Mick Malthouse could be just two matches from ending his storied AFL coaching career after Carlton announced it would bring forward a decision on his future.
In a sharp departure from the club’s previous plan, on Monday Blues president Mark LoGiudice said Malthouse’s position would be assessed during the club’s bye round in a fortnight’s time.
The new timeline gives Malthouse two matches to turn around the club’s fortunes, against Sydney and Adelaide.
LoGiudice said rampant speculation around Malthouse’s position necessitated the change of heart.
As recently as two weeks ago, LoGiudice said the veteran coach was safe until the end of the season, when his contract expires.
But two weeks and two heavy defeats later, to Greater Western Sydney by 78 points and Geelong by 77, LoGiudice outlined the change of plan in an email to club members.
“Our CEO, Steven Trigg and myself met with Mick Malthouse (on Monday), and agreed that in the best interests of the club, we would make a decision on the future direction of our senior coaching position in the week of the bye, which is round 11,” he said.
“Mick supports our revised timeline and has again committed to stay the course.
“We are very mindful of the speculation surrounding the senior coaching role and the impact it is having.
“Out of care for all concerned we believe it is best to make a decision sooner than previously indicated and that the bye round represents an appropriate time.”
The Blues sit bottom of the AFL ladder with just one win from eight games.
It is Carlton’s worst start to a season since 2007, when they finished second bottom, and the worst opening eight games of Malthouse’s 30 seasons as a senior coach.
LoGiudice called the season a “challenging time”, saying he shared members’ pain over the poor performances.
He said Carlton would not be looking for a “quick fix” when deciding whether to extend Malthouse’s tenure or seek a new direction.
“We will take the next few weeks to review the future of the Senior Coach position before making an informed and rational decision to take Carlton forward,” LoGiudice said.
“Our approach to this very important decision will be methodical and considered.
“This is about making the right decision the right way, in an orderly manner that is right for Carlton.”
Melbourne coach Paul Roos said huge interest in Malthouse’s future had forced the board’s hand.
“Once the media jumps on something it becomes an ongoing story,” he told Fox Footy.
“There’s so much pressure that goes on the footy club.
“We see it most years and it’s very hard for the board not to act.”
Macca
Guest
Jax - The Carlton BOard hasn't been the same for 1 year let alone 30 - and Micks problem was that he was trying to do what he did 5 or 6 years ago at Collingwood but the game has moved on. You want the board and President & CEO sacked but they have been in place less than a year and have removed a dud coach and appointed a good recruiting officer what more do you want?
jax
Guest
same silly decisions and the CEO was guilty of a salary-cap breach at the Crows and if Mick is right about the Betts issue Trigg is a questionable choice at best. This is the first team in 30 years that Mick has not gotten the best out of. So do I trust the 30 year track record of Mick or the 30 year track record of successive Carlton boards? I trust both records. The Blues board has a far worse 30 year record than Mick does which is why they needed to be held accountable before Mick was sacked. Elliot was running things 30 years ago don't forget and he loved his brown paper bags stuffed with cash and so did Trigg. Lot's of problem lie ahead for the Blues.
Macca
Guest
Not the same board, not the same President, not the same CEO Jax.
jax
Guest
"In fact he never should have been brought on." and who's decision was that? it was the boards decision and they are still there, why? They should have sacked themselves, brought in a new, fresher and better board and then started the review of Mick. In typical Blues fashion they got it all back to front from the start and nothing that i can see tells me that anything is about to change anytime soon.
Macca
Guest
Malthouse gone - Barker is the interim coach - good day for the blues.
poida
Guest
He said he wouldn't stand down but he new full well he would get sacked of he did this interview this morning so its a sneaky way of standing down! Hez a ungrateful sod,now he will get payed out and then link back up with channel 7 and get even more cash for the year hez a snake .just say for one second if and a very huge if he knucked down and the blues somehow knocked Sydney off then a huge if again they knocked the crows off,he could turn this whole thing around in 2 weeks and stay on as coach mabey even another contract but no he forces them to sack him he has quit but just in a sneaky way
MickyC
Guest
Of course he wanted to get sacked. He's on 900k a year, not going to throw that away by walking. This is the reason I was cold on Malthouse from the start. He was at Collingwood for a decade or so. At the absolute least, over that period they would have paid him $5 million. They had the opportunity to sign up as a coach a club legend second only to McHale, in Buckley. McGuire orchestrated a structured mentoring and handover period and even lined up another high paying gig as Director of Coaching for Malthouse. And how did he respond after years and years of being paid a king's ransom to do a job that he loves? He threw his lollies out the pram and stormed off. Barely acknowledged Buckley and McGuire for years - it was they who tried to mend bridges come his recent milestone, not Mick. Now he's doing the same thing again. I was feeling sorry for him up until this morning although I did (and still do) want him to move on. Now I'll be glad to see the back of him.
Macca
Guest
Yeah board apparently meeting this arvo - glad to see it come to an end, hopefully we start playing more attractive footy with some of the young blokes given more of a go.
Macca
Guest
I think he wanted to get sacked.
andyl12
Guest
He's gone. The Age are all over the story. Laidley to take over.
poida
Guest
Why would he come out and bag the board? He obviously wants to get a bullet hole in his clacker or he could just shut his mouth and coach and yes the comment on the 2 weeks being about how bad the players want mick is right on the money ,how is that ridiculous mick ? U grumpy old man
Macca
Guest
Laidley is the most likely but John Barker has been talked about and possibly makes more sense in that it would be a step up for him and hopefully improve his skills base where Laidley has been there and done that.
langou
Roar Guru
Macca, who at Carlton is likely to be the caretaker coach? Dean Laidley or is there someone else do you think?
Macca
Guest
So far this board has got Stephen Silvagni in and Malthouse out - not sure what more they could have done!
The Original Buzz
Guest
Didn't hear the SEN thing but I will give the Board the benefit of the doubt. I think Trigg will be good for Carlton and should be given the chance over a couple of years. I am still out on LoGuidice though, he needs to prove himself a bit more yet and he hasn't exactly endeared himself to the fans so far.
Macca
Guest
Apparently Malthouse said this today “The day that I think the players aren’t responding ... if that is the case that’s when you do stop coaching.” If he still thinks the players are responding he needs to radically change what he is asking them to do!!!
MickyC
Guest
I expect Mick to be gone by tomorrow after SEN this morning. As for sacking the board, I have my doubts. The whole "Mathieson" faction and "Pratt" faction peeves me in the extreme. Would rather my club not be a billionaires plaything. At this stage though I'm willing to give Logiudice the benefit of the doubt and I have faith in Trigg still. Once the Malthouse situation is resolved I'll see how the board situation pans out. If it doesn't improve I fear for how we can rectify it. They were only joking on SEN but at this stage maybe Andy Maher would be a better option. I'll bide my time.
Me Too
Guest
perhaps the two weeks is telling the players - it looks like Mick has lost you. Show us if you want him in these next games. Either way, after the interview today he should be gone - but yes, so should the board. Nothing grander for a Saints supporter than to see the club that voted for us to die, flounder. Reap what you sow.
sheek
Roar Guru
There are always two sides to any story. Mick Malthouse is suffering from the same delusion that afflicts many other people in his position, in sport, business & in life. He will say something like, "I'm not a quitter, & I'm not quitting now." The story, as always, seems to be about the individual, but it isn't. It's the welfare of the club that comes first, not any individual. The other side of the story is the Carlton FC board. They are also culpable for poor decisions. As Jack Smith says above, "Sack the board with the coach."
Macca
Guest
Slane - "No doubt the new coach will bow to the supporters calls to start playing the kids straight away, no doubt crippling their development just like Gibbs, Murphy and Kreuzer." The reason I have been so against trading Gibbs & Murphy is for that exact reason the kids need more support than Murphy and Gibbs got but we are in a much better spot now than where we were then. The kids most supporters want played are the likes of Nick Graham who was drafted in 2012 and is 20 years old and has racked up 3 consecutive best on grounds for the 2's and has been in the 2's best 19 of 23 games, or Dylan Buckley (22) getting to play more than 3 consecutive games in the seniors, it would also be good to see what the 22 year old Tom Fields can do at senior level after impressing as a key defender in the 2's so far this year or get more game into the 21 year old Boekhorst or the 20 year old Jaksch or even allow the 25 year old Casboult to play a long stretch of games without being dropped - this isn't a case of throwing 18 year olds into being our number 1 midfielders like it was back in 2006 but instead giving opportunities to 20 plus year olds to see what they have got and develop them to have a base to build off next year.