ALASTAIR Clarkson wants AFL clubs to be more open-minded about sacked coaches, citing NFL legend Bill Belichick as exhibit A.

Clarkson and Geelong's Chris Scott are at the Super Bowl in Minneapolis for a meeting of elite coaches from various sports.

The four-time Hawthorn premiership coach says colleagues such as James Hird, Michael Voss and Brett Ratten should have the chance for another senior position.

Clarkson pointed to Belichick, who was sacked from his first head coach job at the Cleveland Browns before his current tenure at the New England Patriots.

New England lost Monday's Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles 41-33 but Belichick, like Clarkson in the AFL, is the most successful NFL coach of his generation.

"By all intents and purposes, he probably failed in his first mission as a coach but over in America, it's nearly a badge of honour if you have an opportunity like that and it doesn't go so well," Clarkson told SEN.

"It's an additional part of your reference and CV rather than a black spot against your name.

"In Australian rules, you get a go - and I refer to guys like Vossy and Hirdy, Brett Ratten, these sorts of guys, who are such highly, highly decorated footballers.

"They became coaches at a relatively young age and then by the time they're 40, 42 they've had their opportunity of coaching a club for five years, it hasn't worked out for them or their club.

"They're nearly on the coaching scrapheap, whereas in America it's completely the opposite."

Clarkson said he had followed the Patriots for 12-14 years and was intrigued to see how the Patriots would cope when their star quarterback Tom Brady retired.

The Hawks are rebuilding after their four flags under Clarkson, with star players Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Josh Gibson retiring or leaving the club in the past two years.

"Everyone is waiting for Tom Brady to retire and he's doing everything he possibly can not to do that," Clarkson said.

"But they're waiting to retire to see if he is the difference - is that what makes Belichick?

"That has some fascination for me because we've been through a strong period with some very, very influential players in Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Gibson, these sorts of guys.

"I'm also intrigued to try to work out whether we can sustain our level of performance post the influence of those players."

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