Dunstall, who helped select Clarkson as coach back in 2004, said he was blindsided by the Hawks' decision to put an expiry date on the four-time premiership coach's tenure.<\/p>\n
"I was gobsmacked. I didn't know it was coming. I was very, very surprised," Dunstall told Fox Footy's AFL 360<\/em>.<\/p>\n "Hindsight will tell us (if it's the right decision). It's a bold decision is what it is. Knowing you're giving up the best coach of the modern era and who I think still has plenty of currency – gee you're placing a lot of faith and pressure on Sam Mitchell.<\/p>\n "Only time will tell whether it's the right decision or not."<\/p>\n Dunstall also raised concern over the process of handing over to Mitchell, pointing to the recent less than ideal transfer between John Worsfold and Ben Rutten at Essendon.<\/p>\n "It's just 12 months of bad press, that's what normally happens. We saw with (Mick) Malthouse and (Nathan) Buckley, same thing happened with Worsfold and Rutten. Does Sam Mitchell want some clean air? He probably does," Dunstall said.<\/p>\n The move by Hawthorn could be derailed by a change of heart from Clarkson, and Dunstall said rival clubs would be silly to not start pursuing the veteran coach.<\/p>\n "I think the landscape's changed now so if the right offer came along, I don't know if it's Collingwood or if it's another club, I don't know who it might be, but if you're not knocking his door down there's something wrong."<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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