Article by Paul Amy in the Bayside leader.
FORMER Hawthorn star Paul Hudson has emerged as a strong candidate to become the next senior coach of Sandringham.
With St Kilda locking in Scott Watters, the Saints and Sandy are in the throes of finding a replacement for Brett Lovett.
It would be no surprise if it turns out to be Hudson, an assistant coach with the Saints who had a match-day role with the Zebras this year and is popular among the players.
The ex-hawk and Western Bulldog coached Gippsland Power to a TAC Cup premiership in 2005. Later he spent two years with Collingwood as development manager. He joined St Kilda this year. Contacted last Wednesday, Hudson said: ‘‘I’m just working through with the club (St Kilda) what the new structure will be, how everything will work.
‘‘If the opportunity comes along I’ll talk to the club about maybe coaching. It could be a possibility, yeah.’’
Andy Lovell was left exhausted by the task of coaching Sandy and serving as a St Kilda assistant, one reason Zebra officials made the coaching position part-time this year.
Asked about the time demands, Hudson said: ‘‘That’s something we as a football club have to sit down and discuss. If the resources are available it might make the job a little bit easier, being a coach and helping in a development capacity.’’ Hudson said he believed he had a good handle on the Sandringham squad, having taken the time to get to know the players.
