ALASTAIR Clarkson has endorsed former Carlton coach Brett Ratten as an ideal candidate to take charge of another club or serve as a director of coaching.
Hawthorn announced on Thursday that Ratten would "explore new opportunities" after spending six years at the Hawks as an assistant coach since the Blues sacked him.
Ratten, 47, could yet return to Waverley Park next year if a suitable rival offer doesn't eventuate in the coming months, according to four-time premiership coach Clarkson.
The August 1 deadline for club officials to give assistant coaches some clarity about their immediate future created the Ratten situation.
"He just feels that after six years of being in a similar role at our footy club, we can't offer him the role that, perhaps, he's exploring as either a senior coach or a director of footy … at this point in time," Clarkson said.
"If it doesn't materialise, then we'll see where things all sit in six or eight weeks, because for us we can't really confirm our structure at this point in time, too.
"The design of this whole thing is to give some clarity to coaches and footy clubs on where everyone sits at a time before the silly season in October – and I think it's a good thing.
"But it's just a little bit hard. It's a little bit like free agency; it's just hard to get your head around the fact people are still employed by your club when they might be elsewhere the following season."
Ratten was hesitant in recent years to publicly state his interest in going for another senior coaching job, but this move is a strong indication he is ready to put his hand up again.
Carlton won 60 of 120 games under Ratten, who started as a caretaker in 2005 after Denis Pagan's unsuccessful stint in charge and lifted the club to three finals appearances.
But a disappointing 2012 season, when the Blues were considered top-four contenders and instead won 11 games and finished 10th, proved the end for Ratten.
"Oh, yeah – he's a ripper," Clarkson said of whether Ratten was capable of still being a senior coach.
"I think we've seen, with what's gone on with Carlton over the last five or six years, that in actual fact his win-loss record and the way that club was tracking at that point in time was pretty good.
"Now, in the wisdom of their decision-making, they chose to make a change at that point in time (to Mick Malthouse) and it cost 'Ratts' his job, but I think he's a very astute coach.
"He's been great for us and his first three years here he helped us win three flags and now he's … helping us rebuild our group and give ourselves another opportunity."
