Former North Melbourne premiership coach Denis Pagan believes his old side should go hard to bring in John Longmire as Brad Scott’s replacement.
The Roos are currently searching for a new coach and Longmire, a North Melbourne great, is the man Pagan believes is perfect for the role.
“I’d love John Longmire to coach North Melbourne. I think you’ve got to understand the culture of the place and embrace the people who were there and I think Johnny knows that,” Pagan told SEN Breakfast.
“I don’t know if they can get him. I know he’s got another year of his contract, but what do contracts mean if a coach says to you I don’t want to be there, I want to go back, you can’t force someone to coach a team they don’t want to.”
Pagan has urged the club to make a “godfather” offer to whoever their candidate is to make sure they get the deal done.
“I just think North Melbourne has got to make a decision, go after the person that they want and make them a godfather offer,” he said.
“Too many times North Melbourne have been close to landing a big fish and haven’t been able to do it and you’ve got to just keep going until someone commits to your organisation.
“I’d love to see a Longmire or an Adam Simpson or an Alastair Clarkson or a Blakey come to the Kangaroos. They’ve got a bit of work to do Glenn Archer and Ben Buckley and I just hope they get the right man this time.”
If Longmire can’t be won over, Pagan feels Swans Coaching Director Nick Blakey is another ex-North Melbourne player who would be “perfect” for the job.
“I think I probably saw two candidates (at North Melbourne’s premiership reunion),” he said.
“If I was leading the search, I’d be going for John Longmire, it might be hard to get him out of Sydney, but one of his understudies John Blakey has done a 15-year apprenticeship and he’s just perfect.
“He’s a quality individual, a great player, he’d be a perfect coach as well and knows all about North Melbourne.”