In-demand coaching candidate Ross Lyon has revealed he has turned down discussions to take on the Collingwood vacancy, while revealing he would be open to talking with Carlton.
Lyon, who hasn't coached since 2019 after being sacked by Fremantle, revealed onย Footy Classifiedย that despite being approached by Collingwood, he would not be entertaining any further discussions with the club as a candidate for their senior coaching role at the Holden Centre.
The former Saints coach also revealed that should Carlton look to contact him for the position, he would be sure to pick up the phone.
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When questioned by fellow panelist Caroline Wilson on the Blues' reported interest, Lyon stated his empathy for David Teague, whilst also believing departing Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson is sure to be atop of Carlton's priority list.
"What Iโll say is David Teague is on record publicly saying heโs struggling, so the first thing is I think all of us really need to do is respect that and not injure David Teague,โ Lyon said.
โMe personally, I have shifted a little bit. Look, it didnโt end super well at Fremantle although I felt I coached really well in the last year, we were fifth or sixth on the ladder with seven wins and five losses and then we fell away.
speaks to his team during a quarter time break during the round 18 AFL match between the Essendon Bombers and the Fremantle Dockers at Etihad Stadium on July 21, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
โI look at some of that vision and I looked about 800 so why would you go back into it, but it did stimulate my thinking. If an opportunity arose, and I say that with the greatest respect to Carlton, and they rang me, I would entertain it, but I also understand that I havenโt got tickets on myself, itโs a red-hot field, Alastair Clarkson is available.
"Me, with all the intelligence that I have within the marketplace, I think that theyโll speak to Alastair at the right time, which is next week.
โYes, certainly take the call and consider it. I am aware, thereโs enough Carlton people, famous Carlton people, premiership players, coaches, ex-champions that are advocating in a sense because theyโve worked with me or know me personally and understand their club and thereโs those sort of connections, so I do know thatโs occurring as well."
Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire questioned Lyon on his status with the Magpies, with Lyon having been closely linked with the vacancy in recent months.
Lyon revealed that while Collingwood had approached him for the position, Lyon decline the club's advances, stating it was a matter of 'chemistry'.
โI donโt think Graham Wright would mind, he reached out to a friend to get my number and I was aware and just said respectfully I wouldnโt entertain that for a variety of reasons,โ Lyon said.
โItโs hard to articulate. Sometimes itโs just chemistry.
โIโve said if I was the Carlton board and I could get Alastair Clarkson I donโt think you could go past that. If the measure is premiership cups well there is no decision is there? Sometimes itโs chemistry.
โIf you get a head-hunter ring you and you go and meet them and you go for the job, if you havenโt got that chemistry, that happens pretty quick, well it doesnโt happen, or it shouldnโt happen. If Ed (McGuire) was president of Collingwood, itโd be a different story.
โI think itโs instability. I think Nathan (Buckley)โs a bit unlucky. I donโt know Nathan, Nathanโs not a friend, but just from the outside... I think if you see misalignment, itโs a red flag.โ
Collingwood are understood to be eyeing several candidates to succeed Nathan Buckley, with Adam Kingsley, Michael Voss and Jaymie Graham all understood to have held interviews with the Magpies.
Former AFL coaches Brad Scott, Don Pyke and Mark Williams have also been linked with Collingwood job, while Clarkson remains in the mix despite being yet to reveal whether he will remain in the coaching landscape next season.
