Mick Malthouse has taken aim at Carlton president Mark LoGiudice, two days after the Blues sacked him and ended his 31-year AFL coaching career.
Malthouse has blasted LoGiudice for a media interview earlier this season where the Blues boss did not rule out captain Marc Murphy and reigning best and fairest winner Bryce Gibbs might be trade options at the end of this season.
He also criticised LoGiudice for the president’s letter to club members on Monday, saying it was a bit self-serving.
In his first extensive interview since being sacked, Malthouse also insisted on Fox Footy that he did not set out to fast-track the dismissal.
Malthouse’s fate was sealed when he gave a provocative Tuesday morning radio interview.
The Blues sacked him hours later.
Malthouse said LoGiudice’s comments about Murphy and Gibbs had done substantial damage to the confidence of the team.
The pair said over the weekend that Carlton officials had since assured them that they are not potentially up for trade at the end of this season.
“I can draw on experience and I reckon we got it wrong by inadvertently costing players the trust, which automatically offends me,” Malthouse said.
“I couldn’t believe how that was taking place.
“The last six weeks have been an unbelievable job of trying to regenerate faith in them playing football.
“When I see Murphy’s name out there and I see Gibbs’ name out there … how do you restore that?
“The last six weeks, I’ve thought of every possible way, how to restore confidence in the group and that’s been very, very hard.”
Malthouse met with LoGiudice and club chief executive Steven Trigg on Monday amid widespread speculation that the club would soon sack the veteran coach.
Carlton then sent out a letter from LoGiudice to Blues members, saying no decision would be made until the round-10 bye.
Malthouse said the letter was not supportive enough of the players.
“I know what they (players) were putting up with, I know how much they were hurting,” he said.
“I thought it was a bit self-serving – how people felt around the club – it was such a negative.
“My thing was that we had to protect the players, because they’re already damaged.
“I was very, very disappointed in the way it came out.”
Malthouse said when he spoke to SEN on Tuesday morning, there was no intent to force the issue.
“There were a few things that took place before that,” he said.
He also strongly denied speculation that he agreed to coach Carlton because it meant he could pass Jock McHale’s AFL record of 715 games as a senior coach.
Malthouse broke the record at the start of the month, but that was the start of a horror four-game losing streak that led to his sacking.
“That was such a burden – I wish Jock had coached 1000 games and it was beyond me,” he said.
Mark
Guest
We have a long road ahead and will have to take advantage of our draft picks from the wooden spoon over next three years Bottom line is the board sacked a man who is regard as one of the super coaches of the comp. I think president and CEO just acted to buy a few more years of getting a pay cheque by saying we are in a rebuilding process and to be honest these two guys need to go as well and put some true blue blood put at the helm. Steven Trigg CEO of the crows from 2001 and achieved nothing and has proven his legacy with costing the crows draft picks with the Kurt tippet scandal and we also dont know about Eddie betts? crows fans happy to see back of him but he will claim he was at the club as commucations officer during premiership years .. Answer to that water boy has more presence then your role Mr Trigg. The Pres, Well his the only one left from the board that employed Mick. The least he can do in his position of power is do a Beasley or Hockey and lose some weight as for some reason Australians don't look kindly on overweight people in power which to me is not Australian .. Suppose our logic is if u cannot look after yourself how can you run a country,company or football club
craig crombie
Roar Rookie
Sacking Malthouse, It couldn't of happened to a better bloke, It was about time Carlton gave him the flick, Now Carlton might have a chance to win a game. The only negative thing that come out of Carltons club was Malthouse.
Pillock
Guest
It's a bit rich for Malthouse to talk about other people being self serving. His record and behaviour at Carlton has been absymal and it's every bodies fault but his own. Congratulations on your career Mick and now it's over, thank God.