Carlton powerbrokers Stephen Gough, Mike Fitzpatrick and Tom Elliott rule out challenging club’s board

The Blues have admitted their skills and toughness are sadly lacking but the club has been reassured by a trio of star powerbrokers they aren’t after the job of low-profile president Mark LoGiudice.

Former Carlton boss Stephen Gough says all Blues fans are “hurting” but has ruled out a mooted challenge to the club board.

Carlton has admitted glaring deficiencies in hardness and skills as besieged Brendon Bolton faces the defining month of his coaching career.

The Blues admitted on Monday they were off the pace in skill acquisition and embarrassed by Shane Mumford’s thundering attacking on former captain Marc Murphy.

STRUGGLING: BIG ‘WHAT IFS’ PLAGUING BLUES

HORROR SHOW: ‘CARLTON LOOKED LIKE 18 WITCHES HATS’

BRENDON BOLTON: YOU’VE SEEN WORST SIDE OF CARLTON

Murphy is expected to miss several weeks with broken ribs after being crunched by Mumford, starting with the pivotal game against 13th-placed St Kilda.

Only wins in a stretch pitting Carlton against the Saints, Essendon, Brisbane and the Dogs can help give Bolton’s four-year coaching career momentum after two disastrous losses in the past three weeks.

Carlton players leave the field after the horror loss to GWS. Picture: Getty

Speculation about a number of potential challenges had rumbled along as the losses continued, but Gough on Monday told the Herald Sun he was not a player.

Carlton figures had raised the names of Gough, the former Blues CEO and MCC boss, and AFL commission boss Mike Fitzpatrick as potential figures who might take up the fight.

Football boss Brad Lloyd admitted the whole club was under pressure, saying it was time to convert honourable losses into wins in the next four weeks.

FAN VIEW: I DOUBT MY SON WILL GROW UP A BLUE

SUPER LADDER: WHERE YOUR CLUB SITS

Gough on Monday told the Herald Sun he and two-time premiership captain Fitzpatrick would not be involved in any action.

“It’s not in my purview any more. I am doing a bit of help with the club for its life members and ‘Fitzy’ has been helping out with the past players. That’s the extent of our involvement,” he said.

“Every Carlton supporter is hurting at the way we are going at the moment and hoping we can turn it around.

“But after that loss you get a bit dispirited after all the good efforts against Collingwood.

Stephen Gough and Tom Elliott have ruled out a challenge of Mark LoGiudice’s Carlton board. Picture: Colleen Petch

“To see them so good and then so poor is in the hands of the coaches and I hope they and the players can find a way to turn it around. It’s the tricky thing that drives you mad about supporting your team. We are all hating it, I can officially say that on behalf of the Carlton people.”

Radio host Tom Elliott, another figure long linked to a board role, said on Monday he had no interest in a challenge.

“No, there is nothing at the moment. I am just a frustrated Carlton fan like a lot of others,” he said.

Bolton has some security through until the 2020 season after restructuring his contract in the wake of the Bryce Gibbs trade.

But Bolton would be one of the lowest-paid coaches in football, with the Blues able to justify a payout if it maximised their on-field success.

Lloyd told SEN the club needed to start cashing in on winnable games.

“There is a four-week block of St Kilda, Brisbane, the Dogs and Essendon so it’s a really important club coming up for the footy club,” he said.

“We need to be more stable, we need to start getting over the line in games we are in.”