Thommo wants Clarkson.

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 088dd2f794


"COULD CLARKO SAVE THE SAINTS?

- Al Paton

FORMER St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has floated the idea of getting Alastair Clarkson to Moorabbin as he reveals his 'grave concern' for the Saints.

Thomas phoned St Kilda president Peter Summers to ask some hard questions about the direction of the club.

Speaking on the Sam, Mike and Thomo podcast, Thomas - who coached the Saints from 2001-06 - said he didn't demand Richardson be sacked after just one-and-a-half wins from 12 matches this season, but questioned if a former development coach was the right choice to lead them back up the ladder.

"I said I'm all for solidarity at our club because we make weak decisions and always have - we've only had one bit of solidarity in our whole 100-year history," he said.

"But you have to understand whether Richo is the right man for the job or not, you have to do the right analysis. And if he is the right man for the job, you have to then say, 'What do we have to put around him to make it work?'."

Thomas used Damien Hardwick and Nathan Buckley as examples of coaches who had turned their fortunes around with the right support, but said that didn't mean it was always the right path.

"It can happen but they first have to understand is he (Richardson) capable of getting to the level they need him to get to? If not they then have to make sure the person who supercedes him as coach has to be a no-brainer knockout success."

When co-host Mike Sheahan said there was no such thing as a guaranteed successful coach, Thomas said: "Yes, you can. You can appoint Alastair Clarkson. You can go to people who have actually performed and done it successfully.

"Richo's a development coach, that's what he was and he was great at that. Why do we get these people who are great at doing what they do and think they can run an organisation? That's the concern I have. You've got to make the right choices."

Thomas also put Summers on the spot.

"Pete indicated that he doesn't get involved in the footy because he's the president and I said, 'Well, Pete, if you're not going to be involved in the footy you may as well not be president, what's the point? You're in the premiership business and you're in charge of the club ... so every decision you make has to be to win a premiership. You can't be all care and no responsibility.

"I like Pete, he's a lovely guy. I think everyone down there is lovely and they're nice people and I think it makes it very very difficult to be too critical, but I think that's part of the problem."

[Linton Lodger]

Wise words from the big fella.

[chook23]

Thommo....we make weak decisions and always have.....pot at yourself and the club thommo...........

[saynta]

Thommo....we make weak decisions and always have.....pot at yourself and the club thommo...........

More a potshot at Butterarse I would think. You know, the bloke with the nose candy habit/problem.

[Sainternist]

Hooray! His feedback is so welcomed, I almost buckled at the knees.

[bigcarl]

If we can’t get Clarko, get GT

[saynta]

I personally think that Thommo would make a great Board member, President even.

Better than as a coach I think.

[Sainternist]

Someone in my previous GT thread said they reckon the AFL wouldn't want to see GT working for any AFL club again at any capacity. Sadly, I think they may have a valid point.

[chook23]

Why so much love for thommo.....has been

[saynta]

Someone in my previous GT thread said they reckon the AFL wouldn't want to see GT working for any AFL club again at any capacity. Sadly, I think they may have a valid point.

Don't worry Clarko will invite all the big wigs out for coffee.

[Flagless]

He's correct about one thing, we have to do the analysis before making rash decisions and that if Richo is the right person make sure he has all the correct support staff to make it work- I would add that I think that must include someone who is better at identifying and drafting talent than who had=s been doing it for the past 10 years

[Sainternist]

Why so much love for thommo.....has been

So why the hate for Thommo? I only remember Barks4eva hating him.

[saynta]

Why so much love for thommo.....has been

Your opinion, not mine thankfully.

He's at least done something, put forward an idea, spoken to the current president.

What have you done?

[chook23]

Why so much love for thommo.....has been

So why the hate for Thommo? I only remember Barks4eva hating him.

Not hate......think he was overated at the time.....and pops his head up now and again...these days trying to stay relevant ...

[saintspremiers]

Summers was probably too busy eating lunch to care.

If Clarko could be lured to us then it would be like a miracle.

I can’t see Finnis and Summers doing that though - maybe a different board in charge would see that change.

Exciting times - no more being patient with the kids and all that bullshyte.

[chook23]

Saynta.....more a chuckle at people thinking he should be coach again or president....

[saynta]

Saynta.....more a chuckle at people thinking he should be coach again or president....

Board member or president....yes.

Balme role......maybe.

Coach.....a big no no from me.

[SaintPav]

Summers is a f***wit.

[Cairnsman]

Would clarko be under pressure to keep his job if the Hawks miss the finals this year and if he did depart the Hawks would he want time out from Coaching before taking on another club. That's my prediction anyway.

I reckon if Melbourne and/or the Pies were to win flags in the next few years the succession plan for blooding new coaches, templated by Paul Roos would quickly become standard practice and possibly permanently entrenched in the AFL as the new way to manage coaching departments.

[St Chris]

My biggest concern with that whole conversation (On Thomo's podcast - I don't agree with everything these guys say but I enjoy the mostly intelligent discussion) was the response from the President, saying he doesn't get involved in the footy side of things.

I couldn't disagree with this position more than I do. I'm not expecting him to run training and pick the side, but as a President of a FOOTBALL CLUB is the ensure those people he employs are making sure the Football part is working. The rest comes later.

[DJ Higgins]

Doubt clarko would want to. Maybe after a year or two off but I agree with others that it's a pipe dream. Although a nice one

[To the top]

Anyone care to detail Clarkson's history leading to his appointment at Hawthorn?

It might make for interesting reading

My view is that instead of recycling you look at those who have more recently retired and are cutting their teeth in the caper currentjy

[saynta]

Anyone care to detail Clarkson's history leading to his appointment at Hawthorn?

It might make for interesting reading

My view is that instead of recycling you look at those who have more recently retired and are cutting their teeth in the caper currentjy

From Wikipedia.


"lastair Clarkson (born 27 April 1968[1]) is an Australian rules football coach and former player. He has been the head coach of the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) since 2004, and is the longest-serving coach in the league.

Hailing from the small town of Kaniva, Victoria, Clarkson played eleven seasons of AFL football – nine for North Melbourne (1987–1995) followed by two for Melbourne (1996–1997). He played 134 games in total, playing either in the midfield or on the half-forward flanks. After retiring from playing, Clarkson served for periods as an assistant coach at St Kilda (1999), head coach of VFL club Werribee (2000), head coach of SANFL club Central District (2001–2002), and assistant coach at Port Adelaide (2003–2004)"

[8bloggs]

The president needs to be more selective in his choice of words.
It's understandable that it is not his role to be involved with the day to day activities of the football department, this is clearly what Lethlean, Richardson etc. are responsible for.
However it is definitely his role to project the vision and image of the club to the rest of the world and I think his recent words are coming across as though he is distancing himself from the current performance of the club - unacceptable.
I am glad Thommo has called Summers out on this, he is 100% right in saying it's part of the president's job to get us premierships, and the current performance ain't any where near achieving that and anything less is a cop out.
Analysis is definitely required to get to the root cause of why our team's current performance is far from where it is expected to be. What we definitely need now is to make sure this is properly done, and thoroughly, to avoid the typical knee jerk reaction our club has had in the past of just sacking the coach, and putting in someone else who may, OR MAY NOT, solve the problem.
We need to become a lot smarter in how we run our footy club....

[The Fireman]

i'd have GT as coach in a heart beat