KEN HINKLEY will not break his contract with Port Adelaide, declaring he will coach the club in 2018 and hopes to sign an extension in the "very near future".
The five-year coach turned down overtures from Gold Coast, which approached the 50-year-old’s management last week and was reportedly prepared to offer him a long-term deal to be their next coach.
Hinkley, who was already contracted until the end of next season, addressed his future on Adelaide radio station 5AA after reports he was seeking to break his existing agreement with the Power.
"What I can tell you is that I am contracted and I am happily contracted to be at Port Adelaide for season 2018, which means I will be there," Hinkley said.
"The facts are there has been some interest from outside Port Adelaide, clearly, (and) there’s some reasons for me to think about those sorts of things.
"But there’s never been any doubt in my mind that this group of players, we are in it together and invested together.
"Most definitely I will be coaching Port Adelaide in 2018 and I’m very hopeful that there’s a lot longer to go."
Hinkley said his relationship with Port Adelaide chairman David Koch was really strong, and he was content to allow the Sunrise host "a little slip up here or there" with his public comments.
In a speech to the club's supporters at a post-game function, Koch was critical of the Power's players and questioned the coaching staff's decision to field an inexperienced team in its elimination final loss to West Coast.
"There's no doubt some of David's comments last week perhaps came out not exactly the way David would like them," Hinkley said.
"David and I have had that conversation.
"There's no doubt that David wants the best for the Port Adelaide Football Club.
"What has David done for Ken Hinkley as a coach? He's given me everything I can possibly ask for to be a success as a coach.
"If he made a little slip here or there occasionally, I'll live with that because he's pretty supportive on most other things."