Robert Walls says David Teague, Brett Ratten, Michael Voss all have a shot at Carlton coach job
Robert Walls has watched David Teague transform Carlton first-hand and gives him a ringing endorsement as a senior coach. But he says Brett Ratten and Michael Voss deserve another chance.
Coaching legend Robert Walls believes David Teague’s astonishing transformation of Carlton’s list gives him an excellent chance to be the club’s permanent coach.
The Carlton premiership coach has worked intimately with the Blues coaches this year in a mentoring role and has seen Teague’s impact on the players first-hand.
Carlton would never have considered that Teague would be the favourite to take charge when he stepped into the breach, but Walls gave him a ringing endorsement after five wins from his first eight games.
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Speaking publicly for the first time this year about his role at Carlton and Brendon Bolton’s sacking, Walls said the departed coach had given his “heart and soul” for the club.
He told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast Teague had a strong connection with players and a modern feel for the game, having flipped the game plan on its head in a matter of weeks.
“David Teague has been in charge and doing a really good job, encouraging the players to back themselves quickly, added a fair bit of skill and run and flair to their training,” he said.
“With the wins on the board and the competitive way in which the team is playing has to give him every chance to be senior coach next year.”
While Teague is in a strong position, Walls believes Carlton must also consider the claims of two potential second-time coaches in Michael Voss and Brett Ratten.
“Personally I felt Ratten was hardly dealt with and (sacking him for Mick Malthouse) proved to be a bad move, and he couldn’t have done more since he’s been away,” Walls said.
“Coached three premiership midfields at Hawthorn, good work at St Kilda and he would be much better prepared now.
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“Voss, Buckley and Hird all made the mistake of not leaving clubs and stepping into a coaching role without a full apprenticeship.
“What I like about Michael Voss is he has spent the last five years in Adelaide (with Port Adelaide), he is fair dinkum and wants to be a senior coach, so I reckon Vossy would be ready to go again.
“I felt for Brendon Bolton because he gave his heart and soul, but it’s a winning business and after three-and-a-half years and four wins in 40 games it comes back to bite you.”
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Teague has won five of his eight games as interim coach since Bolton’s sacking.
Football director Chris Judd’s remark about the Blues not needing a coach with “training wheels” has been much scrutinised, but Walls is adamant the best coach will win out regardless of experience.
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“If you go back over the last decade, they got in two experienced coaches in (Denis) Pagan and (Mick) Malthouse and neither worked, so you don’t necessarily need an experienced coach, you just need a good coach who knows the modern game and puts his heart and soul into it and has an attacking frame of mind.”
He says Bolton will quickly find a role in football given his skillset and the way he set up the Blues for success.
“You just pick yourself up and there has been more good times than bad,” he said.
“He was part of premiership success at Hawthorn, a player in Tasmania and senior coach at 23 or 24, so look more on the good times than the bad.
“You can dwell on the bad times and think you are failure, but you are not and Brendon Bolton should be back in football and I hope he can be an assistant coach again because he would be tremendous.”
Originally published as Robert Walls says David Teague, Brett Ratten, Michael Voss all have a shot at Carlton coach job