Coaching great Clarkson tests waters at GWS
ALASTAIR Clarkson met Greater Western Sydney officials on Thursday, challenging popular opinion that he was on the verge of signing with North Melbourne.
Clarkson flew into Sydney without his manager James Henderson and is understood to have caught up with Giants chief executive David Matthews and head of football Jason McCartney.
It is not known if a formal offer was made to the fourtime premiership coach.
It is at least the fourth meeting between Clarkson and the Giants.
That Clarkson remains a part of the Giants’ process suggests he hasn’t made up his mind about whether to coach GWS or the Kangaroos.
North Melbourne has launched a feverish chase of Clarkson to be its senior coach next year.
Club president Sonja Hood said this week the club was “comfortable” with its discussions with him.
Clarkson is still open to staying out of football for 2023 if he cannot be satisfied that he can thrive at a club with an elite football department, medical and recruitment team, as well as a top-shelf chief executive and president.
He is so keen to ensure a stable environment as coach he wants to know who would replace GWS chairman Tony Shepherd if he stepped down, as expected, at the end of the year.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan appeared to open a loophole when he said on Friday coaches like Clarkson might be able to secure ambassadorial funds for coaching after they were hired by a club.
But it is understood no current coaches are receiving any meaningful ambassadorial funds, including 2022 expansion coaches Stuart Dew and Leon Cameron, who was moved on this year.