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

[Heaps of fun]

I'm really appreciating the little, common sense things under Clarkson.

Getting our talented players like Goater, Bergman and Sheezel into the backline where previous coaches have put faith in slow, uncreative footballers.

Just getting selection right. My first thought after last week was "Out: Bonar and Xerri, In: Corr and Goldstein" but I've been conditioned to expect nonsense changes and previously said "well it should be X, so lets wait and see WHY THE * ARE WE GOING SHORT AGAINST THREE RUCKMAN AND A KEY FORWARD".

Great use of in form veterans. Greenwood, Ziebell, Cunnington and Shiels are out there giving us drive, direction and spark but they're also playing good football. I still feel for how Noble played broken down Greenwood last year and how he was crucified by our fans while Powell and LDU rotted on flanks.

It's just simple, tasty, rustic food made with local ingredients as a half-naked Scotsman once said.

 

[Ashley B]

I think Big Al just uses plain old common sense and doing the simple things well. Plus he also just knows how to read the game and I think people too. He really seem to have a knack of getting players to do the right things at the right time.

 

[Roosurgence]

You can see the results are night and day between a bloke that is an outright footy coach and one that was an administrator.

I think Clarko knows he is on a bit of a free hit at the moment with no one expecting us to be any good and he is loving it.

He gets the simple point that these blokes need someone to make them believe and he is doing it to perfection.

 

[Ashley B]

Obviously winning helps but he did say we could have been zero and 2 . However, it’s pretty obvious we have nearly a full list to pick from and are competitive again can’t be just luck. My other half works for a large corporation and she told me a great leader makes a huge difference. Acknowledging good work means people will WANT to work for you. It is why Big Al is on the big bucks.

 

[Roosurgence]

Obviously winning helps but he did say we could have been zero and 2 . However, it’s pretty obvious we have nearly a full list to pick from and are competitive again can’t be just luck. My other half works for a large corporation and she told me a great leader makes a huge difference. Acknowledging good work means people will WANT to work for you. It is why Big Al is on the big bucks.

Clarko gets that to be a successful club it’s not all about what happens on a Saturday, but creating an environment that everyone wants to be a part of.

What he is creating is a place of work where you are challenged to be your best, but at the same time love being there.

It’s like ‘Field of Dreams’ build it and they will come!

You would think the environment that Clarko is creating becomes very attractive to players looking to move.

We all wondered why everyone wanted to go to Hawthorn and now we are probably getting a bit of insight as to why.

 

[Dingster]

Clarko nails it again...

 

[Horizons_00]

 

[Ashley B]

Really important there by Al once players take ownership of the club and it becomes their club things will change. Early in your career you just want to play and are more worried about your spot. When players start hitting 60 to 100 games they become more enshrined in the club and what it stands for. We are nearing this phase for a lot of them.

 

[ferball]

Obviously winning helps but he did say we could have been zero and 2 . However, it’s pretty obvious we have nearly a full list to pick from and are competitive again can’t be just luck. My other half works for a large corporation and she told me a great leader makes a huge difference. Acknowledging good work means people will WANT to work for you. It is why Big Al is on the big bucks.

This is so true.

He goes out of his way to acknowledge players too. as manyu as he can at every opportunity. Just hearing that s**t reinforces that you're part of something.

 

[Ashley B]

He also acknowledges the staff . Had a little joke re our club cook but then acknowledged what an important and wonderful job he was doing in front of the whole club, exactly what you want.

 

[Farthers]

Full steam ahead on the Clarko Bus!

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

View attachment 1639993

And clearly, he sees it the same way we do.

Yes. There was effort in that to keep the ball in. BALL!!@!

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

This is so true.

He goes out of his way to acknowledge players too. as manyu as he can at every opportunity. Just hearing that s**t reinforces that you're part of something.

He was hi-5ing the bench players when North kicked a goal. They were on the pine but he got them involved in the celebration. That has to get them up just a bit when they run back out onto the ground. They see that the coach is getting involved and it rubs off.

 

[FlyHigh18]

“The club and Clarkson are at odds, he’s running around unchecked”

“North have already lost control Clarko”

“… an angry man”

“He’s not in the right mindset”

“Sources tell me he’s upsetting a few ppl at the club”

 

[Ashley B]

Agree for a bloke that seems difficult to manage he is getting some excellent results . *ing media darlings speaking utter bunkum or Hokum as some people like to use .Don’t worry they will be working on something tonight to derail our fantastic win, bookmark it.

 

[tazaa]

Its been extremely noticeable that when we move the ball players are leading to where they should be.

But more importantly notice our zone stacks up and our defenders are well positioned to repel any turnovers.

I mean we’ve been crying out for a system like this for decades and the best in the business has worked in the plan in a summer.

What that means is the playing list is extremely coachable and that Clarko has buy in from the group.

Blessed

 

[Elite Master]

Another aspect about Clarko's game plan is that we don't expend so much energy when attacking or defending. Our organization and structure ahead of the ball and behind the ball means we are well optimized both ways.

 

[GoNorth]

What a great press conference that was!

 

[Psicosis]

The back 6 are so vocal with one another. They literally scream if they see a gap.

 

[DesertRoo]

Another aspect about Clarko's game plan is that we don't expend so much energy when attacking or defending. Our organization and structure ahead of the ball and behind the ball means we are well optimized both ways.

This was the most notable thing for me, basically we could hit short targets at will, and watched freo having to constantly run and adjust while we moved the ball forward with ease.
When ingrained, it’s that sort of play that’ll win so many games when it’s on the line. Casually holding possession.

As a supporter you just shake your head and ask why couldn’t we do this for the past five years

 

[Passmore]

This was the most notable thing for me, basically we could hit short targets at will, and watched freo having to constantly run and adjust while we moved the ball forward with ease.
When ingrained, it’s that sort of play that’ll win so many games when it’s on the line. Casually holding possession.

As a supporter you just shake your head and ask why couldn’t we do this for the past five years

One of the commentators mentioned ”North’s precise ball movement “. When’s the last time that was applicable?

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

This was the most notable thing for me, basically we could hit short targets at will

How rotten was it over the last few years seeing players attempting 15m kicks and the ball going over the target's head or being chopped off half way, or seeing handballs falling at the feet of their target or going wide by huge margins?

In the games this year players are hitting chests or taking the ball on the run mid stride more often than not. Skills are greatly improved.

 

[DesertRoo]

How rotten was it over the last few years seeing players attempting 15m kicks and the ball going over the target's head or being chopped off half way, or seeing handballs falling at the feet of their target or going wide by huge margins?

In the games this year players are hitting chests or taking the ball on the run mid stride more often than not. Skills are greatly improved.

I just want to know how?

Skills can’t improve that much over a summer

 

[Devington]

The back 6 are so vocal with one another. They literally scream if they see a gap.

I think it was in one of the preseason Inner North videos where clarko was talking about needing to do that and he burst out screaming mid sentence to illustrate it.

 

[gokangas]

I just want to know how?

Skills can’t improve that much over a summer

Confidence cures a lot of problems.