Choice to make:Former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.

Choice to make:Former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.Credit:Getty Images

Clarkson indicated that the situation would be resolved quickly – as early as late Friday – once he was able to make a decision about this future,while referring to the coaches impacted:Rutten,Mark McVeigh (GWS) and Leigh Adams (North Melbourne). The latter pair are caretakers.

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“I’ll try and work something out over the next 24 hours,hopefully,” Clarkson told Channel Nine on Thursday.

“I haven’t had a chance really to sit down and speak in depth with the people I need to,most particularly my family.”

Clarkson expressed his desire to “get off the back page”.

“It’s quite embarrassing to be fair,to be such a central figure in all this,” Clarkson told Channel 10.

“I’ve got enormous respect for the three guys involved in their clubs,‘Spike’ McVeigh,‘Truck’ Rutten and ‘Patch’ Adams are all terrific football people and they’re trying to do the right things by their clubs.

“In particular,the situation with ‘Truck’,he’s still got a year on his contract to run and it’s quite embarrassing to be the centre of attention in a situation when it’s so difficult for him and his club.

“I’d prefer to be able to get off the back page and I know full well this circus will all end when I can make a decision one way or the other,so the sooner I can do that,the better.”

Essendon coach Ben Rutten at the club’s training session on Thursday morning.

Essendon coach Ben Rutten at the club’s training session on Thursday morning.Credit:Getty Images

Goodwin and Richmond coach Damien Hardwick were among coaches to contact Rutten ashe clings to his job in charge of Essendon.

“I am a mate of Ben,I have reached out to Ben,it’s a really tough situation,” Goodwin said.

“To be honest,I think we all sit here as coaches and we look at our situation and the one thing you want in our industry is respect. And I don’t think Ben has been afforded that. I think it has been pretty poor how he has been treated.

“Hopefully,he comes out the other side but he has showed enormous dignity in the way he has gone about his business.

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