Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas says the loss of assistant coach Alan Richardson to St Kildas is no more than a “small speed hump” in the club’s plans for 2014.
Richardson and St Kilda formally announced his appointment as senior coach late yesterday after a tumultuous week of denials and back flips.
The saga seemed settled on Tuesday afternoon when Richardson issued a statement stating he would not seek an interview for the St Kilda senior coaching position and was firmly committed to Port Adelaide.
Thomas has sent an email to Port members detailing what happened next.
“Late that night, Alan contacted Ken Hinkley to inform him that negotiations undertaken by his manager and the Saints had reached a point where they were prepared to consider interviewing him for their coaching role,” Thomas said.
“Both contacted me to advise of the sudden development and Alan subsequently flew to Melbourne to finalise the process on Wednesday.
“This afternoon, St Kilda announced Alan’s appointment at their club, and they’ve got a good man.”
Thomas said the move was disruptive and he had sought several assurances from Richardson and St Kilda.
“Alan is obviously very aware of our football strategy for next year.
“Every employee of our football club is bound by a confidentiality contract when they depart our organisation, but how can you ‘unknow’ what you know?
“I have discussed this at length with both Alan and St Kilda’s CEO Michael Nettlefold with whom I have a good relationship, and both have undertaken in good faith that knowledge he has of Port Adelaide will not be used to the advantage of their club, or the detriment of ours.”
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Thomas said the club was confident it could move on swiftly.
“This is a small speed hump on our journey towards our next premiership.
“Alan has served this club well for the last 13 months and has been a significant contributor to our reinvigorated football program and the development of our young leaders. But he was just one person in our organisation.
“We Are Port Adelaide and we are smashing it in every aspect of our operations before the start of the pre-season.”
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