Four-time AFL premiership coach Alastair Clarkson is committed to Hawthorn but says discussions on a contract extension remain preliminary.
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Clarkson is out of contract at the end of 2019 but has brought forward discussions on a new deal which could keep him at the club until 2022.
The 50-year-old has described the talks as "very, very preliminary" and says further discussions are likely to be delayed until the end of the season, with the seventh-placed Hawks focused on securing a finals berth over the coming weeks.
"It was just one discussion that happened between my manager and the CEO about a month ago and nothing has happened since," Clarkson said on Friday.
"We're in discussions like this all the time because I'm coach of the club and trying to work out the direction of our footy club over the long term. All our planning is along the lines that the next four weeks is pretty important to us.
"We'll probably just park things until the end of the year, I reckon, and do what we originally intended to do and have a discussion about it then."
Hawthorn's longest-serving coach, Clarkson has overseen 323 games since taking over at the end of 2004.
The master tactician has said it's doubtful he would ever coach another club and on Friday reinforced his desire to lead the Hawks to another flag.
"I'm invested in this group of players and the club in terms of our next immediate phase of trying to prepare ourselves for our next piece of silverware," Clarkson said.
"What actual timeframe and tenure that attaches in terms of my contract is immaterial, really.
"It's all about the club and this group of players and where we think we can take them. Whether I'm the bloke that's going to be steering that or someone else, we're really excited about the direction the club's going and we'll work those things out later on."
Australian Associated Press
