THE AFL'S next wave of senior coaches have been warned by Ange Postecoglou that life in the top job can be a "ruthless, friendless and lonely" place.
In a year that has seen four coaches already face fierce scrutiny because of poor starts to the season, it was a timely reminder to those who would be considered to replace them.
The Socceroos boss met with the 2016 in-take for the AFL's Level Four accreditation course last week as part of the group's induction in Melbourne.
AFL assistants Peter Sumich, Jade Rawlings, Brett Montgomery and Justin Longmuir had a two-hour session with the Asian Cup-winning coach, which AFL.com.au was invited to join.
They were challenged to consider why they wanted to be senior coaches and given key lessons in managing time and being bold.
The bluntest lesson was a reminder that the buck would stop with them when losses mounted, even if there were others at fault.
"In those times you will be alone and you will feel alone … that's the world of a head coach," Postecoglou said.
Sumich (Fremantle), Rawlings (Melbourne), Montgomery (Western Bulldogs) and Longmuir (West Coast) were selected to join the Level Four course in March.
As part of their induction last Friday, the group also spent time with Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams and former Melbourne coach Mark Neeld, who shared their contrasting experiences in the top job.
Postecoglou has had an ongoing involvement with the accreditation course, since it was launched early in 2015, sitting on selection panels and mentoring the group.
The Level Four course will eventually become mandatory for those applying for senior jobs and the 13 inductees so far have been selected because of their capacity to succeed in that position.
Carlton coach Brendon Bolton is the first graduate to earn a senior position, and he will soon be joined by Simon Goodwin when he takes over from Paul Roos at Melbourne at the end of this season.
Postecoglou said the group needed to have their own approach to coaching and stay true to it, telling them: "If you don't have clarity on the person and coach you are then people won't follow you".
The Socceroos coach has a different perspective on managing teams when compared to AFL coaches, given the lack of time he is given with his players, who have full-time club commitments.
It means time can't be wasted and something seemingly trivial like a 10-minute training warm-up needed to reflect game style, a point that resonated with the assistants.
Another lesson that rang true for the budding coaches was Postecoglou's path back into the A-League.
"Not an overly social character", Postecoglou was desperate to get another crack at coaching in 2009, which he spent as an expert commentator.
Walking through a car park after an A-League match, he saw the competition's then CEO, Archie Fraser, and decided to step out of his comfort zone and call out to him.
He told Fraser he wanted a coaching job and believed he would be a success, and Fraser told him the league had him in mind.
The next day Brisbane Roar coach Frank Farina was suspended indefinitely after being charged with drink-driving. Two days later Postecoglou was appointed as his replacement.
"I wonder if I would have got the job – and eventually the Socceroos job – if I hadn't stepped out of my comfort zone," Postecoglou said.
It was a lesson in being bold in an industry where networking can play a bigger role than new coaches realise.
