AFL 2021: Carlton Blues to make call on David Teague’s future on Monday

With Cartlon’s 2021 campaign now officially over, senior coach David Teague has provided an update on his future at the club.

Teague has coached the Blues since midway through the 2019 season. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Under-siege Carlton coach David Teague revealed he expects to learn his fate on Monday, admitting that he fears he will be sacked by the club despite a commendable showing from his side on Saturday night.

Teague hit out at the “media narrative” surrounding Carlton and called out the club’s announcement of the internal review through the media after his side’s 14-point loss to Greater Western Sydney.

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He fiercely denied losing relationships within the playing group and conceded he was “hurt” by those claims and the lack of backing from the club on this issue.

Teague, who holds a 21-28 across his tenure and led the Blues to a 13th place finish in 2021, also took umbrage with the media taking “pot shots” at him.

Teague previously said that Carlton had not “nailed” its review process. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“I think it is going to be Monday (that I will find out). I had a chat this week and they said after the game they’ll get together, the board and have a look at that,” Teague said post-match.

“I understand the club is going to make a decision. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t look like it’s going to go in my favour, but in terms of what I’ve done and what I’ve been able to control, I know who I am, I know why I’ve done it and I’m really happy with it.

“I love this club I don’t want to sit up here and say anything but when the review gets announced through the media that’s not high performance. I’m going to challenge it, I’m going to call it out. This footy club has got some areas to improve.

“It hurt when people said I’d lost relationships with the players. That one probably dug a little bit deep because it’s not true.

“Yeah, there’s certain players who don’t love what I say all the time, but that’s what a high performance environment is.

“I think the media narrative hasn’t quite been fair on this football club and on this playing group.

“At the start of the year many of the so-called experts didn’t have us in the eight.”

The Blues farewelled Eddie Betts (L) and Levi Casboult (R) on Saturday night. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Teague clarified his comments last week, which criticised the lack of support from the club, saying he would have appreciated internal backing in response to the “personal” commentary directed at him.

The Blues coach says he is proud of his what he has achieved and thanked a host of notable coaches who had reached out or backed him publicly.

“I’ve been very lucky – I know the other day I mentioned that maybe I hadn’t had some support from within the footy club but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the people.

“When you’ve got guys like Clarkson, Hardwick, Fagan, Malthouse, mentioning that they think I’m doing an OK job and that I’m tracking normally, it does give you a bit of confidence.

“I’m really proud of the way they’re going about it, I’m proud of the way we are shaping our culture, there’s been a shift. And they are the things I’m going to leave very proud of.

“I thought at times it got a bit personal towards me and that’s where I felt I would have loved some support.”

Originally published as AFL 2021: Carlton Blues to make call on David Teague’s future on Monday