Alastair Clarkson believes North Melbourne hierarchy "danced on my grave" after axing him as Kangaroos coach.
In his first interview since being let go by North, the four-time Hawthorn premiership coach described his family as being "publicly humiliated".
Kangaroos president Sonja Hood and football boss Todd Viney were brutally honest at their press conference in explaining why Clarkson was sacked with a year to go on his contract.
"We're just shocked, and we just thought we were owed a little bit of respect in being informed and warned," Clarkson told The Age.
"Instead, they chose to dance on my grave like this.
"Any deficiencies I've got - and you know that I've got them - to be absolutely blindsided like that.
"How we all feel to be so publicly humiliated."
Clarkson arrived at North as head coach amid great fanfare after being appointed in August 2022.
But his stint at Arden St couldn't have started off any worse, with the emergence of the Hawthorn racism saga in September 2022.
Clarkson denied all allegations from the start and was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.
"That took enormous toll on him ... I'm not sure the scars have fully healed," Viney said of Clarkson on Wednesday.
Clarkson hit back at suggestions his relationships with players and staff had deteriorated.
"Is that all my fault, is it?" Clarkson said.
"My mantra has never changed, and that has been to have care and empathy to help players chase their dream.
"I feel like my life's shot."
Premiership coaches John Longmire and Adam Simpson have naturally been floated as options to take over from Clarkson due to their stature as champion former North players.
But after watching first-time coaches Steven King and Josh Fraser succeed this year, the Kangaroos could be inclined to find a highly-rated assistant.
Jaymie Graham (Fremantle), Corey Enright (St Kilda) and James Kelly (Geelong) were in contention for the Carlton job, before Fraser's results as interim coach made him the only choice for the Blues.
