Gold Coast ready to announce new senior coach after interviewing top three candidates

GOLD Coast chairman Tony Cochrane says the club’s new coach will come from three candidates, rubbishing rumours of a last minute call to Richmond’s Blake Caracella.

Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans and chairman Tony Cochrane. Picture: Glenn Hampson

SUNS chairman Tony Cochrane says the successful coaching candidate will come from the three-man shortlist and has rubbished speculation the club made a last minute call to Richmond’s Blake Caracella.

He also firmly ruled out making an approach to Alastair Clarkson after a left-field scenario that the four-time premiership coach might be reassessing his future at Hawthorn in the wake of Jeff Kennett’s return as president.

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Cochrane said the final interviews with the shortlisted candidates John Barker, Stewart Dew and Scott Burns had been completed but a decision had yet to be made on who would replace Rodney Eade.

CEO Mark Evans had now been tasked with completing some processes set by the three directors involved in the coach hunt – Cochrane, Paul Scurrah and Martin Roelands.

Sacked Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade.

Cochrane predicted the decision could be made Thursday but stressed he had no problems if it dragged into next week.

He said the decision rivalled that of the pre-season appointment of Evans as CEO as the most important in the club’s history.

“We have to get it right and if that takes a bit of extra time I’m happy with that,’’ he said.

“We cannot be in a situation in two or three year’s time where we ae thinking we need to find a new coach.’’

Cochrane gave no hint to who was the preferred candidate but said all made excellent presentations.

Originally published as Gold Coast ready to announce new senior coach after interviewing top three candidates