Former Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane backs the decision by the club to sack Stuart Dew.
The Suns on Tuesday made the call to part ways with Dew, citing a lack of on-field performance.
While Cochrane was a key figure in the hiring and re-signing of the former senior coach, he says he has full faith in those who made the call to part ways with him.
“The truth of the matter is it is a really tough day. A really top bloke has lost his job. I have great empathy for anyone who loses their job … that part of it is really tough, but unfortunately by it’s nature footy is a very demanding job and people get moved on all the time in football clubs,” Cochrane told SEN’s Whateley.
“Everybody understands that’s part of the industry and Dew deep down understands that as well.
“It’s not my call. I am just a mere supporter on the sidelines now and other people who I respect made that call. I know it’s a tough call.
“They are really tough decisions. There’s never a good time or a right time, but good clubs make tough decisions and if we want to be a great footy club, you have to make some tough calls and I respect and stand by those who made the call.”
Cochrane has no regrets backing Dew in with a contract extension in 2022.
“We were all extremely hopeful and we were all, as a club, board, players, staff, admin, we were all onside,” he said.
“Mark Evans who I rate as a very good CEO was very supportive and we all wanted for Stuart to find success and success, whether you like it or not because we’re all judged on wins and losses, that is the core of this industry and we were all thinking that he was going to go forward and the wins would be accumulating and we were all looking forward to finals this year for sure.”
The veteran administrator gave some thoughts on how the club should go about replacing Dew as they strive to play finals footy for the first time ever.
“I think what the Suns and the AFL industry needs to do ensure that we come up with to take us forward because we’ve got a really exciting playing group,” he said.
“There’s a lot of talent in that group and Stuart Dew has done a tremendous job developing that talent.
“I kind of think that success is very close. What I hope, and I have no say in it, but I hope we can secure the best most dedicated senior coach we can find, but most importantly we find somebody who is 120% locked in with wanting to live and be a part of the Gold Coast community and be a part of taking this club to being something fantastic.”