Toast Brett Ratten - The Appreciation Thread

[Stamos]

Last year Mark Harvey did NOTHING WRONG before finding a knife between his shoulder blades.

This is so very very incorrect.
Lyon was shocked at how poorly Freo was run when he arrived there.

 

[aflcliche]

Brilliantly spoken by Ratts, especially liked the "we are very fortunate... live in the moment" part. Much better than Mr "each-way call"

 

[KennyHunter9]

Loved Ratts as a player, and liked him as a coach.

Great player, good coach.

I feel sorry for him today, but not too much sorrow...

Why? Because CFC has given him a lot, just as he's given us a lot. We've given him two careers. Took a chance on him twice. One worked brilliantly, one worked well. He's set himself up financially. He's happy in his personal life. He's done what a lot of footy players would want to do: coach the club he loves. He did it for five years.

There's no shame in being sacked as coach - most are. Very few coaches go on to be premiership coaches. We have taken a decision that reflects a view about Brett: that he can't coach is to a flag. Doesn't mean he's been a bad coach. He's been a good coach, but maybe not a great one.

Thanks Ratts for all you've given this club. Hopefully you feel the same way too.

Now we look forward to, as that great prophet Mitch Robinson declared, a 'new era'.

 

[The Coach]

We/he know that he has not gone out a failure - the players must feel like shit although with Freo winning I have a feeling finals may have been the only thing that could have saved him from a previously made decision. Good luck in the future Ratts (probably due for some)

 

[Matt72]

Today's presser and Sunday's game could very well signal the end of the career (if not more)

Huh?

 

[Jock]

Yep handled himself very well, you'd expect nothing less. He saw this as a player numerous times, he expects nothing less from the club. He knows we are ruthless and even admires that trait. He will move on quickly, hopefully to Port and continue his apprenticeship with $650K in his pocket as he starts on a $500K contract January 1st. Best wishes, you are still the greatest extractor of a football from a pack I have ever seen and one of the great Blues.

 

[Wickzki]

Huh?

Some coaches including those who have been former players once sacked no longer associate themselves with the club. Just hoping Brett remains true Blue when he's not hired by another club.

 

[thylacine60]

My sport, my club, one of my favourites, Ratts - always will be.

 

[Silvagnis]

Finally have a photo of the great man with the cup.

Don't recognise the hack on Silvagni's left.

 

[ESKIE]

Loved Ratts as a player, and liked him as a coach.

Great player, good coach.

I feel sorry for him today, but not too much sorrow...

Why? Because CFC has given him a lot, just as he's given us a lot. We've given him two careers. Took a chance on him twice. One worked brilliantly, one worked well. He's set himself up financially. He's happy in his personal life. He's done what a lot of footy players would want to do: coach the club he loves. He did it for five years.

There's no shame in being sacked as coach - most are. Very few coaches go on to be premiership coaches. We have taken a decision that reflects a view about Brett: that he can't coach is to a flag. Doesn't mean he's been a bad coach. He's been a good coach, but maybe not a great one.

Thanks Ratts for all you've given this club. Hopefully you feel the same way too.

Now we look forward to, as that great prophet Mitch Robinson declared, a 'new era'.

Well could not have put it better myself KH

 

[ESKIE]

My sport, my club, one of my favourites, Ratts - always will be.

Yeh one of my favourites, I read somewhere the other day, Ratts held the clearances record between 2002 and 2009 ... amazing

A true champion

 

[Blue Flame]

Thanks for the memories Ratts.
My most vivid memories of him as a player were not as the tough tagger early in his career, nor were they even of the superstar who won the Best and Fairest at the greatest club in the land in a record-breaking premiership year.

The player I remember was the captain of a powerhouse club that had fallen to its knees. A club completely broken by issues on and off field. The media did not like him then either; in 2002 he put up with several derogatory articles. Naturally none of the magnitude of the media blood lust frenzy this year, but his class was evident that early on.

At a time when the commitment of our champions was being questioned, when it looked as though some premiership heroes were simply biding their time, the same could never be said of Brett Ratten. The dark years took much of the gloss off the careers of many premiership heroes, but not this man. If anything, the fire that was still evident in his eyes when the club was but a broken wreck only increased the legend.

As a coach, he charged himself with bringing the Carlton back to Carlton. A fitting goal, and a fitting leader, since no man knew in greater depth what it meant to be Carlton, what pride meant to Carlton, what it meant to bleed for Carlton. Furthermore, he did so with grace and class in the face of scrutiny, a virtue only the very best possess. In many ways I think he would be satisfied to an extent; the anguish at seeing his club shattered as a player is appeased by the knowledge that it is now restored by his hand.

As a player, the grit and willpower he possessed sometimes made the supporter forget the precision of his skills; as a coach, his strengths were similarly often glossed over. He knows better than any, however, how this great club works, and takes the blow as only a true leader could.

To the players, I say, look up to the coaches box. If you can learn to play with the heart and the passion of the man who sits therein, then glory is not far from us.

Ratten, all the best in the next phase of your career.

 

[TheOz]

A champion player and a champion bloke, fully dignified until the end. I wish him success for the future wherever he ends up. Had some of the current group of players played with half as much heart, toughness and courage as Ratts it might never have come to this.

 

[Wickzki]

Yeh one of my favourites, I read somewhere the other day, Ratts held the clearances record between 2002 and 2009 ... amazing

A true champion

Champion Data's player of the decade 2000-2009 as well.

 

[Beloved]

He took us away from the dark days. He deserves endless credit for that.

Thanks, Ratts.

 

[Windhover]

Thank you for the outstanding service as a coach. I do not understand your sacking. In the big games (when a coach is needed) you have proved you can coach. I fully expect you to get a gig elsewhere and already fear for the blue boys up against a team that will be coached to gain possession of the ball relentlessly.

 

[FD2646]

Really disliked Ratten as a player (but respected him) and from an outsiders view thought he was an average coach, but really respect the way he handled himself today...all the best to him.

 

[Triniboy]

Ratts,
You can hold your head high and be proud of how you've conducted yourself thru this ordeal unlike the Calton administration.

 

[jimsta10]

Looks sad, but not bitter during the presser Champion bloke, wishing all the best on next endeavours.

 

[Omega Blue]

Gutted just gutted, Brett Ratten=Champion

 

[JustaBattler]

Carlton needed a True Blue - to lift the spirits and looked to a favourite son to do it. Ratts has been in the bottom of the pack doing the hard yards as a player and as a Coach. Sorry to see you go Brett - never doubted your class as a human being and a True Blue - you leave the team in a better state than when you took over - well done mate.

To the boofheads on the Board and to the media mongoes - GOGF the lot of you.

 

[AB_Blue]

All Class today ratts! I actually reackon his come out of his shell on the latter part of he yr.
Hope he gets another gig, will def be better for the experience. Who knows he might evn b back in a few yrs. parko did it!

 

[dukester95]

Loved Ratts when he was a player, especially in 95. However I have thought that we needed a breath of fresh air, coaching wise, this year. The players have stagnated and need someone to rattle their cage as it were. All the best Ratts. Hopefully you can ply your trade at another club and no doubt we might see you back at the Blues in the future.

 

[awzwoz]

Thank you Brett Ratten! I've enjoyed waking up in the middle of the night over the past few years in order to watch the team continue to improve under your leadership (it was also cool seeing you on a Sydney to Melbourne flight earlier this year with your wife haha). You've done an admirable job. However, it's time for a change, and hopefully the club will find a worthy replacement.

 

[T2B_]

Great to see such great support for him in here.

I hope all the fan praise and wishes reach him and he knows he really is/was appreciated.

He wasn't a failure, this is just one of the unfortunate things in footy. He dragged us from bottom 4 to multiple finals which is far above what our previous years had entailed. Even though it seems he won't lead us to a premiership, he'll always be a part of it, for getting us this far. Thank you Brett.

I'll be honest and this might seem over the top, but I got tears in my eyes writing this.