Port Adelaide have denied a succession plan has been put in place after ending hypothesis over Ken Hinkley’s future and re-signing him as coach till the top of 2025.
Out-of-contract at season’s finish, Port president David Koch needed to attend and see how the season panned out earlier than recommitting to Hinkley, who began as coach in 2013.
Koch did admit final week it will be “silly” to let the saga drag into finals and turn into a “distraction” because the membership chases its second AFL premiership.
But with Port set to safe a top-four end after lacking finals final yr, Hinkley was on Tuesday confirmed to be staying on for at the very least one other two seasons.
Port assistant coach Josh Carr has knocked again going by means of the method to seek out Richmond’s successor for Damien Hardwick, resulting in hypothesis he might at some point to exchange Hinkley within the high job on the Power.
But Hinkley stated there was no finish date on when he would end at Alberton as he closes in overtaking Mark Williams for many video games coached at Port within the AFL.
“We’ve said it pretty clearly right all the way through, we’re just grateful that Josh has recommitted and wants to be part of our football club,” Hinkley stated.
“Josh is a really impressive young coach who at some stage will coach himself.
“I’d love nothing extra about if it was at Port Adelaide at some stage however there is no succession plan in place, there is no finish date.
“If you thought Josh was going to want and going to need a succession plan to commit to Port Adelaide football club, they don’t know Josh well enough.”
Under Hinkley, the Power instantly bounced out of a darkish interval within the bottom-four to make a preliminary ultimate in 2014.
A grand ultimate place has eluded Port throughout Hinkley’s tenure however the membership has remained in competition and never bottomed out.
“I said it a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve said it many times before, I care deeply for this playing group and football club,” Hinkley stated.
“Not for one moment do I take coaching this great football club for granted.”
Port sit in third after snapping a four-game shedding streak to smash GWS final Sunday and maintain their hopes of a top-two end alive.
Hinkley’s place was labelled “untenable” by 2004 premiership captain Warren Tredrea after slumping to 1-2 in April once they misplaced the Showdown, however Port then went on a surprising 13-game successful streak.
“We have great confidence in what this playing group can achieve, this year and into the future, with Ken at the helm,” Koch stated in a press release.
“We believe confirming Ken’s contract extension now provides our football program with confidence and certainty heading into an exciting finals campaign.
“Our win on Sunday locked away a high 4 end, offering a powerful platform heading into September.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
