North Melbourne coach Brad Scott feels he is the right man to lead the club's transition despite its winless start to the season.
After a tumultuous end to 2016 in which the club chose not to renew the contracts of veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo, North has blooded fresh talent this season, opening the door to youngsters who had previously been starved of opportunities.
Although competitive, the Kangaroos are 0-5 for the first time since 1972 and have surrendered the lead in three matches despite leading at three-quarter time.
Scott reaffirmed his desire to remain at the helm but stressed the club's interests would always come before his own.
"I'm committed to doing what's best for North and if the club consistently feel that that's me, then that's what I'll be doing," Scott told Channel Nine on Monday night, before being asked if he was the best person to lead the Kangaroos.
"At the moment, it is but we'll keep analysing that. At the end of the year, we'll analyse it," he replied.
"I'm really comfortable in my capability as a coach so if that's North Melbourne, fantastic, and if they still want me and I feel like I'm the best person for the job, that's where I'll be."
The Kangaroos led by 32 points late in the third term against Geelong (round two) and ultimately lost by one point.
They led by as much as 29 points against both the Western Bulldogs (round four) and Fremantle (round five) in the third quarter but lost by three and five points respectively.
North has won just four of its past 19 games that were decided by a goal or less.
Meanwhile, Scott said he was "offended" by the speculation surrounding his coaching future at the end of last season.
The Kangaroos' coach was linked to the then-vacant Brisbane Lions senior coaching position, particularly given his 146-game playing career at the club.
"Never was it my intention to ever contemplate leaving North Melbourne. If I wanted to leave, I would've left," Scott said.
"I was a little bit offended ... if anyone ever questioned my loyalty to North Melbourne [who] I think I've shown significant loyalty to over a long period of time, and they gave me my opportunity in senior coaching."
Scott also acknowledged the timing of the announcement about North's departing veterans – which was made ahead of its round 23 clash with Greater Western Sydney – had hindered the club's finals prospects.
"I put my relationship, particularly with 'Boomer' (Harvey) and Drew (Petrie), right at the top of the list and I made a commitment to them earlier in the season that as soon I knew which direction the club was going to take, I would tell them," Scott said.
"That was on the eve of the finals and, in hindsight – and I've spoken to Drew and Boomer about this – it derailed our finals campaign to a certain extent.
"I put their interests ahead of the overall team and I wouldn't do it again."
North crashed out in the first week of the finals with a 62-point loss to Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
Scott said there was plenty to look forward to despite the slow start in 2017, with youngsters Braydon Preuss, Mitch Hibberd, Declan Mountford, Sam Durdin, Ed Vickers-Willis, and draftee Jy Simpkin all making their debuts in 2017.
"The really important message that I'd like to get across to our supporters is that, you've seen the future of the young players," the coach said.
"There's still a hell of a lot of bullets in that list management gun and we've put ourselves in a position where the future is looking extremely bright."
