Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has responded to comments made by Alastair Clarkson regarding historical racism allegations against the club.
North Melbourne coach Clarkson spoke to reporters on Thursday, hitting out at his former club for their handling of the investigation, labelling it “shameful”.
“THEY HAVEN’T BEEN INVESTIGATED AT ALL”: CLARKSON SHAMES HAWKS FOR BOTCHING INVESTIGATION
Mitchell, like everyone else who is close to this investigation, wants it all finished as soon as possible but is not holding his breath.
“I think every person involved in this process wants it done as quickly and as fairly as possible, don’t they?,” Mitchell told David King and Kane Cornes on SEN Breakfast.
“I don’t think anyone is happy with how it’s been going except for perhaps the lawyers. I think there’s a lot of frustration from all parties about how it’s going, but I’m a little bit removed.
“I’m not part of the investigation, I’m the coach of a football team.
“As far as what my job looks like, I just keep thinking about our Hawthorn members and what the last 18 months as coach of the club has looked like. Making sure this is a great place for every person to work and that the people love coming to work and it’s a safe place in the first instance and an enjoyable place to come.
“We’ve done a lot of hours and learning and education about all those things over the last 18 months which I’m quite proud of, but the challenge keeps ticking along in the background.”
It appears there has been a breakdown in relationship between the Hawks and Clarkson in recent times, stemming from the investigation and the handling of it.
Mitchell was asked if sadness is the main emotion regarding the situation.
“Yeah, I think that’s pretty accurate,” he replied.
“The emotional toll that it takes on so many stakeholders, whichever side of it you’re on, or if you’re the innocent bystander as the public, the football fan or the Hawthorn member, I think a lot of people are saddened by the whole thing.
“There’s probably a whole bunch of other emotions that come into it depending on your mood on a given day.
“The big picture is everyone wants this finished as quickly and as fairly as possible. It doesn’t feel like that is what’s happening quickly or fairly.
“I think if we solider on and push towards to that, whoever is in control of all this… the only people enjoying it going longer and longer are the lawyers.”
The Hawks will later this year hold a 10-year reunion for their 2013 premiership.
Does Mitchell expect Clarkson to attend?
“It seems unlikely, right at this point,” he said further.
“I think reunion as far as there will be one formal function that’s organised is probably not exactly how it works.
“There’s lots of us who talk regularly and have WhatsApp groups and talk about lots of different things over different parts of our own journeys over the last 10 years.
“So I think there’ll be plenty of catchups. Hopefully we get everyone to one thing, but it seems unlikely. I think there’ll be lots of bits and pieces of guys catching to celebrate what happened 10 years ago.”
Would he pick up the phone, as Hawthorn coach, to ask Clarkson to attend?
“I’ve never thought of it that way,” he responded.
“If you look back to 2013 and the Grand Final win that we had and the celebration of that, it’s pretty important that your coach is there and feeling comfortable.
“I think we’d all like him to be there in that moment depending on how that looks.
“Yes (to answer the question).”
Mitchell has not been interviewed, doesn’t plan to be and is not part of the historical racism investigation at this stage.
The bottom-placed Hawks look ahead to this Saturday’s meeting with Melbourne at the MCG.