Joseph says coaching great was never joining Essendon

A North Melbourne legend says he never doubted Alastair Clarkson was heading to Arden St as the legendary coach would not accept “drug money” from Essendon.

Alastair Clarkson was unveiled as North Melbourne coach on Friday.

Legendary North Melbourne powerbroker Ron Joseph says he’s not surprised Alastair Clarkson chose the Kangaroos over the “drug money” at Essendon.

Joseph, the driving force behind the luring of Ron Barassi to Arden St during the club’s golden era of the 1970s, said Clarkson had the chance to be “a hero if he takes us to a fifth flag” but warned he would be “despised if he took us to Tasmania”.

Clarkson yesterday singled out Joseph, 77, as a reason for his decision to return to the club where he debuted as a player in 1987.

“Essendon never frightened me. I never thought Clarko would follow the drug money to Tullamarine,” Joseph said.

“Why would you want Kevin Sheedy looking over your shoulder at that spiritless, windswept hole they abandoned the iconic Windy Hill for?”

Alastair Clarkson shares a laugh with Sonja Hood at his first press conference as North Melbourne coach.

Joseph said the Kangaroos coaching job had presented as the “perfect challenge” for the four-time premiership coach.

“North Melbourne needs to draw a line in the sand and he’s the bloke to do it,” he said.

“I could never see him going to the Giants where he’d have to pack his bags and move to Greater Western Sydney – that’s about as spiritless as Essendon.

Ron Joseph.

“He knows the North Melbourne people and the North Melbourne people know him. The whole thing just makes so much sense.

“North supporters have seen the steady disintegration of their club over the last decade and a half and today they will all be relieved. We are on the move again.”

But Joseph said there was “still a lot of work to be done” at his beloved Kangaroos.

“We still have to address some issues with the administration and the Tasmanian business is still hanging over our head,” he said.

“And Stevo (board member Anthony Stevens) and (Wayne) Carey have got to let the club move on. I’m sick of reading about them.

“The club just needs a shake-up and Alastair Clarkson is the man to do it.”

Originally published as Alastair Clarkson joins North Melbourne: Ron Joseph says coaching great was never joining Essendon