Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has escaped AFL sanction over the angry outburst he admits has humiliated both himself and a junior football league’s umpire’s adviser.

Clarkson, who says he is working hard on his anger issues, was suspended for four games by the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL) on Wednesday night.

The Hawks coach swore at 19-year-old adviser Thomas Grundy while acting as a runner for his son’s under nines game on Sunday.

He said the incident was likely to deter him from future involvement in junior football.

“I’m really disappointed with my actions, I’m disappointed it’s brought such attention to the whole football world,” Clarkson told reporters.

“I’m disappointed it’s brought Thomas to the whole attention of the football world.

“He’s a 19-year-old lad that goes to a game of football to officiate in a manner like he did and he doesn’t expect any person really, let alone the coach of an AFL club, to talk to him in that manner.

“It’s been a very humiliating experience for both myself and Thomas.”

Ex-Hawks president and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett said that if he was still in charge, Clarkson would have been forced to miss an AFL match.

“You have to set the standard,” Kennett told Melbourne’s 3AW radio.

But AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the SMJFL sanction, along with verbal and written apologies from Clarkson, were enough, despite the AFL’s concern about any instance of abuse of umpires or umpiring officials.

“It is a constant challenge to recruit and retain umpires and match day officials at every level of the code,” Anderson said.

The incident came a day after the Hawks coach damaged a wall in the MCG coaches box when he lashed out in frustration during his side’s win over Collingwood.

Clarkson said he had been working hard to restrain himself from such outbursts since an angry on-field exchange with Essendon’s Matthew Lloyd three years ago, but it remained a work in progress.

“Everyone knows I’m no angel in regard to this,” he said.

“I think I’m getting better, I think since the Lloyd incident which caused huge embarrassment to myself and my football club and once again probably to Lloydy too, I’ve tried really hard to ensure I don’t get embroiled in this type of stuff.

“I didn’t go to that game on the weekend with a view of wanting to bring myself to attention, nor Thomas.

“It just occurred unfortunately, I wish I could have my time again.”