It was 6 months ago today

[The Old Dark Navy's]

6 months since the Carlton Football Club was at one of its lowest ebbs.

We had just sacked Mick Malthouse in a fashion that caused a public relations nightmare. Our list was terrible, our players not trying, very few players looking like coming through, about to appoint a maligned assistant coach as caretaker, having to pay out yet another contract.

We were about as low as we can go.

6 months later, we have a new coaching team, have turned over a massive amount of players having got rid of a few conditional footballers, had a great trade period, a sensational draft period and the players are genuinely excited on the training track. There is a real vibe around the club from top to bottom.

It's infectious and is offering hope to all supporters.

If we can accomplish a bounce back in culture and unity, and embrace modern AFL in 6 months, imagine what we can do over the next couple of years.

Hoping our supporters come flooding back. This is when we need to stand up and be counted. The club can't do it alone.

 

[ferrisb]

6 months certainly is a long time in football...

 

[Cipher]

6 months ago we were criticising Malthouse for trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players. Now we're praising SOS for, trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players.

We've also criticised the club for holding onto guys for too long - sort of what SOS has done by bringing in four players that he is not yet ready to admit he may have been wrong about.

Our last rebuild also started with an inexperienced coach and a raft of early draft picks which we used to draft KPPs as much as we drafted mids. Sure I'm optimistic, but I haven't bought into the 'embracing modern footy' mentality - yet to see us do anything that we haven't already.

 

[thylacine60]

Sgt Peppers something something.........

 

[ferrisb]

6 months ago we were criticising Malthouse for trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players. Now we're praising SOS for, trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players.

We've also criticised the club for holding onto guys for too long - sort of what SOS has done by bringing in four players that he is not yet ready to admit he may have been wrong about.

Our last rebuild also started with an inexperienced coach and a raft of early draft picks which we used to draft KPPs as much as we drafted mids. Sure I'm optimistic, but I haven't bought into the 'embracing modern footy' mentality - yet to see us do anything that we haven't already.

Some merit there, Cipher, but off the top of my head

* we set up an independent panel to make a major staff appointment

* we hired a young coach with potential rather than throwing a big wad of cash at a big name

* we traded into the draft, rather than out of

* we held our ground and did well at the trade table

All of those feel more promising than our usual MO

 

[ferrisb]

Sgt Peppers something something.........

Off by 19.5 years?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

6 months ago we were criticising Malthouse for trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players. Now we're praising SOS for, trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players.

We've also criticised the club for holding onto guys for too long - sort of what SOS has done by bringing in four players that he is not yet ready to admit he may have been wrong about.

Our last rebuild also started with an inexperienced coach and a raft of early draft picks which we used to draft KPPs as much as we drafted mids. Sure I'm optimistic, but I haven't bought into the 'embracing modern footy' mentality - yet to see us do anything that we haven't already.

Over simplified with omissions just to pad out a personal opinion I would suggest.

Malthouse was criticised for a lot more than trading talented forwards and bringing in recycled players. The game plan and no ability to get through to the players was far more important.

Silvagni traded out 3 players who did not apply themselves on field. Zero criticism to be had there. Their presence was hurting us. In return we made out like bandits at the trade table, embraced the draft and addressed our needs. SOS received praise for far more than picking up some struggling GWS players but you definitely know that ... it just doesn't fit in to the point you were making.

What happened back in 2007 has no bearing on 2015. However that last rebuild did produce some reasonable football and reasonable cohesion for a couple of years. It's a far cry to where we found ourselves 6 months ago.

Most important is that this is the most positive the club as a while have been for many many years. There is unity, there is respect for each other as co-workers, they are creating a positive environment for the players and the fans are picking up on that vibe.

Forget about having a process to get the best teaching coach, with a fresh coaching panel, forget about offloading conditional talent to get new genuine talent in, forget about filling the gaps in our age profile with hard working recycled players .... forget all that. The atmosphere around the club at the moment is light years ahead of where it was. I'm not sure anybody thought we start to turn culture around the quickly. If we continue on this path, it will mean more to the club long term than a few trades and draft picks.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Sgt Peppers something something.........

Hippy.

 

[thylacine60]

Where the * have you been? Yatala?

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Where the **** have you been? Yatala?

Numbers ain't never been in the Big House............bar a couple of overnighters here and there at the suburban.

Here's my shoe-laces occifer, and no, I don't wear gold bling.

 

[Cipher]

Over simplified with omissions just to pad out a personal opinion I would suggest.

No more so than:

Most important is that this is the most positive the club as a while have been for many many years. There is unity, there is respect for each other as co-workers, they are create a positive environment for the players and the fans are picking up on that vibe.

We've had many years over the last 10 start just as positive. All new coaches bring about positivity within the group - Bolton's ability to maintain a positive and united group, amidst the next few years of poor results is the key, and yet to be seen.

Silvagni traded out 3 players who did not apply themselves on field. Zero criticism to be had there. Their presence was hurting us.

Is that Robinson, Garlett and Waite you're talking about?

Forget about having a process to get the best teaching coach, with a fresh coaching panel, forget about offloading conditional talent to get new genuine talent in, forget about filling the gaps in our age profile with hard working recycled players .... forget all that. The atmosphere around the club at the moment is light years ahead of where it was. I'm not sure anybody thought we start to turn culture around the quickly. If we continue on this path, it will mean more to the club long terms than a few trades and draft picks.

The process led to the guy touted from the outset - would Ratten's appointment have been more acceptable if we bought in five guys to validate it? Menzel's talent is no less genuine than Curnow and we've been filling gaps in our age profile for years (Docherty, Everitt, Thomas, Jaksch, Whiley, Jones Tutt).

This isn't a Malthouse or SOS discussion, I'm just surprised that so many seem to be buying into what the club is selling - we've been down this road before, we're just hoping to take the right turns this time.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

No more so than:

We've had many years over the last 10 start just as positive. All new coaches bring about positivity within the group - Bolton's ability to maintain a positive and united group, amidst the next few years of poor results is the key, and yet to be seen.

I'm talking the whole club here not just rhetoric from a playing group. The staff are taking turns to join in training and the vibe is fantastic. In the Rumour thread we had a mother confirming how it feels from the outside. A real sense of purpose and doing things right happening now. If you cant feel it ... well ...

Is that Robinson, Garlett and Waite you're talking about?

Again to you are hung up on criticism of Mick over those players. Me pointing out SOS did the right thing has no bearing on the other since that wasn't the main criticism of Mick.

The process led to the guy touted from the outset - would Ratten's appointment have been more acceptable if we bought in five guys to validate it?

Sorry, what a cynical load of crap that is. Almost inclined suggest you pedal your agenda elsewhere.

The club do something right and you think it was all for show. Worsfold was a frontrunner, as was Dew. Barker too. Bolton was just in the pack for quite a while. He fought his way to the front in the minds of the media and most fans on here who preferred Dew.

You just besmirched the integrity of Ang Postecoglou, Ken Sheldon and Chris Judd. Nice going.

Menzel's talent is no less genuine than Curnow and we've been filling gaps in our age profile for years (Docherty, Everitt, Thomas, Jaksch, Whiley, Jones Tutt).

Menzel did not apply himself and did not play a vital position for the bones of a rebuilding side. Talent was almost irrelevant in the end.

My point about filling the age gaps is to highlight that it was a normal thing to do and not something worthy of criticism yet. He will of course be judged for it in the fullness of time. We don't have the results yet.

This isn't a Malthouse or SOS discussion, I'm just surprised that so many seem to be buying into what the club is selling - we've been down this road before, we're just hoping to take the right turns this time.

There are no guarantees. You shouldn't be expecting it. If you see nothing different in the approach, maybe you just don't want to. It may not work but.different is good. Unity is good and we need to get on board so they feel supported, so members come back. I'm not sure how productive the 'nothing has changed, don't get your hopes up' mantra is for the clubs bottom line.

Maybe post it in the bragging rights thread so if it all turns to s**t, you can tell us how misguided we were to have hope.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Maybe post it in the bragging rights thread so if it all turns to s**t, you can tell us how misguided we were to have hope.

By golly you waffle, Old Boy..............this is what we have .........................hope.


Get with the programme.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

By golly you waffle, Old Boy..............this is what we have .........................hope.


Get with the programme.

Isn't that what I said?

I'll put out a pop up version for those that don't like to read.

 

[Dramoth]

6 months ago we were criticising Malthouse for trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players. Now we're praising SOS for, trading our talented forwards and bringing in recycled reserves players.

We've also criticised the club for holding onto guys for too long - sort of what SOS has done by bringing in four players that he is not yet ready to admit he may have been wrong about.

Our last rebuild also started with an inexperienced coach and a raft of early draft picks which we used to draft KPPs as much as we drafted mids. Sure I'm optimistic, but I haven't bought into the 'embracing modern footy' mentality - yet to see us do anything that we haven't already.

Somewhat biased and, as ODN said, simplified comment to make yourself look good and the club look bad.

Please tell me what talented forwards Malthouse 'traded' out? Apart from moving on Jeffy because of off-field issues (lying to the club and starting fights), which other of our forwards had he traded? Anyone? Anyone?

Waite walked out on the club looking for more success. He was an unrestricted free agent which meant that we didnt have the option of trying to match the NM offer. He could have stayed because everything I have heard suggested that the contracts were very close in terms and the only sticking point was the club was offering a single year with the option of a second if he met KPI's. Norf offered a straight 2 year contract... he went with that for job security.

As for Eddie... the club says that he is going home for family reasons so they didnt match the offer. Other people have come out and said that we could have matched the offer, but we didnt. In the end... it was the list management team's call... Malthouse was just a part of it all.

As for holding onto players for too long... the club in the past held onto guys who were not up to AFL standards. And we kept paying them top dollar. As a result, we lost the chance of picking up some decent guys over the years. But here we are... new age. Guys who were conditional players are getting traded out for high draft picks. We are cutting guys who aren't good enough for the VFL let alone the AFL. We brought in a bunch of guys from a club which had a plethora of high draft picks which means that they could play guys who were taken with picks 1-7 in their respective drafts in the NEAFL but they aren't good enough?

This isn't a Malthouse or SOS discussion, I'm just surprised that so many seem to be buying into what the club is selling - we've been down this road before, we're just hoping to take the right turns this time.

We havent been down this road before... sorry... this is a whole new direction. This is the road that has been denied to us for years because of the old fashioned thinking that we could buy success. If you don't like the direction... I am sure that there is one of 17 other clubs that would have a direction that suits you.

The club is finally moving into a direction where everything is a fresh start... and still people like you are ******* whinging about the direction that the club has taken.

 

[mediumsizered]

Where the **** have you been? Yatala?

Isn't that where you go to buy a pie when travelling from Brissie to the Gold Coast (there also used to be a Drive-in theatre there)?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Isn't that where you go to buy a pie when travelling from Brissie to the Gold Coast (there also used to be a Drive-in theatre there)?

That's the one. Pies are still excellent and drive in is still kicking.

 

[passmark]

6 months ago I said the club was a basket case and nobody should even consider buying a membership until the campaigners running the show showed some glimmer of professionalism.

May have even said worse.

Yesterday I signed up the whole family.

 

[Cipher]

Sorry, what a cynical load of crap that is. Almost inclined suggest you pedal your agenda elsewhere.

OK. I'm interested in discussing just the topic, not getting into this.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

6 months ago I was on beautiful South Beach, Miami drinking a Cuban coffee and enjoying a cigar when I read online that Malthouse had been given the axe.

... My day just got better and better.

 

[SBYM]

FMD...

An uber-positive thread gets dragged down within 10 posts. BF never disappoints.

<Bring back the Emporium!!!>

 

[Bluechip66]

i never get how some people dont understand the term "supporter"!

 

[Jabba73]

So, are we for or against? My head hurts.

 

[SABlue]

No more so than:

We've had many years over the last 10 start just as positive. All new coaches bring about positivity within the group - Bolton's ability to maintain a positive and united group, amidst the next few years of poor results is the key, and yet to be seen.


Is that Robinson, Garlett and Waite you're talking about?


The process led to the guy touted from the outset - would Ratten's appointment have been more acceptable if we bought in five guys to validate it? Menzel's talent is no less genuine than Curnow and we've been filling gaps in our age profile for years (Docherty, Everitt, Thomas, Jaksch, Whiley, Jones Tutt).

This isn't a Malthouse or SOS discussion, I'm just surprised that so many seem to be buying into what the club is selling - we've been down this road before, we're just hoping to take the right turns this time.

You are an awesome Carlton supporter.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

.... Sure I'm optimistic, ....

Really? I must have missed that post.