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

[northbergs]

It's so obvious in that Q&A that Clarko and Viney are very much looking to the future and aren't really that concerned with wins at the moment. Which is frustrating for us now but in the long term we're gonna be dominant, I trust in these two.

That is a cop out. Wins still matter - even if there’s not many of them.


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[Gasometer]

My take on intensity and ferocity in training, games etc which is reinforced by that presser is that it's not a priority to Clarkson right now.

He won't come out and say it exactly like that but he and Viney dropped enough hints.

It's pretty obvious but they're primarily identifying who they build a premiership side around. The secondary focus is bedding in some basic game plan elements but I suspect they're keeping their powder dry on that front.

As a result we're going to games doing what we want and not really tactically setting up for particular opponents at all. Viney touched on it with "let's just get a plan A sorted before we worry about B and C" and both mentioned that most sides set up the same these days, with us just implementing a couple of differences.

They've reasoned that this group isn't even capable of being competitive so a) they won't bother firing a shot with some innovative game plan (in full) right now and b) are prioritising getting AFL exposure and general gamesense into players showing enough talent and natural competitiveness to be in their long term planning.

Which means whipping the side up into peak aggression just isn't the directive, yet.

Exactly what I heard but the Whipping Gang are out whipping themselves up in to contortions

 

[Garibaldi82]

It's one thing for the supporter base to be told to be patient on a regular basis (for years on end), but if the playing group don't have as much patience it will be a continuing cycle of the more experience players going elsewhere because they get to enjoy a win every 20 or so games.

Get youth in, develop them, watch them go elsewhere, get some compensation, repeat.

You should not be going backwards in your win tally 4-5 years into a rebuild.

 

[berniemccarthy]

Sigh. We are in year 5 of a three year rebuild. Very interesting Q&A. The most frustrating bit is the acknowledgement that we don't train hard enough. Really? Who drives that? I would think the coaching group so WTF are they doing about it? Been spoken about for a few years so why is it still an issue? Surely upping the ante on training standards is an easy thing to do. I appreciated the honesty from Clarko and Viney - but being honest doesn't absolve them from responsibility and right now I am a little pi55ed to think they know we are slackers.

There was no such acknowledgment. You and many others are conflating lack of standards with lack of effort. The distinction Clarko is making is that the standards are poorer is because of lack of skills which they are addressing. It’s not effort he is talking about.

It's one thing for the supporter base to be told to be patient on a regular basis (for years on end), but if the playing group don't have as much patience it will be a continuing cycle of the more experience players going elsewhere because they get to enjoy a win every 20 or so games.

Get youth in, develop them, watch them go elsewhere, get some compensation, repeat.

You should not be going backwards in your win tally 4-5 years into a rebuild.

Has been the GWS and GC model since inception

 

[Woolly Mammoth]

I was talking to a Hawthorn supporter mate of mine about my grave concerns about whether Clarko is still up to it and what our supporters are seeing on the park week after week and he told me to watch the infamous drubbing from Port in 2005 to get a sense of how it looked in the early days for the Hawks faithful, I think everyone should take the time to watch the whole thing, because what you will see is eerily familiar.

Panicky, disorganised backline conceding the easiest of walk up goals, players appearing to lazily let their opponent wiz past them, awful missed targets, amateurish turnovers, failure to pull the trigger on handballs and kicks quick enough, confidence and poise slowly disintegrating into dust with each score

One thing that really stands out is how Franklin, Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis and Roughead are made to look like unremarkable players in this kind of situation. They blend in with no name, forgotten players that were on the Hawks list at the time and didn't make it to the flag years. (note:Buddy is no.38,Lewis is no.40 and Rough is no.35)

 

[r00boy96]

That is a cop out. Wins still matter - even if there’s not many of them.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

You can't have your cake and eat it too. We need to bolster the roster with high end talent which is done through the draft. We can't win because we don't have any leaders in the 27-32 range that are any good.

 

[hilly]

I was talking to a Hawthorn supporter mate of mine about my grave concerns about whether Clarko is still up to it and what our supporters are seeing on the park week after week and he told me to watch the infamous drubbing from Port in 2005 to get a sense of how it looked in the early days for the Hawks faithful, I think everyone should take the time to watch the whole thing, because what you will see is eerily familiar.

Panicky, disorganised backline conceding the easiest of walk up goals, players appearing to lazily let their opponent wiz past them, awful missed targets, amateurish turnovers, confidence and poise slowly disintegrating into dust with each score

One thing that really stands out is how Franklin, Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis and Roughead are made to look like unremarkable players in this kind of situation. They blend in with no name, forgotten players that were on the Hawks list at the time and didn't make it to the flag years. (note:Buddy is no.38,Lewis is no.40 and Rough is no.35)

After that game they were 3-10 and 85%.

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[Event Horizon]

My take on intensity and ferocity in training, games etc which is reinforced by that presser is that it's not a priority to Clarkson right now.

He won't come out and say it exactly like that but he and Viney dropped enough hints.

It's pretty obvious but they're primarily identifying who they build a premiership side around. The secondary focus is bedding in some basic game plan elements but I suspect they're keeping their powder dry on that front.

As a result we're going to games doing what we want and not really tactically setting up for particular opponents at all. Viney touched on it with "let's just get a plan A sorted before we worry about B and C" and both mentioned that most sides set up the same these days, with us just implementing a couple of differences.

They've reasoned that this group isn't even capable of being competitive so a) they won't bother firing a shot with some innovative game plan (in full) right now and b) are prioritising getting AFL exposure and general gamesense into players showing enough talent and natural competitiveness to be in their long term planning.

Which means whipping the side up into peak aggression just isn't the directive, yet.

This also gives us another couple of years of top draft picks just before Tasmania comes in. But it also means losing culture continues and we are potentially losing a generation of kids as supporters


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[Event Horizon]

My old school motto " Deeds not Words " , still seems pretty relevant

As is “Victoria Amat Curam”


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[Horizons_00]

That is a cop out. Wins still matter - even if there’s not many of them.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

It’s not that we’re losing every game

It’s the way we’re losing

It’s not sustainable and we’re probably going to lose LDU, Cam and continue to never develop a competitive or winning attitude

The presenter and Todd etc told us, as fans we need to be patient, m8 show us something, anything that we are on the upwards scale ffs, stop gaslighting us. While you sit on your hands and say "everything will improve, Its the same as when i was at hawthorn" is not good enough and is the laziest mentality to have. Sorry, but stop living in the past.

We need innovation, excitement, some unknown. Whilst you wait for us to get better, and getting paid the big bucks, the losing culture you are developing into our young players will be further entrenched the longer this goes.

Show us some SHINBONER SPIRIT

 

[Hearts to hearts]

It’s not that we’re losing every game

It’s the way we’re losing

It’s not sustainable and we’re probably going to lose LDU, Cam and continue to never develop a competitive or winning attitude

The presenter and Todd etc told us, as fans we need to be patient, m8 show us something, anything that we are on the upwards scale ffs, stop gaslighting us. While you sit on your hands and say "everything will improve, Its the same as when i was at hawthorn" is not good enough and is the laziest mentality to have. Sorry, but stop living in the past.

We need innovation, excitement, some unknown. Whilst you wait for us to get better, and getting paid the big bucks, the losing culture you are developing into our young players will be further entrenched the longer this goes.

Show us some SHINBONER SPIRIT

You honestly believe that Viney and Clarkson and all the coaches are just sitting back waiting to improve over time? Not implementing anything?

 

[Horizons_00]

You honestly believe that Viney and Clarkson and all the coaches are just sitting back waiting to improve over time? Not implementing anything?

Of course not, no one wants to not improve, but we are not in the 4 walls at the club. Plus everyone, including myself, automatically thinks Clarko is going to be successful just because he was soooo long ago, and add the awful investigation onto him.

But show us something, anything. All I'm seeing is the players not playing for their leaders, on the field (looking at you Lmac etc) and their coaches.

All this is going to be a very different discussion if we continue to lose every game this year, with lack of intensity and effort though.

Were not rock bottom. Yet lol

 

[Sphynx]

The QnA was awesome.

I was surprised they had questions about mick mguanes article and asked the 2 to respond to it. Didn't shy away from anything.

They also didn't talk rubbish about sick of this do this etc.

Stuck firm to the process and they are working hard but it'll take time. This really is the start of the rebuild and the noble years were wasted. They know this.

Further - clarko said we. Alot. He is in it. Shut that clarko thread down please.

The Noble Rot

I must say, I'm starting to get jaded from kicking all the responsibility of this current side onto Noble.

We sacked him on the 12th July 2022. 2 years is a long time in football to get some semblance of improvement.

Was he part of the problem? Yes.

Is he most of the problem at the moment? No.


For starters, half of the current list never even played under him and the other portion of the senior players played most of their football under Scott or other coaches.


Noble isn't responsible for the current game plan, he's not responsible for the defensive structures, the suicidal high zone, the current training standards, the current morale, the current selection process, the current blind faith in some of the worst senior players to grace an AFL side.


The fact remains, if Clarko loses a few more games, David Noble was a more successful NMFC coach than Alistair Clarkson currently is.

David Noble didn't coach us to a winless season, will Clarko?

Im sure Clarko is absoring 2-3x what Noble did within the soft cap allowances budget also.

So if it's the Noble rot, it's the Clarko cancer?

 

[Sphynx]

That is a cop out. Wins still matter - even if there’s not many of them.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

A win absolutely matters.

Because despite being stamped as a "4 time premiership coach" as a preface to anything ever said about him, if we don't win a game this season he will also have the following attached to his legacy:

"the only coach in the AFL era to coach a winless season"

 

[gokangas]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2024-north-melbourne-coach-alastair-clarkson-addresses-clubs-poor-training-standards/news-story/ecd3a8f0db73317801e215f70d145ba2

 

[gokangas]

AFL 2024: North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson addresses club’s poor training standards​

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has responded to a scathing article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane which criticised the club’s training standards. See the column and watch Clarkson’s response here.

2 min read
May 2, 2024 - 10:14AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/.../ecd3a8f0db73317801e215f70d145ba2#share-tools

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has responded to a scathing article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane which criticised the club’s training standards.

AFL​

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson sensationally admitted that the club’s training standards are “not at the level that they need to be” in the wake of scathing criticism that there is “an acceptance of poor standards” at Arden Street.
In a video to members which was posted on the Kangaroos’ website on Wednesday afternoon, Clarkson responded to a question about a recent article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane.
McGuane wrote last week that North Melbourne players were underperforming in games because of poor training standards, noting that some were “poles apart” from their peers at other clubs with how hard they work on the track.

Clarkson did not defend his side in the wake of the article, instead acknowledging that McGuane’s observations hit the mark.
“Mick’s probably right,” Clarkson said.
“The standards of our group are not at the level that they need to be and that’s what we’re aspiring to do. That’s why we brought in new players, new coaches to try to resurrect that.
“We’ve embarked on this pathway of investing in youth, acknowledging that that’s going to come with some bumpy roads on that path. Part of it will be lifting our standards because if we were training unbelievably well, I think that would be reflected in winning games of football on a weekend. So it doesn’t surprise me one little bit that someone would come and observe your training and say, ‘Oh, I don’t think the standards are good enough’. Because that’s why we’re sitting in the position on the ladder that we are right now.”

Mick McGuane wrote that Luke Davies-Uniacke

9

Luke Davies-uniacke

Age

24

Ht

188cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.1

3star

K

6.5

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.5

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

2.0

4star

D

7.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

2star

CL

2.0

4star

D

9.8

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

CL

1.2

4star

was one Kangaroos player who was ‘poles apart’ from peers at other clubs with his training standards. Picture: Michael Klein
The Kangaroos remain winless on the bottom of the ladder, seven games into Clarkson’s second season at the helm.
Since 2020, the club has won just 12 or 91 games.
Clarkson called for “patience” from fans as the young group looks to lift its standards, with North Melbourne having entered the season with the youngest and least experienced playing list in the competition.
“Our challenge is how can we lift those standards in our training?” he said.
“I think there’s some growth in all of our players, including some of our leaders. Because the bottom line with a lot of these guys, if they’ve played 60, 80, 100 games of footy at this club to this point in time, they’ve only won 15 or 20 games in all of that time. They don’t know what they don’t know.
“When I first arrived at Hawthorn, it was exactly the same thing. They needed to lift the standards. That was both in the way that they prepared and the way that they played the game. But I can remember getting smashed on The Footy Show for how it doesn’t look like your team’s got any idea, we look rudderless, no direction, what’s your DNA? All exactly the same questions that we’re getting now. We just need a bit of patience and some time to actually embed some of these things that we’re doing and we’ll see some productivity.”
North Melbourne faces St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

AFL 2024: North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson addresses club’s poor training standards​

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has responded to a scathing article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane which criticised the club’s training standards. See the column and watch Clarkson’s response here.

2 min read
May 2, 2024 - 10:14AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/.../ecd3a8f0db73317801e215f70d145ba2#share-tools

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has responded to a scathing article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane which criticised the club’s training standards.

AFL​

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson sensationally admitted that the club’s training standards are “not at the level that they need to be” in the wake of scathing criticism that there is “an acceptance of poor standards” at Arden Street.
In a video to members which was posted on the Kangaroos’ website on Wednesday afternoon, Clarkson responded to a question about a recent article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane.
McGuane wrote last week that North Melbourne players were underperforming in games because of poor training standards, noting that some were “poles apart” from their peers at other clubs with how hard they work on the track.

Clarkson did not defend his side in the wake of the article, instead acknowledging that McGuane’s observations hit the mark.
“Mick’s probably right,” Clarkson said.
“The standards of our group are not at the level that they need to be and that’s what we’re aspiring to do. That’s why we brought in new players, new coaches to try to resurrect that.
“We’ve embarked on this pathway of investing in youth, acknowledging that that’s going to come with some bumpy roads on that path. Part of it will be lifting our standards because if we were training unbelievably well, I think that would be reflected in winning games of football on a weekend. So it doesn’t surprise me one little bit that someone would come and observe your training and say, ‘Oh, I don’t think the standards are good enough’. Because that’s why we’re sitting in the position on the ladder that we are right now.”

Mick McGuane wrote that Luke Davies-Uniacke was one Kangaroos player who was ‘poles apart’ from peers at other clubs with his training standards. Picture: Michael Klein
The Kangaroos remain winless on the bottom of the ladder, seven games into Clarkson’s second season at the helm.
Since 2020, the club has won just 12 or 91 games.
Clarkson called for “patience” from fans as the young group looks to lift its standards, with North Melbourne having entered the season with the youngest and least experienced playing list in the competition.
“Our challenge is how can we lift those standards in our training?” he said.
“I think there’s some growth in all of our players, including some of our leaders. Because the bottom line with a lot of these guys, if they’ve played 60, 80, 100 games of footy at this club to this point in time, they’ve only won 15 or 20 games in all of that time. They don’t know what they don’t know.
“When I first arrived at Hawthorn, it was exactly the same thing. They needed to lift the standards. That was both in the way that they prepared and the way that they played the game. But I can remember getting smashed on The Footy Show for how it doesn’t look like your team’s got any idea, we look rudderless, no direction, what’s your DNA? All exactly the same questions that we’re getting now. We just need a bit of patience and some time to actually embed some of these things that we’re doing and we’ll see some productivity.”
North Melbourne faces St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

“Sensationally”. FMD.

 

[Epictetus]

“Sensationally”. FMD.

If the AFL really, truly want to the engage with people and bring them back to the game or hold the attention and passion of people, they'll invest some time and resources into fixing the way the game is covered.

It's pure farce, presently. Journos as celebrities, sensationalised horse s**t and no celebration of the sport or it's people. Just miles and miles of self serving ******* bullshit.

 

[Horizons_00]

AFL 2024: North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson addresses club’s poor training standards​

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has responded to a scathing article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane which criticised the club’s training standards. See the column and watch Clarkson’s response here.

2 min read
May 2, 2024 - 10:14AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/.../ecd3a8f0db73317801e215f70d145ba2#share-tools

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has responded to a scathing article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane which criticised the club’s training standards.

AFL​

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson sensationally admitted that the club’s training standards are “not at the level that they need to be” in the wake of scathing criticism that there is “an acceptance of poor standards” at Arden Street.
In a video to members which was posted on the Kangaroos’ website on Wednesday afternoon, Clarkson responded to a question about a recent article by Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane.
McGuane wrote last week that North Melbourne players were underperforming in games because of poor training standards, noting that some were “poles apart” from their peers at other clubs with how hard they work on the track.

Clarkson did not defend his side in the wake of the article, instead acknowledging that McGuane’s observations hit the mark.
“Mick’s probably right,” Clarkson said.
“The standards of our group are not at the level that they need to be and that’s what we’re aspiring to do. That’s why we brought in new players, new coaches to try to resurrect that.
“We’ve embarked on this pathway of investing in youth, acknowledging that that’s going to come with some bumpy roads on that path. Part of it will be lifting our standards because if we were training unbelievably well, I think that would be reflected in winning games of football on a weekend. So it doesn’t surprise me one little bit that someone would come and observe your training and say, ‘Oh, I don’t think the standards are good enough’. Because that’s why we’re sitting in the position on the ladder that we are right now.”

Mick McGuane wrote that Luke Davies-Uniacke was one Kangaroos player who was ‘poles apart’ from peers at other clubs with his training standards. Picture: Michael Klein
The Kangaroos remain winless on the bottom of the ladder, seven games into Clarkson’s second season at the helm.
Since 2020, the club has won just 12 or 91 games.
Clarkson called for “patience” from fans as the young group looks to lift its standards, with North Melbourne having entered the season with the youngest and least experienced playing list in the competition.
“Our challenge is how can we lift those standards in our training?” he said.
“I think there’s some growth in all of our players, including some of our leaders. Because the bottom line with a lot of these guys, if they’ve played 60, 80, 100 games of footy at this club to this point in time, they’ve only won 15 or 20 games in all of that time. They don’t know what they don’t know.
“When I first arrived at Hawthorn, it was exactly the same thing. They needed to lift the standards. That was both in the way that they prepared and the way that they played the game. But I can remember getting smashed on The Footy Show for how it doesn’t look like your team’s got any idea, we look rudderless, no direction, what’s your DNA? All exactly the same questions that we’re getting now. We just need a bit of patience and some time to actually embed some of these things that we’re doing and we’ll see some productivity.”
North Melbourne faces St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

So what is the club doing about the poor training standards then?

We just accept it

 

[giantroo]

 

[DrZaius]

Well even if it's primary purpose was a PR exercise, at least it's nice to get official confirmation we have started entirely from scratch again and have zero care about results for the next few years. I still think there's a difference between having an eye on the future and continuing to be statistically one of, if not the worst team ever but no point speculating any further or picking apart coaching tactics if that's the way they are going.

Not exactly rocket science to work out but there is no chance we keep Zurhaar or LDU IMO as they will net us good draft capital.

 

[Horizons_00]

Stop talking up the opposition (including how good other players ate) before and after games

Drives me nuts lol

 

[backtothedraft]

I think Clarkson has had a good week off the track. Calm and confident in response to some very difficult questions, and the messaging is consistent. Despite that, we obviously need to string together a few improved importance to restore the faith and hope of the membership. Being competitive across the next two weeks and then beating Essendon would be a good start.

 

[kool kangas]

When we signed Clarkson most of the supporters were excited thinking that finally things will change.

Things did change.: Clarkson was hardly sighted during the season due to the Hawthorn fiasco.
We won a game much to the dissappointment of supporters due to us not getting pick#1.
More experienced players either retired, left or were delisted.
We ended up with McKercher and Duursma but people still sooked about not getting Harley Reid'
We have a very young side to develop over the years to come.



Not a great season but how much of it was due to Clarkson. l would say his first season was a waste and the Clarkson era should begin this year. We signed him for 5 years but class this one as his first and express your opinion being either happy or dissatisfied AFTER his contract is finish..

To many supporters seem to be glass half empty and it is hard being glass half full atm but we must give him time..

 

[franjon]

A win absolutely matters.

For the teams confidence I absolutely agree. But watching the clip I agree wholeheartedly with Clarkson and Viney. They're building a team that will be sustainable for the long term. We've already built a strong foundation off the field, we have to be patient on the field. (One guy needs to go in the football department) but other than that I'm pretty comfortable.