Ross Lyon says his “heart has been opened up” to the prospect of coaching St Kilda after a series of meetings with the club over the last week.
Lyon is widely expected to be announced as Brett Ratten’s successor in the coming days, returning to the club he left in acrimonious circumstances 11 years ago.
The 55-year-old has flirted with a number of clubs since he was sacked by Fremantle at the end of 2019, but explained why St Kilda’s pull was different.
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Lyon, who led the Saints to three grand finals – 2009 plus the two in 2010, with the drawn first decider leading to a replay – said he was motivated to restore the downtrodden club.
“I’m keen. My heart’s been opened up to St Kilda through (Saints president) Andrew (Bassat) and (Saints CEO) Simon (Lethlean) and their board and obviously I’ve got a strong connection (to the club), but there’s a bit to go,” he told 9News Melbourne.
“It was a tumultuous time 11 years ago. From afar you watch and I don’t like the narrative around St Kilda.
“Maybe it’s deserved but sometimes it’s a bit disrespectful. Hopefully it can get to the point where I can roll up my sleeves and get in and help change that.”
Lyon said he’d received the support of his wife and children and had also been inspired by a conversation with a coaching great.
“I’ve spoken to someone who’s pretty special in the industry who was a great coach … he rang me and said, ‘You don’t wake up one day and think I want to coach league footy, it doesn’t work like that’,” he revealed.
“You’ve got to make sure (because) you’re really taking on another family with 42 young men.”
Lyon’s likely return to St Kilda comes off the back of the controversial sacking of Brett Ratten, and he conceded that it was a “brutal” industry to be part of.
“It’s been a difficult time for the club and obviously for Brett,” he said.
“In elite sport around the world as coaches we come and go a little bit.
“It’s brutal, I’ve been on the end of it, sometimes clubs make decisions they think is best and you don’t always agree with them yourself, but you need to respect them.”
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