Carlton coaching search: Blues appoint Michael Voss to the top job
Carlton hasn’t played finals since 2013 and hasn’t reached a preliminary final since 2000. How does Michael Voss plan to fix this former powerhouse?
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New Carlton coach Michael Voss has revealed his dream of becoming an AFL senior coach again never wavered, vowing he would be a more equipped and better leader eight years after his departure from Brisbane.
The Australian football Hall of Famer and long-time Port Adelaide assistant coach was unveiled as the Blues’ coach on Thursday.
As he sat between new president Luke Sayers and new chief executive Brian Cook, Voss declared he would do everything in his power to help lift the club he followed passionately as a kid out of the doldrums.
He won’t shy away from Sayers’ lofty expectations that the Blues can play finals in 2022.
“I have been so determined to get there (again as a senior AFL coach),” Voss told News Corp. “I probably had to get to a point where that is what I really wanted to do.
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“I stepped back for a year in the media (after Brisbane), but it didn’t take long to convince myself that this is what I wanted to do.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say I was very determined to ensure that this is a very successful tenure and that I am more than prepared to put everything out there and give it a red hot go.”
Voss may not have been the Blues’ first choice to replace David Teague, with Alastair Clarkson and Ross Lyon ruling themselves out.
But the 46-year-old insisted he was a far better, more well-rounded coach now than when he was sacked by Brisbane after five seasons in 2013.
“I know there are a lot of people who refer to my last go (at Brisbane), but I don’t think they realise it has been eight years since then,” he said.
“I’ve developed a whole new skill set. I’ve gone to work really hard around my leadership, around communication, around relationships and bringing people together.
“That’s something I have spent a lot of time on and I am very proud of what the Port Adelaide Football Club has been able to do, especially over the last three years.
“Now it is my time to pour all my IP into this job (at Carlton).
“It has taken a lot of hard work to get here, but hopefully it will just make it a little more rewarding when we have the success we are after.”
Voss, who has signed a three-year deal, has set to work on three key priorities.
“The first is ensuring we get a good coaching group together,” he said.
“The second is making sure trade week looks the way we want it to — who we bring in and who might go out.
“The third is ensuring I can get around the players, touching base and formally introducing myself.”
Voss spoke to the players via Zoom on Thursday, but will save his more in-depth discussions for coming weeks.
He said there would be some “uncomfortable” conversations as the Blues look to reset their future, but stressed that change was exciting.
“The reason why this job was so appealing was there has been an acceptance of change (at Carlton),” he said.
“You get to be able to come in and help start that and shift the energy to something new and different.
“It will be a little uncomfortable and that is not just around the coaching, but importantly it is about how we connect and unite as a football club.
“If I have learnt anything from Brian Cook in the first few days I have got to meet him, it is that people are at the starting point of building your organisation.
“I have got some strong philosophies and beliefs, but if we are going to get to where we need to go, we have to be all in on it. We have got to do it in a collaborative way.”
As far as the game plan goes, he forecast an emphasis on the contest as well as a harder defensive approach.
“It starts at the contest. That is something we have got a thirst to make sure is in a good position,” he said.
“Off the back of that, you need to have a strong defensive framework.
“There are clearly capabilities within this group. But it won’t be individual brilliance that will take us forward, it will be a collective movement that we will press the hardest on.”
As he was unveiled as the Blues’ coach, his thoughts turned to his late grandfather Keith Lynn.
“My Pop and I were absolute Carlton nuffies,” Voss said.
“I remember watching the ’87 grand final as a 12-year-old, watching Wallsy (Robert Walls) and Sticks (Stephen Kernahan) win the flag.
“I watched it on TV with my Pop at Orbost. I remember saying: ‘That’s what I want to do, I want to be a premiership captain’.
“I didn’t know I was going to have the good fortune of being able to do that (as a three-time Brisbane premiership captain).
“Pop passed away some time ago. It is ironic we have gone full circle and I am now at Carlton.”
Voss used to square off in his family backyard against his Richmond-mad brother Brett.
“It was always Carlton against Richmond and he (Brett) was always Dale Weightman and I was Wayne Johnston, and the next day he was Mark Lee and I was Kenny Hunter.”
He will remain in Melbourne until he is permitted to return to Adelaide for two weeks’ quarantine before returning to see his family — wife Donna, twins Casey and Kayla (21) and Gemma (18).
“They know their dad well enough to know if I go after something, I am all in,” he said of his kids.
“Donna’s immediate response was excitement. But she knows the enormity of the job.”
Voss knows what he is in for, but is confident this time he is better prepared and even more determined to chase the ultimate success.
SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE: VOSS UNVEILS HIS BLUE-PRINT
New Carlton coach Michael Voss says he won’t put a “cap” on what the Blues can achieve next year as he seeks to implement a stronger contest-based and defensively-minded game plan.
The three-time Brisbane premiership captain and former Lions coach was unveiled as the Blues new leader on Thursday morning after beating Adam Kingsley and Daniel Giansiracusa in the race for the job.
Voss went through the interview process with Carlton in its search for a new coach in 2019 and missed out, but said he had no hesitation throwing his hat in the ring for a “thorough” interview process again this year to coach the club he supported as a child.
Voss conducted a Zoom meeting with Carlton players on Thursday morning before fronting a press conference alongside incoming Carlton chief executive Brian Cook and new president Luke Sayers.
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The Blues have made clear expectations that they aim to play finals next year, which Voss said he would be embracing.
“I think it’s largely important not to cap where we want to be,” Voss said.
“In my time here and being able to go through this process, there’s obviously some talent here and that’s one of the really exciting parts of being able to coach this football team.
“I won’t step away from embracing expectations. I understand we’ve got a really rich history of the Carlton Football Club, we’ve had some really great success as a football club and we’ll embrace those expectations. But hopefully we can also shift the narrative a little around how we can just play for a greater purpose, which becomes even bigger than the result itself.”
Voss coached Brisbane from 2009 to 2013 before joining Port Adelaide at the end of 2014 as an assistant coach under Ken Hinkley where he had a significant impact.
Eight years on from his axing at the Lions, Voss said he had learnt plenty during his time out of the hot seat.
“I think some of those things are immeasurable,” he said.
“What I did know when I came out of the back of that was clearly I needed to get better and there’s a lot of things I needed to work on and that’s what I’ve spent the last eight years doing.
“I’ve been well and truly supported through that period of time but through it all you’re developing your own leadership skills, your relationships and how you build them, your communication. But it’s largely immeasurable and it’s been a fair length of time between that last job until now.”
MORE: BLUES MISS OUT ON DREAM COACH SIGNING
The Blues were criticised this year for their lack of defensive intent but Voss said he hoped to bring a contest-based and defensive brand to the club.
“Clearly the fundamentals of any good football side is built off ensuring the contest is extremely robust and that we’re very strong defensively and put ourselves in great positions on the field to score,” Voss said.
“That was one of the really important things that we spoke about during the selection process – my own philosophies around the way we were going to play. But I’d like to think that for us to be ready for that moment when we are ready to play finals football that we’re strong in both those areas.”
‘We couldn’t be happier’: Blues board lock new man in
Michael Voss has been given a second shot at senior coaching after being appointed to lead Carlton next year.
He joins St Kilda’s Brett Ratten as the second coach in three years to be handed a second chance.
“We couldn’t be happier as a Board and a football club to officially announce Michael as our AFL Senior Coach,” Carlton president Luke Sayers said.
“After a thorough and considered selection process, Voss’ credentials and vast experience in football made him the right person for the job.
“The final four candidates presented and interviewed extremely well, each demonstrating strong game plan and strategic knowledge with an emphasis on offence, defence, contest, pressure and structure,” Sayers said.
“Michael demonstrated a strong understanding of the key fundamental requirements for Carlton right now: inspirational and accountable leadership, driver of a united and ambitious culture, builder of trusting and collaborative relationships and a deep and genuine desire to deliver strong on-field performance.”
The Blues settled on Voss on Thursday four weeks after sacking David Teague.
It came down to a race in two between the Brisbane triple premiership great and highly regarded Richmond assistant coach Adam Kingsley.
They had their final interviews today with newly appoint Carlton CEO Brian Cook.
Many thought 46-year-old Voss was lost to senior coaching ranks after he was sacked by Brisbane Lions in 2013.
But following seven years at the Power under Ken Hinkley he impressed Carlton’s coaching subcommittee - led by football director Greg Williams - in a series of Zoom meetings.
Port Adelaide football manager Chris Davies congratulated Voss on his appointment and said his work as a mentor to players such as Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines had been important.
““He has been a great support for Ken and our other coaches, a mentor for so many of our players and a key driver of the strong connection amongst our group,” Davies said.
“In recent years, he has been forthright about his desire to be a senior coach again and we are pleased that he is able to get that opportunity.”
POWER ALREADY CLOSE TO FINDING VOSS REPLACEMENT
Port Adelaide has already started a search to replace Voss after the Lions premiership great was announced as the Blues’ new senior coach on Thursday.
Despite the pre-Grand Final appointment, it is understood Port Adelaide is in a position to replace him within a week.
Many thought Voss was lost to the senior coaching ranks after he was sacked by Brisbane in 2013.
But following seven years at Port Adelaide under Ken Hinkley he has recently impressed the Blues during a series of Zoom interviews.
In a chance meeting before he boarded the plane in Adelaide on Wednesday, Voss crossed paths with Port Adelaide great and club board member Gavin Wanganeen.
The pair stopped for a short chat.
Newly awarded Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines joined a string of Power players and officials to back in Voss to become a senior coach once again.
“Vossy is the ultimate motivator, he’s the best at motivating that I’ve ever seen in my life,” Wines told SEN earlier this week.
“The work he has done one-on-one and with the group has been massive for our team … We hope he gets that opportunity.
“Whatever happens with Vossy I’m sure he’ll be a great senior coach.”
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