Carlton falling apart, senior powerbrokers fall on sword

Carlton has put David Teague out of his misery, while reports suggest his exit will be followed by carnage at the very top of the club.

Dead man walking. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

David Teague has been sacked and will reportedly be followed out the door by some of the senior-most figures at the club

It was reported on Thursday Teague had lost his job, which came after reports emerged on Wednesday night the club’s board of directors will be gutted.

The apparent first-choice coach for 2022, Alastair Clarkson, is reported to have officially told the club he isn’t interested despite being told the job was his if he wanted it.

Veteran coach Ross Lyon’s candidacy has also been muddied by what has been described as a “smear campaign”.

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Revelations on Wednesday night included:

— Clarkson was interested in coaching before seeing the instability throughout the Carlton

— Lyon responded to suggestions the circumstances surrounding his exit from Fremantle was giving sections of the board cold feet

— Richmond is reported to have interest in reaching out to Teague if he leaves Carlton; and

— Up to four directors will leave the club in the near future.

Levi Casboult of the Blues and David Teague embrace. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Football journalist Sam McClure told Footy Classified on Wednesday the biggest shake-up to the club will likely happen at board level with four directors leaving, including football director Chris Judd, who announced his decision to step down at the end of the year in April. McClure reports Carlton legend Greg Williams will replace Judd.

On the coaching front, Caroline Wilson reported Clarkson was put off Carlton by recent events.

“He was pretty tempted, I gather, but what has gone on at that football club ... over the last week, I think, completely spooked the Clarkson camp and the Clarkson family,” Wilson said.

“Alastair’s been on record as saying he’s disgusted by the way the club (has treated Teague). He’s said that David Teague should have had more support.”

Lyon, meanwhile, dismissed two points of friction reported to have impacted his claim for the now-vacant coaching role.

The former Fremantle and St Kilda boss was accused of making “grubby” comments last week when he admitted publicly he was interested in the job, despite Teague fighting for his coaching life before the team’s Round 23 loss to GWS.

That was followed this week with a suggestion from Fox Footy senior reporter Tom Morris that some members of the Carlton board were clouded by a confidential settlement reached with a former staffer over an alleged incident with Lyon at a Fremantle Christmas function. The AFL integrity unit investigated the alleged incident and found there was no wrongdoing on Lyon’s part.

The 54-year-old responded on Wednesday night and said public discussion of the incident “needs to stop here”.

“I’m disappointed by the timing of it with my name being bandied about. I’m disappointed for a whole bunch of reasons,” he said.

He also claimed “there was no job” for him as it stands.

David Teague still has a future in football. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Footy great Gerard Healy said on Fox Footy’s On The Couch Monday it was farcical that sections of Carlton would now be impacted by Lyon’s exit from Fremantle, having had two years to learn of the incident before making him a top candidate.

That scathing sentiment of the club’s top administration, including new president Sayers, was amplified on Wednesday with footy icon Leigh Matthews giving the club a stunning bake.

“Whoever is at the top of that football club have got no idea how to run a football club,” he said on 3AW radio.

“It’s the people at the top of the football club that are the problem.”

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd also told Footy Classified: “Sometimes it’s when the board overplays their role in the footy department, that’s when the club is in trouble.”

Under Teague’s two full seasons in charge, Carlton finished 11th in 2020 and 13th this year, prompting speculation he had coached his final game after a loss to GWS on the weekend.