Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has floated some candidates for the coaching vacancy at the club.
It comes in the wake of a report that suggests the Saints are set to part ways with Brett Ratten despite only signing him to a two-year deal in July.
Thomas has urged the Saints to attempt to lure Luke Beveridge from the Western Bulldogs back to Moorabbin, while throwing up a few other names including those of James Hird, Mark Williams and Ross Lyon.
“I’m a very passionate Luke Beveridge fan,” Thomas said on SEN Breakfast.
“I’d be doing everything I could to exit him out of there and bring him home, if you like. I think he would be perfect.
“I would absolutely give James Hird a good tryout. I’m maybe only a little bit anti-AFL in doing that, but I think James has got great credentials.
“I don’t know who ‘Choco’ Williams has offended but I’m glad he’s offended someone, so I’d give him an opportunity and a look.
“Ross Lyon is obviously a highly-credentialed coaching candidate.
“They’re the guys that probably come to my mind because you would either want a premiership coach or a person you know who can deliver a premiership.
“Because what else are we here for? It’s the business we’re in.”
Club great Lenny Hayes recently returned to the club to take up an assistant coaching role having spent time with GWS before taking a couple of years out of the AFL system.
Thomas, who coached Hayes early in his career, ruled him out as a legitimate candidate but did say he is the type of person to build a club around.
“Dear Len, I don’t think Len, having gone away from the assistant coaching role and just coming back into it, I don’t think that he’s a prime candidate for this,” Thomas said.
“Down the track, who knows. What I do know is he has the sort of integrity and character of the person you build clubs or organisations around.
“So it’s a massive fillip and a massive move for the club to get someone of his character back in there.”
Asked if he would assist the Saints if they came calling, Thomas insists he would do everything in his power to help out but stopped short of putting his hand up for anything official.
“I would do anything I could to help St Kilda Football Club in an unofficial capacity,” Thomas said further.
“I’m not interested in boards, I’m not interested in positions, I’m only interested in success. If that is to provide them with input as to the process they go through, of course I would more than happy to help.
“I’m only interested on one thing and that’s a premiership. Every decision they make, every person they speak to, every person they turn to, every action they take should be with that in mind.”
The Saints are set to hold a press conference last 11:30am today with president Andrew Bassat and CEO Simon Lethlean.