With Alan Richardson, Saints finally get their man

Alan Richardson’s heart had been broken many times but on Thursday he finally landed an AFL senior-coaching role at St Kilda.

Richardson had served Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton as either an assistant or development coach.

In his first season as Port Adelaide’s director of coaching, he helped lift the club from 14th to fifth in 2013, working alongside senior coach Ken Hinkley.

Two years ago, St Kilda overlooked Richardson and Hinkley and appointed Scott Watters, who was sacked earlier this month.

On Thursday the Saints shook hands with Richardson on a three-year deal as the league’s 16th-placed club, described by Port chairman David Koch as being in turmoil, tried to rebuild.

“You don’t get a job when something’s not working. It’s not an industry where you can pick and choose,” Richardson told a news conference.

“There’s only 18 jobs.

“I can only tell you how I feel. I reckon I’ve said exciting about 50 times already today.

“But that’s the way I feel. I’m really passionate about working with this group of players.”

Richardson had initially snubbed St Kilda’s offer to apply for the senior-coaching role as speculation mounted that Richmond assistant and Port’s 2004 premiership mentor Mark Williams would get the top job.

But things moved quickly on Tuesday night and by Thursday it was all over bar the shouting, which was done on national TV as Koch declared Port would fight to retain Richardson who was one year into a three-year contract.

St Kilda have agreed to pay Port a compensation figure, which Saints’ president Peter Summer says is under $100,000.

Long-time bridesmaid Richardson must now adjust to being the star of the show.

“I’ve gone along to job interviews and you go there with incredible hope,” said Richardson, 48.

“I had spoken to St Kilda a couple of weeks earlier and mentioned it’s something that unfortunately I can’t do at this stage given my commitment to Port Adelaide.

“On Tuesday night my manager rang and said ‘they really want to speak to you’.

“Once I really sat down and got a true understanding of the level of interest in me from St Kilda, I thought I’m kidding myself.

“It’s been a real journey for me personally from a coaching perspective.

“I just couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.

“To finally get that opportunity is something that I’m incredibly excited about.”

Koch had blasted the Saints on Channel Seven’s Sunrise program on Thursday morning, describing St Kilda as a club in turmoil.

Richardson spoke with Koch on the phone several times on Thursday.

“Yes he was disappointed with the fact that I was moving on. He’s been incredibly understanding,” Richardson said.

Port chief Keith Thomas said losing Richardson on the eve of the pre-season was a major disruption and had been caused by St Kilda’s “delayed decision-making process”.

A doping charge against delisted forward Ahmed Saad, now-retired forward Stephen Milne’s rape charges and a Mad Monday dwarf-burning incident have been part of another dramatic year for the Saints.

“The senior coach plays a massive role from a cultural perspective,” Richardson said.

“We want to make sure we’re doing the right thing all the time … that’s on-field and that’s off-field.”