Mick Malthouse’s future at Carlton might already be decided, Mark Robinson writes
THE BLUES may have already made a decision on Mick Matlhouse, so why wait two weeks? Mark Robinson on the situation.
Mark Robinson
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THE Blues blinked after all.
The back half of the season has now become the bye break and that’s when Mick Malthouse will be told if he will be coach in 2016.
They may have made the decision already, so why wait two weeks? But they also might need the next few weeks to go through the process, to borrow a line from Carlton president Mark LoGiudice, and LoGiudice is big on process.
The facts are Carlton is 1-7, play Sydney in Sydney on Friday night and then Adelaide at the MCG in Round 10.
THIS WEEK’S SUPERFOOTY PODCAST ADDRESSES THE MICK MALTHOUSE COACHING SITUATION. LISTEN BELOW:
The odds of Malthouse being told he will keep his job are frightfully long. So, the only question is: Will Malthouse coach out the season?
LoGiudice and chief executive Stephen Trigg met Malthouse on Monday — at the club — in what can only be described as an emergency meeting. The events of the past four days demanded nothing less.
READ MARK LOGIUDICE’S LETTER TO CARLTON MEMBERS BELOW
The mixed messaging through Thursday and Friday showed a club and its coach desperately at odds with their thinking.
The belting on Friday night was the mess on top of a dramatic few days. We tipped the meeting could happen on Saturday, Sunday at the latest, but the Blues waited for next working day.
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You get the feeling LoGiudice isn’t the kind of bloke to knock on the door at Malthouse’s home over the weekend and nut out the departure details.
That would be old Carlton: A slash and burn meeting and a press conference called two hours later.
No, LoGiudice says he is heading a new Carlton, full of new people in senior positions and with a 10-point plan for success, and that proper process will be undertaken.
The board of directors will decide Malthouse’s fate in the next fortnight. They will be told about the poor recruiting, the poor player development and, what probably will be the sledgehammer for Malthouse, the poor finances.
The Blues lost $150,000-$200,000 when 16,000 fans watched Greater Western Sydney at Etihad two weeks ago.
Financial losses like that every second week very quickly makes the coaching decision seem relatively easy.
Malthouse is probably owed $450,000-$500,000 of his near $1 million salary and the club won’t want to make a situation worse by adding hefty gate losses.
Three situations can happen:
1) Malthouse is re-signed for next year.
2) Malthouse is told he will not be re-signed and he coaches out the season.
3) Malthouse is told he will not be re-signed and he walks straight away.
That he has said several times “It’s not in his DNA to walk away,” you would have to think option two is the most favoured.
Monday’s announcement by LoGuidice is a backdown on his previous statements, but he can’t be criticised for that.
This has been a movable feast and at times a ridiculous situation.
Malthouse put the “rebuild’’ issue on the agenda on Thursday and the Blues responded with angst on Friday night.
Trigg said pre-game on 3AW: “There’s potentially a point (where Malthouse and the club could part ways), but it is actually in striving to be respectful of Mick to try and get to a situation where we can get our way out of this.’’
The situation has arrived.
And many people will be relieved it has, not least Malthouse, the Blues, the fans and the AFL Coaches Association.
Its chief executive Mark Brayshaw said on Monday the media frenzy surrounding the future of Malthouse was becoming a blood sport.
He implored media to pull back from the situation, just hours before the Blues put it back on the agenda late Monday.
“I think they’re entitled to sit back and get on with it, rather that what I see is a particularly unseemly line of inquiry about the immediate future of the Carlton Football Club’s coach,’’ Brayshaw said.
“I do think it’s become a frenzy and in danger of becoming a blood sport rather than objective discussion.’’
The Blues blinked on Monday because the club was in crisis and it bought them time.
But time is what Malthouse doesn’t have.
After 30 years coaching, it all comes down to two games.
If he does lose his job, Carlton will advertise at the end of the season for a new coach for the first time in its 151 years of existence.
Clearly, that is the new Carlton.
WORD FROM THE TOP: Mark LoGuidice’s letter to Carlton members
The letter that changed everything for Carlton coach Mick Malthouse, sent to members by Blues president Mark LoGiudice on Monday.
“There is no question that this is a challenging time for our football club and I share in your pain and frustrations over our recent on-field performances.
When I became President, I promised to lead and make decisions based on good information and thorough processes, and not in a rushed or pressured way.
To me, strong leadership not only involves articulating a plan and providing the guidance to achieve it, but also having the courage to concede if a plan requires adjusting and then executing the change accordingly.
The position of Senior Coach is one that we have consistently said would be reviewed in the second half of the season. That had always been the Club’s intention. However, we now believe it is in the best interests of our football club to alter our timeline.
Our CEO, Steven Trigg and myself met with Mick Malthouse today, 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.
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.
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.
As I have now said on numerous occasions, the days of quick fixes are behind us. 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.
While I have this opportunity I would like to thank you for your continued commitment, passion and loyalty through this time.
Together we will navigate through this and restore pride to our Old Dark Navy Blues.
Originally published as Mick Malthouse’s future at Carlton might already be decided, Mark Robinson writes
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