News Clarkson to step away from football indefinitely

‘Heavy toll’: Roos blindsided by Clarkson decision to step away

North Melbourne are unsure how long Alastair Clarkson will need away from the game, but the club’s football boss Todd Viney, a friend of the master coach, is confident he will not be lost to the sport.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Maddo11]

So many similarities to 1930s Stalinist Russia in how Clarkson has been treated

 

[DesertRoo]

So many similarities to 1930s Stalinist Russia in how Clarkson has been treated

The best part about this post is it’s isn’t the most unhinged thing written on here.

The worst part about satire is when completely normalised and you can tell who’s joking anymore.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Ian Aitkin likes this

 

[Bunk Moreland]

When you say the AFL's narrative, you mean ASADA's. The AFL threw itself in front of ASADA to negotiate a lettuce leaf punishment and everyone at Essendon spat in the AFL's face and cried victim. Essendon attempted to derail the process with it's Federal Court Challenge, on procedural grounds, got laughed out of court, shrugged, and called it a 'free hit'. 3 months later, They're whining and demanding the case be expedited so any punishments would be served over the offseason. Pursued a bitter public media campaign against ASADA and then wondered why ASADA wouldn't immediately acquiesce to it's demands. ASADA came in flopped it's dick out and slapped everyone at Essendon in the face with its big meaty member. To this day people at Essendon still complain about their treatment. The evidence, i.e 'I saw a spreadsheet' never materialized, and the key people involved have only further sullied their names and relegated themselves to uncivilized company.

Meanwhile James Hird got a foot back in the door. He immediately tried to jump above his station, instead of being an assistant for a few years, and, upon been rejected and realizing there was no soft/ easy option, dummy spat and left football of his own accord. It puts a full stop on what everyone thought about the people involved. Essendon got hoodwinked by some Charleton's and dodgy characters, the board was weak as piss and had no idea of how to run a football club, and people in positions of power who had never been told no at any stage of their lives arrogantly thinking that they were more important members of society/had more power than the reality.

You’ve got no idea what you’re talking about. Hird was never pursued by ASADA with any allegations or charges.

(Fun fact, ASADA’s interim report actually praised Hird as one of the only people who raised concern for the players. But anyway, that’s irrelevant)

The AFL’s pursuit of Hird was seperate to what ASADA pursued regarding the players, and what is comparable to the Clarkson investigation that this thread is all about. That’s what I’m talking about, unfortunately many people on BigFooty are incapable of even small nuance when it comes to understanding a situation.

It remains my belief that Hird should’ve stood down (or been stood down) to fight his battle with the AFL. He couldn’t do it and coach an AFL club at the same time, yet that’s what he tried to do.

The fact Clarkson has stood down (or in reality, probably been stood down by North) is the right move. North have had this whole thing dumped on them and have largely made the right moves. It could be argued they should have cut ties with Clarkson permanently when he was stood down late last year, but that would have been a big call. In reality however, when this is over in many years, I think it will probably prove to have been the wisest move.

North need to be about North winning footy games. Anytime a senior North person find themselves leaping to the defence of Clarkson, they should check themselves and ask if it’s the right thing for the club, or if in fact they should be forging their own path ahead and leaving Clarkson behind, as difficult or unfortunate as that might seem.

 

[TheNewEnsign]

Serious question for the learned friends among us - should Clarko be going with defamation, Workcover claim, some kind of constructive dismissal thing (AFL meddling dithering creates a hostile environment and untenable workplace?) or a porque no los tres situation?

 

[Brodes_Loves_Footy]

When it first happened and Clarkson and Fagan were placed "on leave", there were a few people who suggested the best thing North could do is come to an agreement for Clarkson to resign and just move on. It had nothing to do with their club.

It still looks like that would have been the smarter choice. This is going to continue hang over them.

Their goal has to be success on the field. As soon as you start putting other things in front of that, such as defending poor Alistair's reputation and standing, it's not going to go well.

Essendon knows this the hard way.

Of a s**t situation, at least he's been talked into stepping down. It gives North half a hope of some oxygen and getting on and playing footy.

Clarkson will be back coaching us in six weeks max I reckon.

Maybe even only a month.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

What's this about throwing walls at chairs?

He just kept saying "chuck him in the ruck" til Clarko snapped.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bombermania]

Who was the Boundary Rider for Fox Footy for the North v Eagles game in Hobart?

Clearly missed a story there, and should have been able to hear some yelling and a chair being thrown, even outside of locked doors.

Maybe Sonja told Clarko to go on leave and the club is presenting it as Clarko's decision.

 

[VinnieB]

Think about it

If he had nothing to hide he would have come and addressed it

But he has left it lingering and now evidence proves his misconduct.

Are all Melbourne fans dumb or just you 2?

 

[VinnieB]

Anyone else get the feeling Clarko went on "leave" because a media outlet (most probably the ABC) is about to drop something further on the Hawthorn Indigenous Players and Partners allegations?

Think about it. The timing of the story dropping first time around was in Grand Final week, wasn't it?

If you're doing this type of story and it involves Indigenous persons, when is the next time the story could have maximum impact? Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

My gut feeling (and that's all that is), is a media outlet has a story with potentially fresh allegations or new evidence, has potentially gone to Clarko or North or Hawthorn or the AFL yesterday with something like "we have XYZ, and a list of questions. You have x amount of hours to respond, as we intend to publish by x date".

Clarko/North/Hawks/AFL/whoever have had a conference call about potential media outlet and what they potentially may have, then decided it's best for Clarko to go on "leave", then let the story drop, and then have Clarko forced to answer (or dodge) potential questions from the press pack, and/or North then forced to either stand down or fire Clarko or stand-by a new wave of whatever the press might be potentially reporting.

Who would have thought Agatha Christie posts on BigFooty?

 

[Wormkilla]

Can anyone pin point why Clarkson and now Jordan Lewis

Jordan Lewis

Age

39

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.5

5star

K

12.1

4star

HB

11.5

5star

M

5.5

5star

T

2.7

4star

MG

310.5

4star

No current season stats available

D

15.0

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

8.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.8

5star

would be angry at Hawthorn? What have they done wrong exactly?

 

[Rich01]

Maybe Sonja told Clarko to go on leave and the club is presenting it as Clarko's decision.

Hope so.
We have been told that Sonja stands up for women’s rights and is against violence toward others due to her work outside of North Melbourne.

It would be within her values to admonish Thomas and Clarkson for their actions.

Standing up for them and supporting them would seem some right hypocritical.

 

[Beerfish]

Clarkson will be back coaching us in six weeks max I reckon.

Maybe even only a month.

Reckon Bevo might have something to say about that

 

[Ice-Wolf]

I'm actually surprised that as the thing you disagree about lol.

The Clarko kicking dog part you didn't mention

Well not kicking a dog goes without saying, but buying one as a spontaneous gift needs to be called out as well.

 

[Strange Cat]

Serious question for the learned friends among us - should Clarko be going with defamation, Workcover claim, some kind of constructive dismissal thing (AFL meddling dithering creates a hostile environment and untenable workplace?) or a porque no los tres situation?

The chairs will be getting compo before Clarko does

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Can anyone pin point why Clarkson and now Jordan Lewis would be angry at Hawthorn? What have they done wrong exactly?

Tanking

 

[Mootsy]

What happened to our football teams?
powerhouses of yesteryear,
gone to the sands of time..
A distant memory,
Long ago now,
Tis but a faint haze,
A speckle if you will.

 

[ptrg]

Serious question for the learned friends among us - should Clarko be going with defamation, Workcover claim, some kind of constructive dismissal thing (AFL meddling dithering creates a hostile environment and untenable workplace?) or a porque no los tres situation?

100% he should be going after "Amy" who made those horrible accusations, and then his behind "cultural reasons" for not taking part in the inquest (primarily established due to her accusations)

Hope they take her to the cleaners if she cant/isnt willing to provide testimony or evidence after making such heavy accusations.

 

[Randomizor]

In the long run North are probably better of with a coach that doesn’t chuck a tantrum like a bloody toddler

 

[revo333]

The media were clearly going to dig their heels in once Hawthorn stopped winning but I didn't think it was going to be this good.

Footy Classified seemed to indicate that regardless of the outcome Clarkson and Fagan will probably get paid for defimation.

 

[Lingsface]

I’m predicting Clarkson to not coach again and make more money than he initially would of after the defamation case goes through, he has made the right move and I’m predicting (with no knowledge), that he has inside word there is not enough evidence and he thought let’s get down to business.

Geoffrey Rush has the biggest case so far 2.5 mill, Clarkson close to 10 I would say.

 

[Beerfish]

with no knowledge

Thanks for clarifying

 

[Toffee Lion]

If I started throwing a tanty at work and breaking stuff, I'd be sacked.

He gets paid leave and sympathy. What a world we live in.

 

[Devington]

Thanks for clarifying

Better than those going half cocked but absolutely sure their opinion is right.

 

[Doctor Feel]

I think the only solution to this shitshow is to sack hinkley.