ST KILDA will begin the process of interviewing caretaker coach Brett Ratten for its vacant full-time coaching job next week, with the club conscious of the need to provide certainty to potential off-season recruits.
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Ratten won't confirm whether he has a formal sit-down scheduled with the Saints' selection panel, but the former Carlton senior coach has rejuvenated his team and is well-placed to secure the job on a permanent basis.
Since replacing Alan Richardson, Ratten has led St Kilda to two wins and a close loss to Adelaide.
Ratten led the Saints to a win over the Dogs in his first game in charge in round 18. Picture: AFL Photos
"We've got some things in place between myself and the club. That's scheduled for next week and we'll go through that, but there's something in place," Ratten told reporters ahead of Sunday's clash with Fremantle at Marvel Stadium.
"My process will be a bit different to somebody else. Because you're coaching the team, you've probably got to stagger it a little bit different as well.
"But that'll start next week and move forward."
Former North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has also been persistently linked to the Saints, where close friend Simon Lethlean is head of football.
Lethlean is one of five members on the Saints' coaching selection sub-committee, chaired by club president Andrew Bassat and featuring chief executive Matt Finnis, football director Dean Anderson and AFL head of coaching David Rath.
Bassat has stressed the club will run a thorough process, and Scott's relationship with Lethlean will not influence any decisions.
With clubs already well into planning for the off-season trade period, there is impetus for the Saints to resolve their coaching situation.
If you haven't got the coach, it's hard to sell what the vision is and things like that - Brett Ratten
"There's probably a little bit (of a need for certainty) from the club's point of view and then trying to sell the club to the player," Ratten said.
"If you haven't got the coach, it's hard to sell what the vision is and things like that. So that'll be fairly important, I think, going forward."
St Kilda was among several clubs to make a big play for Dylan Shiel last off-season but the former Giant ultimately chose Essendon, joining the ranks of trade targets who the Saints had failed to acquire in recent seasons.
Ratten believed the development of young guns Hunter Clark, Rowan Marshall and Nick Coffield would help to lure potential recruits.
"It hasn't been a brilliant year or anything, but it's been a solid year and an encouraging year when you consider some of the players that have really developed this year," he said.
"Some of those younger blokes are starting to blossom now, and that's really good for the future of our footy club."
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