Caroline Wilson slammed for ‘personal vendetta’ against Roos coach

Top footy reporter Caroline Wilson has been smashed online after attacking Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson for ‘hubris of the worst order’ by psyching up his players during Saturday’s thrilling one-point win over Fremantle.

Wilson, who has been a vocal critic of Clarkson this year, believed the 54-year-old was carrying on too much on the sidelines – but fans strongly disagreed.

‘We’ve talked about what a great effort it’s been by Alastair Clarkson, but he almost became a cropper on Saturday night with this behaviour,’ she said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Monday. 

‘Just have a look. This is when they kicked a goal to go 28 points up [with 18 minutes left], high-fiving everyone. Then there’s the arms out wide at an umpire’s decision with mock exasperation.’

Footage shows Clarkson at his animated best as he high-fived players, gesticulated wildly and mocked umpires.  

© Provided by Daily Mail Alastair Clarkson (left) sings the Kangaroos’ team song drenched in liquid alongside nephew Tom after the club’s thrilling one-point win over Fremantle © Provided by Daily Mail Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson criticised Clarkson’s antics at the game, accusing the animated Roos mentor of ‘hubris of the worst order’

But Wilson said he had gone too far.  

‘Now the siren has gone and they’ve won the game, fantastic. Had they lost that game or it be a draw [though], he would’ve looked a bit foolish,’ she said. 

‘It was hubris of the worst order … the Freo players would’ve seen that; what if you’ve fired up the opposition.’

Wilson’s co-hosts were not in agreeance, with Craig Hutchison saying he thought she had a vendetta for the Kangaroos coach, despite her claiming she is Clarkson’s ‘greatest-ever supporter’. 

‘You’ve whacked him here all year, now they have two wins and you’re still going,’ an exasperated Hutchison said, with Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd backing him up, albeit with a more considered, calm tone. 

‘That’s just supporting your players, Caro,’ he said. 

‘They [Kangaroos players] were hammered by [previous coach] David Noble, to a point where I think they lost their confidence. 

‘I think Clarkson is trying to do this the other way to pick his players back up.’

Former players, top pundits and fans flooded social media to voice their shock at Wilson’s stance, with many claiming she had a ‘personal vendetta’ against Clarkson.

© Provided by Daily Mail Clarkson was seen riding every wave with his players during their heart-stopping victory at Optus Stadium on Saturday

‘I tend to agree. Why is the coach showing emotion? Why is he smiling so much? Why is he trying to lift the spirit of his young side? Football is about being a robot and not showing emotion. If anything he should be emotionless. Not good enough,’ colourful ex-Blues and Suns ruckman Daniel Gorringe sarcastically wrote.

Former Kangaroos star Ryan Bastinac was scathing in his criticism of Wilson and Cornes, writing: ‘I reckon the convo off air with Karen and Korno [Kane Cornes] are “let’s troll all North fans and Clarko”. Idiots, couldn’t help themselves’.

Even Aussie NFL star Adam Gotsis had something to say on the situation.

‘Terrible take … Love seeing coach on the sideline showing passion,’ the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end said. 

Prominent pundit Darren Parkin took it a step further, saying ‘that sort of personal vendetta destroying any shred of professionalism is a disgrace’.

Fans were even less polite as they accused the veteran journalist of having a clear bias against Clarkson. 

‘Clearly apparent now that there is a concerted bias against Clarkson from Caro. Heaven help a coach should show some emotion and delight at his team winning,’ one wrote.

‘At this point surely Caro has gotta be joking, no one can be this openly biased against a team where a coach patting his players on the back on the bench is ‘too far.’ Embarrassing take as usual’, another wrote. 

© Provided by Daily Mail Clarkson was very animated with his players both during and after the game © Provided by Daily Mail Caroline Wilson has been slammed by ex-players, top pundits and fans for her take on Clarkson, with many accusing her of having a ‘personal vendetta’ against him

‘Caro is the gift that just keeps giving. She just doesn’t give anyone other than the Richmond footy club a fair go,’ commented one, with one irate fan saying ‘It really is becoming an agenda now’. 

Wilson is known for her outspoken views on footy, but has appeared to reserve special attention for Clarkson this season.

She was particularly critical of him for threatening a female Channel 9 journalist earlier this month, with Clarkson telling her ‘your time will come’ when she asked a simple question outside the club’s headquarters about under-fire star Tarryn Thomas.

‘It doesn’t matter who the journalist was but it happened to be a young female journo, ‘Your time will come’. I mean seriously. When she was apparently upsetting him by asking some very fair questions of Tarryn Thomas,’ Wilson said on the Don’t Shoot The Messenger podcast.

‘He has behaved in such ridiculous fashion.

‘He’s back where he was in those early bad years of Hawthorn where he was threatening the media … grow up.’

Many fans agreed with her on that occasion – but she didn’t appear to have any supporters this time around. 

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