Troy G
8th September 2004, 08:10 PM
By Sam Lienert
ADELAIDE, Sept 8 AAP - Port Adelaide is confident it will not be disadvantaged by losing assistant coach Alastair Clarkson while preparing for one of the biggest matches in its AFL history.
Clarkson was today announced as the new Hawthorn coach, and Power chief executive Brian Cunningham said it had been mutually agreed Clarkson would leave Port immediately rather than stay on for the rest of the club's finals campaign.
"I think he's got a lot of work to do (at Hawthorn) obviously, there's a fair bit of media about it," Cunningham said.
"We thought that because of the amount of work to do, how can he juggle both roles in the upcoming couple of weeks?
"That works for him and works for us.
"We wish him all the best, he is a good coach and I'm sure he'll have success."
Cunningham said Port was confident it had the coaching expertise to cover Clarkson's absence while preparing for Friday week's preliminary final and, if it wins that, the grand final.
Midfield coach Phil Walsh would take over Clarkson's role as forward line coach, while part-time ruck coach David Pittman would move into the midfield role, with Dean Bailey remaining as defensive coach.
"Our coaching team have assessed that, they've looked at it and said `we think we can cover that' so we're comfortable, we've got four coaches," Cunningham said.
"We've got David Pittman, who does work for us on a part-time basis, he'll come in and do some more."
The decision to have Clarkson leave immediately was backed by club captain Matthew Primus and acting captain Warren Tredrea, Cunningham said.
Tredrea said he had helped Clarkson get the Hawthorn job, by putting in a good word to the Hawks' coaching selection committee about Clarkson's work with the Power forwards.
"In part of his first presentation he asked me for a few quotes and a few words and I just said what a great help he's been to me in terms of preparation, he's done second to none stuff in the forward line this year and really prepared the players as best we can," Tredrea said.
He said there was no way Clarkson could have taken his new Hawthorn job while remaining at Port.
"The players fully understand the decision that's been made," Tredrea said.
"We've got the biggest weeks ahead of us and understand he's got a new coaching position ... he's head coach of an AFL football club and he's got some work to do."
AAP
ADELAIDE, Sept 8 AAP - Port Adelaide is confident it will not be disadvantaged by losing assistant coach Alastair Clarkson while preparing for one of the biggest matches in its AFL history.
Clarkson was today announced as the new Hawthorn coach, and Power chief executive Brian Cunningham said it had been mutually agreed Clarkson would leave Port immediately rather than stay on for the rest of the club's finals campaign.
"I think he's got a lot of work to do (at Hawthorn) obviously, there's a fair bit of media about it," Cunningham said.
"We thought that because of the amount of work to do, how can he juggle both roles in the upcoming couple of weeks?
"That works for him and works for us.
"We wish him all the best, he is a good coach and I'm sure he'll have success."
Cunningham said Port was confident it had the coaching expertise to cover Clarkson's absence while preparing for Friday week's preliminary final and, if it wins that, the grand final.
Midfield coach Phil Walsh would take over Clarkson's role as forward line coach, while part-time ruck coach David Pittman would move into the midfield role, with Dean Bailey remaining as defensive coach.
"Our coaching team have assessed that, they've looked at it and said `we think we can cover that' so we're comfortable, we've got four coaches," Cunningham said.
"We've got David Pittman, who does work for us on a part-time basis, he'll come in and do some more."
The decision to have Clarkson leave immediately was backed by club captain Matthew Primus and acting captain Warren Tredrea, Cunningham said.
Tredrea said he had helped Clarkson get the Hawthorn job, by putting in a good word to the Hawks' coaching selection committee about Clarkson's work with the Power forwards.
"In part of his first presentation he asked me for a few quotes and a few words and I just said what a great help he's been to me in terms of preparation, he's done second to none stuff in the forward line this year and really prepared the players as best we can," Tredrea said.
He said there was no way Clarkson could have taken his new Hawthorn job while remaining at Port.
"The players fully understand the decision that's been made," Tredrea said.
"We've got the biggest weeks ahead of us and understand he's got a new coaching position ... he's head coach of an AFL football club and he's got some work to do."
AAP