Former Carlton coach Denis Pagan backs Michael Voss, reveals ‘toxic’ Blues culture

Denis Pagan has urged the club not to sack Michael Voss and provided a damning insight into a “toxic” culture he described as “snake pit” during his time in charge.

Former Carlton coach Denis Pagan has called on the embattled Blues to hold a club-wide summit in an attempt to fix their decades-long mediocrity instead of sacking Michael Voss.

The dual Kangaroos premiership coach, who was sacked by Carlton in 2007 after five frustrating seasons, said the Blues had to stop blaming coaches for their cultural issues and put the collective ahead of personal animosities.

While club figures called for calm on Friday, Voss remains under intense pressure to hold his job after the Blues’ finals hopes evaporated in an embarrassing loss to Port Adelaide.

“This club has got inherent issues … they keep blaming and sacking coaches,” Pagan told this masthead.

“You could imagine how Michael Voss would be feeling now. I feel sorry for him. How can you coach under these circumstances? They all looked like startled rabbits (on Friday night).

“When I was there, the place was that toxic. It was a snake pit, everyone was potting everyone. There were Chinese whispers, factions and divisions everywhere.

“I reckon there is only one way to go now and that is for everyone to be on the same page.”

Pagan urged the Blues leaders to stage a summit in the coming weeks involving the players, the coaching staff, the board, the administration, prominent past players and key coterie heads as a sign of unity, and to push for a series of key indicators to be adopted for the next 18 months.

Denis Pagan says Carlton was “that toxic” during his time as coach.

“You can’t sack another coach … that would be stupid,” Pagan said.

“I would bring everyone together in a summit. I’d get them all to work out some key performance indicators, agree to them, and then come together like never before.

“If anyone steps out of life or does not adhere to the plan (the key indicators), then I would give them their marching orders.

“If those key indicators are not met across the next 18 months, and if things are not working, then you can go for it and make a decision (on the coach).”

The Blues have sacked six senior coaches this century – Wayne Brittain, Pagan, Brett Ratten, AFL coaching games record-holder Mick Malthouse, Brendon Bolton and David Teague – with Voss under pressure, despite coaching the club to the past two finals series.

Pagan also dismissed suggestions the Blues should look at trading out one of their big key forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.

“I can’t understand all the talk about getting rid of Curnow and McKay … you can’t get enough talent through the door,” he said.

But he stressed Curnow could benefit from tutelage from a star forward of the past, such as North Melbourne great Wayne Carey,

“All I ever see is Charlie putting his hand up and they (the Blues players) put it on his head,” Pagan said.

“Get someone like Wayne Carey down and teach him how to lead … to do a stop-start lead, a diagonal lead, a zig-zag lead. he has only one string to his bow.”

Originally published as Former Carlton coach Denis Pagan backs Michael Voss, reveals ‘toxic’ Blues culture