PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley had a simple message for new St Kilda coach Alan Richardson when he received a phone call from him at 9:45pm on Tuesday night to tell him he had a renewed level of interest in the vacant senior coaching position.

"Richo, if you want to coach, you have to go," Hinkley said.

Three hours earlier, Richardson had told Hinkley he was not chasing the job. Consequently Port Adelaide had sent out a media release that said Richardson had no interest in the coaching position on offer at the Saints.

However Hinkley told Triple M Adelaide that Richardson found a sympathetic ear when he rang to explain the backflip that had taken place in just three hours.

"I lived almost the exact scenario about 14 months ago so I know what he was dealing with," Hinkley said.

Now Port to poach Richardson replacement

"At some point the level of interest goes up in you from the club looking and all of a sudden the call comes through that 'hey this is really serious now – this is something that if you really want to do this, you have to be prepared to go for it.'"

Richardson rang Hinkley to see if he was okay with the change of heart.

"Imagine me of all people saying you can't chase your dream," Hinkley said. "He clearly wanted to coach in his own right at some stage."

Hinkley admitted there would be a minor disruption to the football program until Port Adelaide found a replacement for Richardson.

However the players would remain unaffected as the pre-Christmas training program will be in the hands of the club's fitness boss Darren Burgess.

Hinkley was laid back about the intellectual property Richardson might take with him, although he admitted the new St Kilda coach had been involved in every discussion the football department had.

"He's got information about us but let's be honest, he helped us form that information. He was part of the build, he was part of what we do, he was involved with every discussion we had and had plenty of positive influences on those discussions," Hinkley said.

"He's got plenty of knowledge in his own mind."

Hinkley spoke to the AFL Coaches Association in September of the instant rapport he and Richardson had developed when they joined Port Adelaide.

"We know we have lost a great man. There is no doubt about that," Hinkley said.

But he sounded just as happy that his friend had achieved his ambition to coach his own team.

"Richo being Richo needed to know that I was OK. I'm sure he knew I would have been but he just wanted to have that discussion and make sure that was all right," Hinkley said.