Former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley will spend time at Port Adelaide this week, but Power coach Mark Williams doubts there will be a more formal appointment due to financial reasons.

Laidley was contacted by Williams last week - when he was still unsure whether he would be re-appointed to coach Port beyond 2009 - about making a visit to Alberton in a consulting capacity.

The details of the visit are uncertain, but there is little doubt the Power would like to consider a figure of Laidley's experience in doing a lot with limited resources at the cash-strapped Kangaroos as a possible addition to their football department.

Williams said he expected West Coast to swoop on Laidley with their vastly superior reserves of cash.

"I'm not exactly sure (what he'll be doing), I left a message on Thursday saying `listen mate, wait until you hear something before we work out what day it is', but it's this week some time," Williams said on Tuesday.

"I'm not sure about (a formal appointment at Port), I think West Coast have approached Dean ... they've got money to burn."

Port president Brett Duncanson said Williams' decision to approach Laidley, at a time when he did not yet know whether he would still be in the job, reflected positively on his desire to see the club succeed.

"Mark obviously didn't know the decision until late last night, but typical of Mark he invited Dean Laidley here this week, last week," said Duncanson.

"I think that shows Mark's all about the Port Adelaide football club and not about himself."

Port's decision to retain Williams as coach until 2011, albeit with a pay cut, should allow changes to be made to a football department which has lacked coaching and managerial firepower over the past 18 months.

The likes of Phil Walsh and Dean Bailey have been replaced by less experienced assistants and the courting of Laidley suggests Williams knows he needs some wiser heads around him.

On Tuesday, however, Williams remained supportive of assistants Jason Cripps, Adam Kingsley, Matthew Primus and Tony McGuinness, plus football operations manager Peter Rohde.

"I'm not sure exactly about that (changes to the coaching panel), my assistant coaches are outstanding, they're developing all the time and like myself we're constantly looking for new things," Williams said.

"We're into finding out what's best, what others are doing and trying to lap it up as much as possible.

"Our assistant coaches are not standing still and not satisfied and not believing they know everything and that's the sort of environment I love."

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