Coach Alastair Clarkson - NMFC Senior Coach - Coaching & Football Discussion

[Danni_Benson]

@ $1M plus a year I would be taking ownership on anything too

You could pay Clarko $1 and he would still take ownership. It’s ingrained in him. Not hard to see.

 

[koshari]

You don’t know that for certain.

If there is no discernible improvement over the next 18 months, then serious questions should be asked of the club as a whole.

Sure but that doesnt mean we panic now, gotta stay the course more do or it will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Look how close carlton were to sacking vossy.

Perpetual reactive behavior ensures nothing but kaos.

Did you hear clarko explain why he ran wardlaw with neale??

 

[Devington]

2020 was a write off, with the start of a rebuild, from player to coaches, during the insanity of COVID.
2021 was the start of a new rebuild, from players to coaches.
2022 was a write off, with wheels falling off due to our Senior Coach being an inept prick.
2023 was a write off with the start of a new rebuild, from players to coaches, due to the Hawthorn Racism scandal.

That's two aborted rebuilds, with humongous turnover club wide, and the start of our latest rebuild was kneecapped before it even started. In 4 years we changed list management, club wide tactics, and coaching staff 3 times.

The soul of our club is damaged. The players' psyches are damaged.

Yes, ask questions about the wisdom of our gameplan, about the selection policy, about comments clarko makes in the media, or about our decisions regarding KPP (and trade ins I guess) in the offseason. That's all pretty damned valid to a large extent. But if you're right now in the minority saying that we need to give the grim reaper a call again to take out the coach, then you are certifiably insane. Other than that subgroup of supporters, the keyboard warriors getting personal with staff and players on social media need to get over themselves. As for the people just angry and upset... yep. Lot to be angry and upset about, but context and excuses are two different things and I'm sorry but reality, the context, explains the majority of what we're seeing on field: A mishmash of players ranging from edging close to elite, to players that should be in VFL reserves, all trying to execute a brand new high(ish) scoring but risky gameplan and then losing any and all confidence when shit goes wrong (which happens a lot more often against teams that are either outright good or have an experience core) and a midfield group that are less than the sum of their parts so far this year.

Sure but that doesnt mean we panic now, gotta stay the course more do or it will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Look how close carlton were to sacking vossy.

Perpetual reactive behavior ensures nothing but kaos.

Did you hear clarko explain why he ran wardlaw with neale??

Would be nice if the media reported on the actual substance in that press conference, there was a surprising amount considering it started with a bunch of ****wits talking about shit that aint relevant to the club or clarko.

 

[koshari]

I see nothing wrong with raising concerns around team selection/structure at the moment.

His fascination with journeymen and sticking square pegs into round holes is a genuine query.

Sure we all have differences of opinions. Personally i would prefer bailey scott back on the wing, the ziebel on the other hand reckons his not best 22!

 

[koshari]

2020 was a write off, with the start of a rebuild, from player to coaches, during the insanity of COVID.
2021 was the start of a new rebuild, from players to coaches.
2022 was a write off, with wheels falling off due to our Senior Coach being an inept prick.
2023 was a write off with the start of a new rebuild, from players to coaches, due to the Hawthorn Racism scandal.

That's two aborted rebuilds, with humongous turnover club wide, and the start of our latest rebuild was kneecapped before it even started. In 4 years we changed list management, club wide tactics, and coaching staff 3 times.

The soul of our club is damaged. The players' psyches are damaged.

Yes, ask questions about the wisdom of our gameplan, about the selection policy, about comments clarko makes in the media, or about our decisions regarding KPP (and trade ins I guess) in the offseason. That's all pretty damned valid to a large extent. But if you're right now in the minority saying that we need to give the grim reaper a call again to take out the coach, then you are certifiably insane. Other than that subgroup of supporters, the keyboard warriors getting personal with staff and players on social media need to get over themselves. As for the people just angry and upset... yep. Lot to be angry and upset about, but context and excuses are two different things and I'm sorry but reality, the context, explains the majority of what we're seeing on field: A mishmash of players ranging from edging close to elite, to players that should be in VFL reserves, all trying to execute a brand new high(ish) scoring but risky gameplan and then losing any and all confidence when s**t goes wrong (which happens a lot more often against teams that are either outright good or have an experience core) and a midfield group that are less than the sum of their parts so far this year.


Would be nice if the media reported on the actual substance in that press conference, there was a surprising amount considering it started with a bunch of *******s talking about s**t that aint relevant to the club or clarko.

Media are gonna do what the media do.

 

[RHLK]

That clip is a must watch.

Patience. 5 Year Plan. Great Leap Forward.

 

[Spud11]

Let’s see what happens tomorrow. “See where we’re at” against a team that missed finals last year, is apparently too old, never seems to bottom out.
See what “lessons we can take” out of another uninspiring loss against [insert team that is inevitably better than us]

Dislike away mofos, you know it’s true and you’re sick of this too.

 

[Devington]

FWIW it's probably going to be worse than a simple 'uninspiring' loss lol

Our record there is absolutely wretched, and their senior core is still more than solid enough to utterly dominate us if we give them even a half chance

 

[Hearts to hearts]

I’ve been miserable often enough over the past few years, but this season I am genuinely ok with sitting back and letting Clarkson and his panel make decisions for the long term, regardless of how games play out right now. Last season never really got going so for me this is year 1, and after mocking Hawthorn early in his tenure and then watching what happened when it all came together, I’m ready to have faith and take a long view.

 

[koshari]

Let’s see what happens tomorrow. “See where we’re at” against a team that missed finals last year, is apparently too old, never seems to bottom out.
See what “lessons we can take” out of another uninspiring loss against [insert team that is inevitably better than us]

Dislike away mofos, you know it’s true and you’re sick of this too.

We are paying $11.60. why are you bemused?

 

[Spud11]

I’ve been miserable often enough over the past few years, but this season I am genuinely ok with sitting back and letting Clarkson and his panel make decisions for the long term, regardless of how games play out right now. Last season never really got going so for me this is year 1, and after mocking Hawthorn early in his tenure and then watching what happened when it all came together, I’m ready to have faith and take a long view.

My issue is with this soft narrative of losing, learning, meekly accepting everyone is always better than us and the potential of this to seep in and destroy our culture (which it arguably already has).
I’ve never called for Clarko to be sacked and the only thing more disastrous than our performances would be to do that.
I just (reasonably) expect to see more.

 

[koshari]

My issue is with this soft narrative of losing, learning, meekly accepting everyone is always better than us and the potential of this to seep in and destroy our culture (which it arguably already has).
I’ve never called for Clarko to be sacked and the only thing more disastrous than our performances would be to do that.
I just (reasonably) expect to see more.

But why do you expect to see more? Our list is what it is.

 

[Devington]

My issue is with this soft narrative of losing, learning, meekly accepting everyone is always better than us and the potential of this to seep in and destroy our culture (which it arguably already has).
I’ve never called for Clarko to be sacked and the only thing more disastrous than our performances would be to do that.
I just (reasonably) expect to see more.

Just on the bolded in the quote, we're past that point mate. The mediocrity of Scott's tenure. The player's propensity to drop their heads during it. Then the events of the last handful of years. I know there are good aspects to the club's and players' culture, but the on field culture, and in particular leadership, is on life support. It's also not a problem Clarko created. There's a reason he so often talked about the holistic nature of the club needing us to come together as one and be on the same page, of trying to promote players taking ownership of running some training sessions and extras, of assigning them offseason groups to keep accountability for each other, for recruiting and retaining a bloke like Shiels, and even for just plain old smashing down the office walls.

 

[Spud11]

But why do you expect to see more? Our list is what it is.

The list is not that bad. The players are producing this because it’s accepted. Player for player we should be matching it with at least 12 other clubs right now. We should be laying the gauntlet and expectations down to the 22-30 age bracket too.

Can’t blame the previous admin for the list if the current one relists Turner, goes and gets Stephens and lets Greenwood rot in the 2’s. **** sake.

 

[koshari]

The list is not that bad. The players are producing this because it’s accepted. Player for player we should be matching it with at least 12 other clubs right now. We should be laying the gauntlet and expectations down to the 22-30 age bracket too.

Can’t blame the previous admin for the list if the current one relists Turner, goes and gets Stephens and lets Greenwood rot in the 2’s. **** sake.

The list has you fooled, there are prolly 12 to 14 blokes you could call senior players atm, 10 to 12 kids with a bit of potential and a couple of old timers there for support. So i suppose you could say potentially the list is ok but really there are another half a dozen blokes to find before we could even be seen to have depth.

Turner getting extra seasons was necessary due to no one else being recruited in the previous 5 years to dissplace him.
Personally i probably would have plaved greenwood but its moot now that ccj went down anyway. Regardless that change was never about being a game changer. More about providing some strength to support the kids.

 

[LB2Snake]

Fk me the media are flogs

 

[Hearts to hearts]

My issue is with this soft narrative of losing, learning, meekly accepting everyone is always better than us and the potential of this to seep in and destroy our culture (which it arguably already has).
I’ve never called for Clarko to be sacked and the only thing more disastrous than our performances would be to do that.
I just (reasonably) expect to see more.

There are a lot of assumptions here and from the outside we can’t say how many of them are true.

Personally I don’t find losing and learning and cutting players who are judged unable to make the grade a soft approach at all. I’ve always been on the side of winning now and let the long term take care of itself, but years of sugar hits under Scott and then Shaw have beaten it out of me - now I prefer the realism and determination to build properly and sustainably that I’m hearing in Clarkson’s public comments.

 

[pupstar]

FWIW it's probably going to be worse than a simple 'uninspiring' loss lol

Our record there is absolutely wretched, and their senior core is still more than solid enough to utterly dominate us if we give them even a half chance

I suppose the other way to look at is their senior core have dominated everyone they have played this years.

 

[chickenonachain]

The list is not that bad. The players are producing this because it’s accepted. Player for player we should be matching it with at least 12 other clubs right now. We should be laying the gauntlet and expectations down to the 22-30 age bracket too.

Can’t blame the previous admin for the list if the current one relists Turner, goes and gets Stephens and lets Greenwood rot in the 2’s. **** sake.

Bullshit the list is terrible and until we get some kpp’s it will still be terrible. We have got the right coach its the cattle he has to work with is the problem

 

[Only Forwards]

Bullshit the list is terrible and until we get some kpp’s it will still be terrible. We have got the right coach its the cattle he has to work with is the problem

It’s not terrible there are some bare bones in the KPP areas however what it is is young and inexperienced and both of those aspects can create losses where we can be pushed off the ball through size or cut up through system or both.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

I'd be interested to see the pie chart intersection of those North supporters who think we have a losing mentality and we accept losing too easily, and those who think it was dumb to win in round 23 last year, thereby missing out on Harley Reid.

 

[apollo_creed]

It’s not terrible there are some bare bones in the KPP areas however what it is is young and inexperienced and both of those aspects can create losses where we can be pushed off the ball through size or cut up through system or both.

If it’s terrible then it reflects poorly on Rawlings. We have high end young talent (unbalanced yes) and have brought in experienced players to compliment them on long contracts. Unfortunately we seem to have a special skill of affording long contracts to shit footballers who don’t improve our 22. We shouldn’t be as bad as we are right now but here we are.

 

[chickenonachain]

It’s not terrible there are some bare bones in the KPP areas however what it is is young and inexperienced and both of those aspects can create losses where we can be pushed off the ball through size or cut up through system or both.

Right now our list is terrible no backmen one forward no leaders and two shit captains I’d say that’s terrible

 

[Spud11]

I was just hoping Clarko would come in and tap some of these 25 year-olds on the shoulder and give them new roles & responsibilities and we’d see them flourish, finally, under a coach who knows what he’s doing.

Yet here we are.

If the list is indeed that bad and we have to churn through 15 players while teaching the youngsters only how to lose, it’s going to be dire for many years. And what kids will want to stay?

We can and should be expecting more now.

 

[apollo_creed]

I'd be interested to see the pie chart intersection of those North supporters who think we have a losing mentality and we accept losing too easily, and those who think it was dumb to win in round 23 last year, thereby missing out on Harley Reid.

Don’t think it was dumb to win but Gold Coast absolutely had the handbrake on in that game. We had lost 20 in a row and they made us look like the Harlem Globetrotters. That win presented a false narrative.