Hawthorn legend and the club's incoming coach Sam Mitchell has categorically refuted claims that he and Alastair Clarkson are at odds about the Hawks highly publicised succession plan.
The 2012 Brownlow medalist has come out publicly in defence of his former mentor following Caroline Wilson's claims earlier this week that the pair required a "mediation session" to smooth over issues that had arisen behind closed doors.
On Monday night, Wilson stated that sources at Waverley had told her that it was Mitchell's preference to take the reigns on himself next year without the guidance of his former coach.
"During that meeting it became clear that Sam Mitchell would like a fresh start next year, without Alastair Clarkson by his side."
Caroline WIlson reveals a mediation session was held between Clarkson and Mitchell, which didn't go well.#9FootyClassified | Watch @channel9 pic.twitter.com/M2EDzrXxab
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 19, 2021
However, in the wake of Wilson's comments, Mitchell took to radio waves on Wednesday morning to refute the journalist's claims.
In a back-and-forth interview withย SEN's Gerard Whateley on the host's morning show Whateley, the four-time premiership Hawk said that the original plan was still set to be adhered to.
When quizzed about whether Wilson's comments held weight and whether he would prefer to coach without Clarkson beside him next season, Mitchell was emphatic in his response.
โAbsolutely not. That has not happened," he said.
"Weโve been working on some form of succession plan for such a long period of time, if youโll do me the privilege, Iโll explain how long ago this started and how itโs still all on track.
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"Thereโs still plenty to work out of course."
Mitchell revealed that the plan that was publicly enacted earlier this month had been in the pipeline for some time.
โIn 2016 when I left to go to West Coast, Clarko said โit will be great for him, heโs got coaching aspirations to get some experience at a new clubโ then he rang me halfway through 2018 and said โit would be great for you to come back it would be ideal if you took over from me at some stage, no promises, but it would be a great situation for us so letโs try and work towards thatโ," Mitchell told Whateley.
โThen over the last three years, Iโve gone to footy sub-committee meetings and started developing my own skill sets and over my journey having been part of all of these steppingstones was always going to be a part of it."
The 2003 Rising Star continued by saying that he had originally set his sights on the vacant role at Collingwood.
โAs soon as I knew the club was not going to reappoint Clarko, my options became to continue on and attempt to go for the Collingwood job or if not do that, I knew someone else was going to coach Hawthorn in 2023 and so they gave me the option of taking that," he said.
Despite revealing that a mediation session had taken place at the Hawks' nest, the man who held the 2008 premiership trophy aloft with Clarkson expressed that there was no division between the pair.
โI said Iโve built such a strong relationship and itโs been the plan for such a long period of time and now itโs coming around," he said.
"For me, Iโm a little bit bemused by the whole situation. Iโve been working with Clarko for the best part of 20 years consistently, but apparently we still donโt get along.โ
Mitchell was then asked by the esteemed journalist about whether there was any truth to the view that he wanted the master coach gone.
โNo. I donโt think that is part of it," Mitchell began.
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"Everyone talks about that meeting like it was a one-off or the only time weโve ever met.
"I heard some of the media reports talking about it and itโs like, if youโre in an organisation like Hawthorn, you are going to have all of these discussions all of the time and if you all agree on everything, then whatโs the point having so many people doing it?"
As a hardnosed midfielder, Mitchell was often seen as the poster boy for the 'unsociable Hawks' that claimed four-flags in eight-years. However, when prompted further, the three-time All-Australian revealed that holding a difference of opinion to others within the four-walls of a football club was standard practice.
โYou have to have people with differing views all of the time," Mitchell said.
"Part of what happened on that particular meeting โฆ we caught up, everyone knew we were doing it, and at the end of that meeting we did not have every answer, which would be plain for anyone to see that if youโre working through something this big, itโs a continual work in progress."
Mitchell also divulged that it would be Clarkson, and not him, that would be the club's head coach in 2022.
โEverything we are working towards is Clarko coaching next year and me maintaining the role which I love working with these young fellas and watching them progress and now a heap of them are getting games at the moment and Iโm absolutely loving that.โ
When asked whether it was his preference for the plan to unfold this way, Mitchell remained steadfast.
โAbsolutely. 100 per cent," the 307-game Hawk said.
"I think the perfect situation here is, we donโt have all the answers just yet โฆ everything is a little bit grey. Recruiting for instance will be mainly my area and Clarko will be involved and the game plan is mainly Clarkoโs area and Iโll be a little bit involved.โ
Mitchell also disclosed that although the succession plan was still currently on track, not all of the minutiae had been finalised.
โWeโre working on all of these little details and thatโs part of what a good organisation does - it plans for the future," he told Whatley.
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The five-time Peter Crimmins medalist also rubbished members of the media for attempting to sidetrack the deal.
"Right now weโre 17th on the ladder and everyone at Hawthorn is working so hard โฆ and yet all of these people (in the media) who have a genuine lack of knowledge about the internal workings," Mitchell expounded.
"Thereโs all this โI spoke to this person at the clubโ. I find it very hard to believe that anyone who is speaking to anyone at the club would say we donโt get along because itโs a not reality.โ
Whateley continued probing the former Hawk and Eagle about the status-quo, as well as what was currently in front of Clarkson.
โMy understanding of what happened between the club and Clarko was they told Clarko that he wouldnโt be reappointed after next year. That was one thing that happened,โ Mitchell revealed.
โThe next thing that happened is they approached me to say โClarko is not going to be reappointed at the end of next year, would you like to take this jobโ and it was at that time I pulled out of the Collingwood job."
As someone who spent 15 years at Hawthorn in a playing capacity, Mitchell explained that it was his love for the club that eventually saw him pull the pin on the Pies job.
โI decided I didnโt want to pursue Collingwood because Iโd invested so much in Hawthorn and have invested so much for such a long time and I was so passionate about our development and our future that I decided that rather than let Hawthorn go through a process of finding a new coach in 2023 that that would be something that I would absolutely be proud and honoured to do," he said.
The 38-year-old also stated that he still had plenty to learn from Clarkson before assuming his role in 2023.
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โParticularly because weโve spent six years really, since back in 2016 when Clarko said โI know youโve got coaching aspirations I think it would be great for you to get experience at another clubโ. I think Iโve worked with nine of the current AFL coaches in some way or another, so Iโve learned a lot and I will continue to do that over the next 12 months.โ
When asked whether it was important for the public to understand that he had not ousted Clarkson from the role that the incumbent coach has held since 2004, Mitchell became hot under the collar.
"I must admit, Iโve been a bit disappointed," he began.
"I probably shouldnโt say it on radio, but I kind of get a bit pissed off about people saying that.
"Thereโs nothing about anything Iโve done โ Iโve worked with Clarko for nearly 20 years โ and the fact that people would say Iโm trying to push him out is disrespectful to both of us because weโve had a working relationship for such a long period of time.
โIf I wanted to coach next year I would have continued to pursue the Collingwood coaching opportunity if it went that way. Theyโre a very good club and Iโve got a good relationship with Graham Wright.
"I couldโve continued down that path if that was what I wanted.
โEvery piece of evidence says that that isnโt true.โ
Although Clarkson is currently set to be available for other clubs to hire at the cessation of next season, Mitchell continued by explaining he would not speak for Clarkson.
My conversations with Clarko around that are really for him to speak of," he said.
"Matthew his son finishes school at the end of next year and my understanding he was ready for that to be an option for him and I donโt know what happened between Clarko and the club and whether Clarko wanted to be continuing on.
"Thatโs not my area to get involved in.
โThe only part I know is Clarko was not going to be reappointed, that was the boardโs decision, and that was a separate thing to me taking over.
โThe options that came to me were: Hawthorn can go through a process in 2023 or you can do the job and to me, I was desperate to the job. I love Hawthorn. Itโs a fantastic club Iโve invested half of my life into and I want to continue to try and improve us.โ
The Clarkson led Hawks are set to face the Crows on Saturday night at 7:40 AEST.
