It might solely have been a couple of weeks, but it surely’s been lengthy sufficient for Damien Hardwick.
The former Richmond coach has declared he “misses” teaching, and would “be lying if I said I couldn’t see myself doing it (again)”.
Hardwick has saved a comparatively low profile since quitting the Richmond job in a shock resignation earlier this yr, however has publicly saved in contact with the sport.
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Now the triple-premiership coach has made a giant name on his future within the recreation, telling Dylan Buckley on the Dyl and Friends podcast that it has been “challenging” with out the routine {of professional} soccer.
“It’s been a little bit challenging learning how to relax, umm, and I think it’s something I’ve become better at, but also I need to find out what my next purpose is about moving forward and getting my teeth to stuck into something, otherwise I will drive myself insane,” Hardwick mentioned.
Asked about the place he was at personally by way of a return to teaching, Hardwick mentioned he missed the sport and wanted time earlier than he returned.
“I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t see myself doing it,” he mentioned.
“I love it. I miss it. I’ve been out for two weeks and I wanted to miss it.
“I need a bit of time but I just love the game … Like everyone, I’ve known it for a long time.
“At some stage I will probably step back in, when that is, I’m not too sure.”
It comes amid rabid hypothesis as to Hardwick’s subsequent transfer, with the champion coach linked to varied golf equipment, particularly Port Adelaide, who’ve did not convert 5 finals appearances and a minor premiership right into a Grand Final look underneath Ken Hinkley.
Earlier this yr, Fox Footy’s David King mentioned he thought Hardwick can be teaching Port Adelaide subsequent yr, the membership he received a premiership with in 2004 as a participant.
“I think he’ll be coaching Port Adelaide next year, personally,” King advised SEN Breakfast final month.
“I think that’s a good thing for footy because the way he coaches is what we want to see.
“It’s highlights, it’s free-flowing footy, it’s aggression.
“He needs a break and they (Richmond) have been great for him.”
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has refused to quell hypothesis that Hinkley is underneath strain to ship a flag or lose his job, with remarks in October final yr that the organisation have to “turn it around or watch out”.
Hinkley himself utilized for the Richmond position in 2009 after the departure of Terry Wallace in 2009, and misplaced out to Hardwick.
With Richmond once more underneath a caretaker coach in Andrew McQualter, 7 News soccer reporter Tom Brown urged to Koch on-air that Richmond had been “duty-bound” to contact the out-of-contract Hinkley as one of the vital skilled coaches within the league.
Koch defined Port Adelaide’s choice to delay contract negotiations with Hinkley as a deliberate one to permit each events to concentrate on the 2023 season.
“Don’t forget this. He agreed to it because we wanted no distractions this year for our football group achieving the most success they possibly can,” Koch mentioned.
“I’m pretty happy with how that strategy is going.
“Ken and I both agreed before the start of the season started so we stick to the plan.”
Port Adelaide wouldn’t essentially be the one suitors for a probably returning Hardwick, with doable vacancies additionally cropping up at West Coast, Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Brisbane and Carlton.
Source: www.news.com.au
