Koch admits to 'tension' with re-signed Hinkley

Port Adelaide president David Koch has once again provided an open and honest insight into the inner workings of the Power football team.

The Sunrise host, who controversially put his Power players on notice after their heartbreaking exit from the finals, admitted there had been tension between himself and coach Ken Hinkley in the aftermath of the defeat.

“It created tension but that happens, as Ken said,’’ Koch told The Advertiser.

"That’s what happens with organisations, it's what happens between (wife) Lib and I and (with colleagues) on Sunrise.

"Nothing is sugar and sweet 100 per cent of the time. But what you need to look at is the heart of it and the heart of it is we’re passionate for success.

"The whole thing hasn’t nearly been as frantic as what it has been made out to be.’"

Hinkley was reportedly especially displeased when Koch questioned the young team he picked for the West Coast final.

The uneasy relationship between president and coach almost came to a head as Hinkley was pursued to fill the vacant head coaching job on the Gold Coast.

However the pair managed to settle their differences of opinion and style with Hinkley on Tuesday committing to stay with the club until the end of 2021.

"As I have said on a number of occasions I always have had conversations with Ken saying ‘what do I need to do to make you a 10-year coach?’ I have always said Ken is the best coach for the Port Adelaide Football Club," Koch said on Adelaide radio station FIVEaa.

"But I don’t apologise for being passionate about success. I'm not going to pretend and take a traditional sort of football view that you keep the members in the dark, you just sort of spin them a line every so often and you keep everything in-house.

"I am very transparent because I believe I have a responsibility to the entire club, so there is always going to be tension and that is built around a passion for Port Adelaide and a passion for success going forward and Ken shares that passion.

"That’s why he’s committed to the club and why I love him and love him as coach."

Meanwhile, Koch denied claims he's been a publicity hound in recent times.

"Because of who I am and because I’m in the media I will always have a profile. I don’t go out chasing publicity.

"My comments last week came at an emotional time, it was just for members after a game.

"We were the better side and I said we blew our chance. Yes, you could say in retrospect it was clumsy words but the fact is we want success, it’s the Port Adelaide way.

"One of the members, unbenowns to me, recorded it on iPhone and posted it on social media saying how terrific was this that ‘Kochy’ was talking to the members.

"Then all the context was lost on it. It was me shooting from the hip seeking publicity.

"There was no media there, it was just members and I was talking as the president of a club that has a responsibility to members as well as all the other staff at the club — coaches, players, off-field staff.’"