Peter German says he’s ready to take on the challenge of his old club North Melbourne. 33919 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Marc McGowan
NORTH Melbourne officials are yet to send out invites for their vacant senior coaching job, but Peter German is making no secret of his desire to lead his old club.
The Casey Scorpions coach played 185 games for the Kangaroos from 1984 to 1994 and would love to return to Arden Street.
“I’d like to think I might be a possible candidate,” German said.
“It would be fantastic; (Nathan) Buckley proved that there’s nothing like your own club and I was there for 14 or 15 years right through from under-19s as a 15-year-old.
“You obviously have the love and passion for the place and I’d certainly jump at the opportunity to at least be able to put my case forward.”
German has enjoyed outstanding success in his 16-year coaching career to date.
He started with Northern Tasmanian Football League club Burnie – leading the Dockers to grand finals in 1996 and 1997 – and also had head coaching roles at WAFL sides Peel Thunder and Subiaco.
German won two premierships in four years with Subiaco before becoming Fremantle’s midfield coach in 2007 and 2008.
He was also an assistant coach at Hawthorn in 1998 and 1999.
German’s primary role this year has been as Casey’s coach, but he has also had a partial development role at Melbourne.
German believes he is ready to be a senior AFL coach.
“If I’m not ready now after 16 years of coaching, I’m never going to be ready,” he said.
Other candidates for the job are fellow former Kangaroos John Longmire, David King and Darren Crocker – North Melbourne’s caretaker coach – and Hawthorn assistant Damien Hardwick.
Dean Laidley resigned from the post in June.
