UPDATE: Clarkson makes decision on coaching future

Four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson has signed a five-year deal to coach North Melbourne.

North Melbourne President Sonja Hood wrote to members that Clarkson had agreed to the deal on Thursday evening.

"I can’t speak highly enough of the professionalism of Alastair and his manager James Henderson over this past four weeks. We’ve had a crash course in getting to know each other and Alastair’s passion to drive our club back to where we belong is incredibly infectious.

"Alastair officially begins with us on November 1, and I’m looking forward to welcoming him, wife Caryn and children Stephanie, Georgia and Matthew, to the Shinboner family."

Clarkson played 93 games with the Kangaroos in a period between 1987-1995 with the club describing as Shinboner #781 "was coming home."

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Thursday:

Alastair Clarkson has expressed his desire to "get off the back page" and make a decision on his future in the coming 24-hours.

Clarkson has had discussions with North Melbourne and Essendon and has indicated he wants the situation to play out quickly.

“I’ll try and work something out over the next 24 hours, hopefully,” Clarkson told Channel Nine on Thursday.

“I haven’t had a chance really to sit down and speak in depth with the people I need to, most particularly my family.”

Clarkson has already turned down the Giants after revealing to them that he wished to stay in Victoria.

The four-time premiership coach expressed his regret about how it was playing out.

“It’s quite embarrassing to be fair, to be such a central figure in all this,” Clarkson told Channel 10.

North Melbourne President Sonja Hood said the Kangaroos believed they had put their best case forward to Clarkson.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Essendon President David Barham will address the Bombers playing on Friday morning about the future of their Head Coach position.

IMAGE: FILE