Alastair Clarkson not leaving Hawthorn to coach Crows, Andrew Jarman apologises for comments
UPDATE: Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson has fired back at claims he will quit the Hawks to join the Adelaide Football Club next year.
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HAWTHORN premiership mentor Alastair Clarkson has fired back at claims he will quit the Hawks to join the Adelaide Football Club next year.
Clarkson’s remarks followed Magarey Medallist and inaugural Crows player Andrew Jarman yesterday declaring the SANFL premiership coach would return to Adelaide to take charge of the Crows.
Jarman later apologised for his remarks on radio TripleM.
“To the clown Jarman in Adelaide - not true, I am not going anywhere,” Clarkson said on the Channel Nine Footy Show’s grand final special in Melbourne.
Clarkson also highlighted how loyalty is valued at Hawthorn. He earlier this season signed a two-year contract extension to coach the Hawks to the end of the 2016 AFL season.
The Adelaide Football Club on Thursday night issued it own denial, saying the Crows would not be disrespectful to Hawthorn or any club by approaching a senior coach involved in grand final preparations.
For the second consecutive year, Clarkson will enter an AFL grand final amid speculation of a change of clubs.
Linked to the West Coast vacancy in grand final week last year, Clarkson has become the bookmaker’s favourite to replace Brenton Sanderson at the Crows.
The betting markets tumbled on Jarman declaring Clarkson would be presented as Adelaide’s new coach on Tuesday with a five-year deal worth $1.4 million a season — more than double Sanderson’s annual salary at West Lakes.
Adelaide’s search for its seventh full-time coach may still involve Hawthorn where former Carlton coach Brett Ratten could emerge as a contender filling the Crows’ need for an experienced coach.
The other serious contender at Hawthorn is assistant coach Brendon Bolton who stood in for Clarkson during his illness this season.
So far, no seasoned coach has declared an interest in the Adelaide vacancy.
West Coast premiership coach John Worsfold says he wants to spend another season outside the pressure-cooker of AFL coaching.
Former Brisbane coach Michael Voss also is declaring a reluctance to return to coaching.
Worfold said he wanted to wait until July to decide if his break from coaching had refreshed him.
“I really feel I would not be at my best if I was not without energy, a clear head and the strong emotion to coach again,” Worsfold said.
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