Ross Lyon reveals ex-star's apology after scathing swipe

A Demons star has put his foot in his mouth after a stunning, unprovoked swipe at his former coach – and Carlton hopeful – Ross Lyon.

Ed Langdon and Ross Lyon have cleared the air. Photo: Getty

Carlton coaching hopeful Ross Lyon has revealed the text message from Melbourne star Ed Langdon after the 25-year-old stuck his foot in his mouth in a damning assessment of his former mentor.

The comments sparked plenty of headlines as he appeared to make an unfavourable comparison between Lyon, who is seen as a hot favourite to win the job at Carlton after David Teague was sacked during the week, and his current coach Simon Goodwin.

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Langdon played five seasons at Fremantle, all of them under Lyon, before requesting a trade after the 2019 season.

Asked about the influence of his current coach after the 33-point qualifying final win over the Brisbane Lions, Langdon made the unflattering remarks about his former mentor.

“I’ve come from five years of the Ross Lyon method, so it’s absolutely a nice change to have someone as cool, calm and collected as Goody,” Langdon said on AFL Nation.

“I don’t think I’ve heard him raise his voice since I’ve been at the club.

“Coming over from Freo, where if you don’t look Ross in the eye at a meeting, he starts yelling at you, so it’s been a nice change.”

Langdon does have some personality about him. Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images

Asked again if Lyon yells, Langdon laughed and said “just a little”.

But speaking on Triple M on Sunday, Lyon confirmed that Langdon had tried to clear the air with a text message on Sunday morning clarifying the comments.

“A text came through from Ed, ‘Hey Ross, not sure if you saw any of the comments I made after the game, they were taken completely out of context and poorly worded on my behalf … you know I’ve got nothing but respect for you and the family, hope you’re well’,” Lyon explained.

“If it’s legitimate and that’s what he meant and it was all seriousness, well I’m on a journey of growth and a growth mindset, I would take the feedback.

“In context of that … when you’re having meetings, it might be a quarter time huddle, you’ve got 22 grown men and you’re conducting a meeting and you’re probably boring them but you might think it’s really important and their eyes drift off … I make no apologies for that – when you’re up and you’re trying to hold someone to account, how about you’re looking at me.

“I know Ed, he’s really dry. I’m not here to defend myself and Ed can speak for himself but that’s the context I take it in, he’s very dry and he was one of my favourites.”

Ross Lyon doesn’t seem to have taken it personally. Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images

It appears there was no hard feelings between the pair after the miscommunication.

Former Saints champion Nick Dal Santo came to Lyon’s defence after the storm kicked off.

“This is not to defend Ross, but I think there’s a bit of a perception that he’s heavy-handed; he’s not that. What he did for us a group, he changed us. I’ve got no issue with (Langdon saying) that,” Dal Santo said.

“Surely he was just trying to highlight how good Goody is, and he’s used the previous experience as an example?”

Lyon has coached 305 matches, with three combined Grand Final appearances across five seasons at St Kilda and eight years at Fremantle.

Last week Lyon was criticised as being “grubby” as he spoke about the Carlton job before Teague was officially stood down this week.