Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew insists he feels safe in his job regardless of Damien Hardwick being linked with a transfer to the Suns following his shock exit from Richmond.
Almost instantly after saying on Tuesday he was leaving the Tigers, three-time premiership-winning coach Hardwick was being touted as substitute for Dew on the Suns subsequent 12 months.
It’s not the primary time Dew has been confronted with news a high-profile mentor was being lined as much as take over on the Suns, with Alastair Clarkson having final 12 months been thought of a Gold Coast goal.
However, that was put to mattress when Dew signed a brand new two-year contract, with former Hawks coach Clarkson as an alternative transferring to North Melbourne,
But regardless of Dew’s teaching deal, he has once more been touted as a fall man – to his amusement – ought to Hardwick determine to return to teaching subsequent season.
“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Dew mentioned on Wednesday.
“I feel like we should be celebrating Damien, his contribution to the game, his journey … I certainly think 24 hours should have been sufficient to celebrate him.
“(But) it’s become a little bit of a sport as to who’s next. I find it amusing, (and) I texted Damien about it.
“I’m confident I’m coach of this club now and into the future, and I think the club’s pretty clear that I’m that, too.
“I’m 10 games into a new contract. We have a playing list I feel has committed to the club knowing I’m the coach, so that connection is strong.
“We’ve committed to each other and that’s powerful.”
Dew mentioned he and the Suns squad have been collectively for the lengthy haul within the membership’s continued bid to play finals soccer for the primary time.
“We’re building this list from beyond scratch. We never knew how hard it was going to be, but I feel like we’re getting through that and now’s the time where we can have a list profile that can start to compete regularly and contend – that’s the exciting part.
“I love this club and I think I’m the one to lead it. (It’s as) simple as that.”
Dew mentioned the Suns, who will chase their fifth win of the season once they meet the Western Bulldogs in Darwin on Saturday night time, “know where we’re going”.
“We’re in a hurry, yes, so is everyone else, but we’ve just got to stay the course, get to work and take each week as it comes,” he mentioned.
“It’s just the reality of the industry, so for me nothing changes.
“It’s focusing on my job, focusing on my players, the staff, the footy club, so if that’s a lesson learnt, I kept it pretty simple last year and worried about what I could and how to influence to get a positive result, providing a positive environment, (and) creating an environment where players can see a way forward and see success.
“I get inspired by their workrate and their thirst to get better.”
Originally printed as Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew ‘amused’ by hypothesis Damien Hardwick will change him
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
