HAWTHORN Coach Alastair Clarkson says he is not offended by comments made by former Club president Jeff Kennett following the Club’s loss to Geelong on Easter Monday.
Disappointed with the Hawks’ 7-point loss to the Cats, which extended their winning streak to 10 since the 2008 Grand Final, Kennett called for Clarkson to be sacked at season’s end before apologising to Clarkson on Monday.
While Clarkson accepted Kennett’s apology, he revealed he felt there was no need for the former president to apologise.
He says though, he would have preferred Kennett to express his views in private.
“I’m not actually deeply offended by the comments because Jeff shared those views with me on countless occasions over the last two to three years,” Clarkson said on SEN radio on Wednesday.
“The thing that I would have liked the most was for Jeff to have expressed them to me rather than on radio.
“I didn’t really see it as a big issue.”
Clarkson conceded though, he has high expectations of the Hawks in 2013 after falling short in the last two seasons.
“If we were just coaching the same way we were in 2005 and with the same players and personnel, the game changes so much he (Kennett) might be right, who knows,” he said.
“If we don’t win a flag in the next two years he probably is right that the Club does need a change.
“We’re one year into a three-year deal and we’ve still got some things we think we can do with this group of players that can bring some success to the Hawthorn Football Club.
“Whilst we’ve still got that genuine belief and that hope, then we’re going to continue to forge down that track.”
The Hawks coach is confident the Hawks can improve on their season last year, one that saw them play off for the 2012 premiership against Sydney.
He says football clubs need to remain dynamic both on and off the field each year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a change in head coach.
“We think with the dynamic nature of the game, it doesn’t need changing per se in the bloke that heads up the club in terms of coaching as long as other dynamics are changing along the way,” he said.
“We feel like we’ve put some things in place over the summer that will help us be better this year, but only time will tell.”
Midfielder Brad Sewell threw his support behind Clarkson on Monday, revealing he had taken no notice of Kennett’s comments.
He said the Hawks had remained dynamic in their off field changes in recent seasons, bringing on board news faces and voice to the coaching group.
“I didn't take any notice of him whatsoever," Sewell said of Kennett on Monday.
“"We've had a number of assistant coaches come into the organisation and they've added so much to the group at the moment as well, so there's no doubt whatsoever that [Clarkson's] voice is still being heard."
