North Melbourne legend David King calls for heads to roll after Brett Ratten sacking

North Melbourne legend David King has called for more heads to roll at St Kilda after the bombshell sacking of coach Brett Ratten.

Brett Ratten, coach of the Saints. Picture: Mark Stewart

North Melbourne legend David King has called for more heads to roll at St Kilda Football Club after the bombshell sacking of head coach Brett Ratten.

On Thursday evening, reports emerged that Ratten has been stood down one day after the end of the trade period, with St Kilda confirming the news on Friday morning.

The announcement comes 97 days after Ratten signed a two-year contract extension with the club, securing him through to the end of the 2024 season.

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“I have loved my time at St Kilda Football Club, and while I am extremely disappointed with the decision, I thank the Club for the opportunity and wish the players well,” Ratten said in a statement.

The 51-year-old won 34 of his 68 games as St Kilda mentor, reaching the semi-finals in 2020.

There has been widespread condemnation of the brutal decision, particularly considering St Kilda president Andrew Bassat just months ago spoke glowingly of Ratten’s ability to lead the club in the future.

Speaking on SEN Breakfast, King suggested those who put the list together for Ratten should consider their own futures.

“I feel for Brett, he’s a great football person. He’s exactly what you want at your football club,” King said on Friday.

“He’s honest, he’s courageous in his own way, he always has empathy for the player. It hasn’t worked.

“For 66 games Brett Ratten has been taking a knife to a gun fight. There’s no doubt about that.

Brett Ratten, former coach of the Saints. Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“He’s been asked to win games and ultimately finals with a star-barren list. If you judged the playing roster for mediocrity, they’d win a gold medal every year.

“He made the finals in 2020 and they won a final and I thought they played a fraudulent game plan. Guys getting forward of the ball, no real control.

“In any St Kilda game you watched there was no real control or handle on the game at any point and they won games playing like that, but when they lost they lost big.

“All these decisions are decisions you make in the cool light of day. They’re made by a collective of people. If those guys, who have allowed St Kilda to have a 10-win, 11-win ceiling every year and really not contend with the big boys and not give the coach the best opportunity, if they’ve got a shred of decency they walk today with Brett Ratten.

“They say, ‘You know what, part of the failings of this football club are in my department, I’m accountable for this’.

“I don’t care if that’s Simon Lethlean or James Gallagher or who it is because this is not a one-man problem. It’s not. You can’t blame Ratten for all of this – having signed him 100 days ago. It’s laughable.”

St Kilda president Andrew Bassat and chief executive Simon Lethlean. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Port Adelaide premiership player Kane Cornes labelled it “one of the most brutal decisions” he’s seen in the sport.

“Maybe it’s an insight into the changing landscape of how AFL football is going and how ruthless some of these clubs are going to be,” he said.

“We see this in world sports from time to time … largely there’s been a level of loyalty with AFL coaches. This is a coach that was re-signed halfway through the year and now he’s gone the day after the trade period.”

On Friday, Bassat and St Kilda chief executive Simon Lethlean admitted the club does not have a coach ready to step into the role.

Early speculation suggests contenders for the coaching job include departing GWS assistant coach Mark McVeigh, highly-rated Melbourne assistant Adam Yze and former St Kilda coach Ross Lyon.

Bassat also defended the club’s decision to hand Ratten a long-term contract extension before its dramatic flip this week.

“I think you’re talking in hindsight. I think at the time, it was less criticised,” he said.

“As we started to lose games, people started to criticise the decision more and more.”