James Hird and Mick Malthouse Express Worry for Alastair Clarkson Following Kangaroos’ Rocky Beginning

Essendon Bombers legend James Hird has expressed concerns that North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson appears to be lacking confidence following yet another difficult start to the season for the club.

The Kangaroos currently sit at 16th on the ladder, with just one win from their first six outings.

During a previous appearance on Fox Footy, Clarkson avoided addressing whether he still sees himself as a top coach in today’s game.

Following North’s loss to Carlton in round six, Clarkson looked visibly shaken and referred to the defeat as a “spanking.”

After reviewing footage from his press conference, Hird noted a troubling trend.

“It feels like you’re watching someone who’s lost faith in themselves. He’s a remarkable coach, a four-time premiership winner who built the Hawthorn dynasty. There’s no question about his ability, but he seems to have lost that self-belief,” Hird remarked on Nine’s Footy Classified.

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Another revered coach, Mick Malthouse, has voiced his belief that the fixture has not been kind to the Kangaroos.

“Clarkson could use a stroke of luck right now. It’s notable that I can’t remember North Melbourne facing Richmond or West Coast this early in the season, as it’s generally expected for the bottom six teams to face each other early on,” he commented.

“This setup offers a chance to build some confidence. You don’t want your team getting comprehensively beaten early on. The current atmosphere among the team seems quite demoralised.”

“I sense a coach who might be feeling increasingly unsure about his next steps. He needs to revert back to his fundamental coaching principles. After all, he is a proven winner.”

North Melbourne’s next challenge comes against Port Adelaide this Saturday.