North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson leaves club
North Melbourne Football Club has terminated the contract of head coach Alastair Clarkson following poor team performance and negative player feedback. The club will pay a partial termination fee rather than the full remaining value of his contract.
Why it matters
The firing of a high-profile coach like Clarkson marks a significant shift for the club's leadership and future strategic direction in the AFL.
— 7:16pm , first published 11:29am
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Share A A A Damning player feedback of rambling and muddied messages, as well as an inconsistent game plan with holes in it, were critical in North Melbourne’s decision to sack coach Alastair Clarkson with a year to run on his contract.
The club will not have to pay out all of the $1.2 million Clarkson is reported to have been contracted for next year, with the termination clause in his deal limiting the payout to six months or roughly $600,000.
North Melbourne president Sonja Hood and football manager Todd Viney fronted the media on Wednesday afternoon after the news of Clarkson’s sacking broke when players and staff were called into the club for an emergency meeting, weeks after the end of their season.
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