Alastair Clarkson will be back in charge of North Melbourne for its Round 21 game

A day after declaring he may not coach again in 2023, Alastair Clarkson’s return has been locked in and it’s sooner not later.

A date has been set for Alastair Clarkson to return as North Melbourne’s senior coach. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Alastair Clarkson is a “different person” ahead of his return to senior coaching after an extended break from the game.

Clarkson will return to the helm at North Melbourne on the Monday immediately following the Roos’ round 20 trip to Perth to face West Coast, with his return game to be in Hobart against Melbourne on August 6.

The four-time premiership coach stepped away from the club in round 9 due to the mental strain of the investigation into claims of racism at Hawthorn.

The AFL terminated its investigation in May but the allegations by past players and their families could be taken to Federal Court.

Kangaroos’ football boss Todd Viney said Clarkson had considered the prospect of a new investigation being opened and was confident it would interfere with his performance as senior coach.

“(Part of) his considerations coming back was he wanted of where that was at, and he’s comfortable to come back and feels confident it’s not going to impact his coaching at the Kangaroos,” Viney said.

“His eyes are back in his head, he looks a much more relaxed person.

“It was obviously a very testing time but he does look refreshed – the energy is back, it’s like the old Clarko … it’s a different person.”

Alastair Clarkson will return to full-time senior coaching duties ahead of our match against Melbourne in Round 21.#Kangas

— North Melbourne FC (@NMFCOfficial) July 19, 2023

Viney said Clarkson was “a little bit gun shy” when asked about his future at Arden Street on Tuesday, with the coach telling reporters he was unlikely to return to his position until the end of the season.

Clarkson told reporters he thought it might be “disrespectful” to interim coach Brett Ratten to transition back into the senior role too quickly.

“I think he was just mindful of coming into the environment for the first time, and didn’t want to be seen to be bulldozing his way through,” Viney said.

“It’s always been in pencil that this was the program … we caught up (Tuesday night) with the key stakeholders in this decision, about 6.30pm we put it in pen.”

Viney said Clarkson might adjust his approach to coaching after changing as a person over his break.

“You keep continuing to grow as a person – there’s no doubt that would have an impact on him,” he said.

“He’ll be a better coach for the experience, having been away and having some time to reflect.”

Ratten said he would enjoy his last two weeks in the hot seat after not getting “the chance to say goodbye” at St Kilda before his abrupt sacking last year.

“I knew through this period, I didn’t know when but Clarko was coming back … I knew it was going to come to an end,” Ratten said.

“I didn’t get last time the chance to say goodbye, and this is a good opportunity to just enjoy the last couple of weeks.”

Originally published as Alastair Clarkson will be back in charge of North Melbourne for its Round 21 game