Alastair Clarkson’s temper has landed him in trouble again, with the new North Melbourne coach apologizing for how he spoke to a female journalist.
Clarkson says he has “great regret” about the February 1 incident, which happened at the club’s Arden St headquarters on the day news broke about allegations against player Tarryn Thomas.
The four-time Hawthorn AFL premiership coach is well-known for his temper and this is not the first time he has had a run-in with a reporter.
Clarkson said in a statement he had apologized in person to the Nine Network TV reporter the same day as the incident and she accepted it.
“There was a significant media pack at the club that day who were actively targeting players, staff and coaches throughout the session and my reaction was to protect our players and staff,” he said in the statement to SEN.
“To my great regret, I overreacted to the Nine News reporter and made one comment to her along the lines of ‘your time will come’.
“That comment was in reference to facing intense scrutiny when you’re in the public eye and how challenging it can be.
“When I was made aware of the impact of my comment, I sought to apologize immediately to the reporter not realizing how my words could have been perceived.”
Among the allegations against Thomas, he is accused of sending a text to a woman saying “your time is coming”.
Clarkson remains under investigation for allegations of racism, stemming from his time as Hawks coach.