Four-time AFL premiership winner Alastair Clarkson has expressed his frustration at what he describes as the “disturbing” impact a coach leaving mid-season can have on the entire competition.
Just two days after Michael Voss parted ways with Carlton, the North Melbourne coach believes the “ripple effect” of the change at the Blues has already been significant.
Voss decided to step down with Carlton struggling at 1-8, effectively ensuring he would not be offered a new contract.
“As coaches, we just don’t like what it does to the industry when a coach goes mid-season,” Clarkson said on Thursday.
“Not only is it not great for the coach and his family, and in a lot of cases the club, it just causes a ripple effect right through the competition ... it just creates undue speculation for mine.
“It’s sort of disturbing for everyone in the industry when these sorts of things happen to other clubs - and it’s happened here too, not suggesting it doesn’t happen everywhere.
“But it just creates all this noise around player movement and instability of the whole industry.
“It affects one club significantly, but the ripple effect right through the competition is just an unfortunate part of it.”
Carlton are likely to lean towards selecting a first-time coach from among the current pool of AFL assistants, rather than an experienced leader who has previously held a senior role.
North Melbourne assistants Xavier Clarke and Michael Barlow have previously been mentioned as potential senior coaching candidates.
“We’ve got some great assistant coaches at this footy club,” Clarkson said.
“Unfortunately, the lay of the land is they’re probably not going to get recognised truly, despite their great work, until this side starts elevating itself as a footy team.
“Once we get there, then I’m sure our assistants are going to be in very high demand.”
Clarkson revealed that an AFL coaches WhatsApp group had been active in support of Voss this week.
“Vossy is a pretty revered figure in the game, and he’d have some people that he’d been really closely linked with at Brisbane, Port Adelaide and Carlton,” he said.
“They’ll be the ones that will be providing the most support and then the coaching cohort is just really hope you go well with whatever you choose to do next.
“It’s a pretty uncomfortable time for everyone in the industry.”
