SAM MITCHELL says negotiations have been “seamless” with Hawthorn to extend his coaching tenure.
Mitchell and the Hawks are on the cusp of announcing a fresh contract to remain coach until the end of 2030.
“I love Hawthorn and I’m sure there will be something coming out about it soon enough,” Mitchell told reporters on Thursday.
“I will let that play out … someone will report on that when that’s all finalised, but it has been pretty seamless to be honest.”
Mitchell, under contract until the end of next year, is widely tipped to sign a three-year extension.
The 43-year-old took over as Hawks coach at the end of 2021 in a messy succession from Alastair Clarkson.
With Collingwood circling then Hawks assistant Mitchell in 2021, Hawthorn struck a deal with him to take over as head coach at the end of 2022.
But Clarkson accelerated the handover amid tension with Mitchell, who played in four Hawthorn flags coached by Clarkson.
The pair will cross paths again on Saturday when Hawthorn plays Clarkson’s North Melbourne in Tasmania.
“I think we’re on chartered flights together, so I am sure we will spend some time together on the way down,” Mitchell said.
Asked what his relationship with Clarkson was now, Mitchell replied: “He’s an opposition coach.
“We obviously share a lot of history.
“But in general there’s a whole group of coaches that you have crossed paths with a lot, that you keep in touch with and then there’s some coaches that you have never worked with, really spent time with.
“We have obviously spent a lot of time together over a long period of time, but at the moment we’re opposition coaches so it’s a bit different.
