EDDIE Betts joining Geelong as a part-time coach caught many by surprise earlier in the week and the AFL great has revealed how it came about.<\/p>\n
Betts admitted he wanted to stay with the Blues, after retiring at the end of the 2021 season, but was only offered a marketing job by the club.<\/p>\n
The 350-gamer wished to go more down a coaching pathway and Geelong offered him that opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would\u2019ve loved to stay at Carlton, but I really wanted to stay in football,\u201d Betts said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCarlton did offer me to work up in marketing, but my passion is football and I wanted to coach, so that\u2019s how I\u2019ve landed a job here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Betts added that he hopes to focus on Geelong\u2019s younger and developing players in the part-time role.<\/p>\n
The Cats earlier in the week confirmed their interest in former Crow Tyson Stengle, who has a strong relationship with Betts.<\/p>\n
After being cut by Adelaide, Stengle has returned to the SANFL and put in a dominant season as a small forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s played some great footy this year and got his life back on track. I\u2019m pretty close with Tyson, I feel like I\u2019m his older brother,\u201d Betts said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he came to the Crows me and my wife took him in and I still speak to him every day and I really hope he gets another opportunity playing AFL footy, whether it\u2019s here or somewhere else.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy best interest is Tyson getting back and playing AFL. If he comes to Geelong that would be great, but I\u2019m just hoping he gets an opportunity at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Betts confirmed that he will remain living in Melbourne and will make the trek down to the Cattery daily.<\/p>\n
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