The "difficult" situation Clarkson has been put in and why Mitchell is tipped to coach Hawthorn in 2022

Sportsday co-host Sam McClure believes that Sam Mitchell will be the coach of Hawthorn in 2022.

The Hawks announced earlier in July that Alastair Clarkson’s current contract would not be renewed, with the four-time premiership coach to mentor Mitchell next year before departing ahead of the 2023 season.

Many in the footy world doubt whether the succession plan will unfold as intended, with McClure saying there was “no way” it could work, believing Mitchell will coach the club next year and not Clarkson.

“We’ve seen that these situations for whatever reason don’t work,” he said on Sportsday.

“We saw it with Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley, it was supposed to be a smooth transition over two years and it was anything but.”

“I think there are several senior players that were taken aback by the news that Alastair Clarkson was being moved on.

“A lot of industry figures feel the same way, I can tell you right now that Sam Mitchell will be coach of Hawthorn next year. There’s no way that this can work.”

Coaching great Leigh Matthews echoed his concerns, saying the current plan put Clarkson in a “difficult” position.

“I don’t know how it’s going to work,” he said.

“It’s a very difficult situation and that is obvious. The Collingwood situation, we forget how difficult it must have been and how bad it must have been in the end.

“It’s a very, very difficult situation for Alastair Clarkson particularly. Yes he has the contract, he has the money and I don’t think Hawthorn are going to move him on. The human feeling and nature of it all makes it doubtful that this will take place hunky dory until the end of 2022.”