After breaking up with David Noble earlier this week after a disastrous start to the 2022 season, North Melbourne has been accused of not having the “courage” to support her husband during a rebuild.
This is the opinion of four-time Premier League coach David Parkin, who believes the former mentor was treated unfairly and “mutilated” by the media.
Noble lasted less than two seasons on Arden Street. Despite some improved performances in the later half of 2021 that suggested they would take the next step forward, the Kangaroos are in last place on the ladder with just one win in their name three-quarters of this season.
While Parkin admits to having a close relationship with Noble, he suggested that North should have seen this difficult period come and should have supported her husband.
“I have to be a little careful here, but I have a very close relationship with David,” Parkin told SEN’s Whateley.
“I worked with him when he was back at the Bulldogs and certainly when he was in Adelaide and then when he went to Brisbane, so that’s a skewed view of a teammate and a very good quality person.
“I just think the North lacked the foresight and strength to give the time to turn the club around.
“I don’t think he’s in a good position in terms of the support coach for the player. That could be an ignorant vision, he could be a long way off, but that was my vision.”
At the press conference where it was announced that Noble would step down, the 55-year-old reiterated his desire to return to the industry on time.
“I accept that we have not yet arrived in North Melbourne, but I think I have things pending in the industry. I walk away from the game for a while, reflect, refresh and look forward to the next challenge,” he said.
He joined North after a well-regarded period as Brisbane football coach at a time when they were back on the ladder.
This came after periods of success at the Bulldogs and Crows, and Parkin agrees that Noble has the football brain to be an asset to football clubs.
“I was very sad in a short time to see someone of this quality being mutilated on the public stage the way he was,” Parkin continued.
“I hope he hasn’t lost the game, I think he’s been a good collaborator for the last 25-30 years, someone will be smart enough to pick him up and say,‘ we need this man in our organization, let him do it -better ‘.
“I’m disappointed, I’m not in the North Melbourne Football Club and I don’t understand the mechanisms that have taken place here, but I think they lacked a bit of foresight and courage if you like to move on. field I needed “.
Noble coached just five wins from his 38 games at the helm in North Melbourne.
Leigh Adams was the coach for the rest of the season, but SEN chief sports reporter Sam Edmund said Saturday morning that senior assistant John Blakey was not happy that his role was ignored.