Coach Michael Voss - Stats, history, articles, videos

[Soapy V]

In 2023?

Yes. We made a prelim playing that way

 

[Gointocarlton]

6:35 to 12:00 Parko on Voss from May 2022. Interesting.

 

[Gethelred]

I don’t see “tinkering” as change

Change for me is more significant and around Philosophy and game plan. It’s holistic. I haven’t seen it

Hadn't finished writing, and this is you picking on one of the words used in the post instead of addressing the post itself.

You're welcome to disagree, but you've changed the goalposts to something completely nebulous.

 

[Soapy V]

6:35 to 12:00 Parko on Voss from May 2022. Interesting.

Couldn’t agree more with Parko,

Brilliant leader but not a technical coach.

 

[Blueing]

All members are expendable, the culture and the club is extremely toxic and hold no prisoners!!! Apology pffftttt you got a better chance of winning lotto with exactly the same numbers 2 weeks in a row!!! Change is imminent i can feel it!

 

[Gavstar]

6:35 to 12:00 Parko on Voss from May 2022. Interesting.

I would currently question Voss’s leadership, so without that what’s left? If he’s not the tactician then who is driving the game plan and why is he so wedded to something the competition has gone past? Perhaps he seems like he doesn’t know what to do because he actually relies on others to adjust the game plan.

At Brisbane he made finals early and then performances went down hill. Inconsistency between best and worst, and not playing 4 quarter football. He had no trust in younger players and played favourites at selection splitting playing group (Go home 5). Have things changed? (Ok his board might have went early as they thought Roos was gettable).

The Lions only won 8 games in 2013 and he was told his contract would not be renewed. We should do the same.

 

[TENACIOUS]

I’m at the point.

I don’t really care if the club, keep Voss or sack Voss, keep Lloyd or sack Lloyd, Keep Austin or Sack Austin, keep players or trade players, keep the board or challenge the board.

As long as, from now on.
The leadership create a path/vision for the club to follow with measured targets, that we need to achieve along the way.

Also club need to start making the correct decisions around football department appointments.

Which allows us to become consistent performers/winners. Challenging for top 4 and a flag.

 

[GoBlues!]

Couldn’t agree more with Parko,

Brilliant leader but not a technical coach.

Not all great players make great coaches some like Leigh Matthews and Blight did, but a lot of okay ex-players with tactical nous have made great coaches.

Not sure how you find a first time coach with the technical smarts in an interview. Collingwood got lucky with McCrae.

 

[Blue By Blood]

No, making the necessary adjustments and having majority of the best players available and fit.

We will have injuries every year.. we still carry too many injury prone types.

What we need is a game plan that doesn't rely on the stars and individual performances but rather is system based like what Collingwood have. They carry some very average players in that team but everyone who comes in is able to play a role and impact.

I don't think sticking fat just for the sake of it is the right move. If Wright doesn't think there are better coaches out there then sure we can stick with Voss and make other changes around him and to the list. But, and the most likely option here, is that we identify that there are better coaches available and we move him on.. as well as changing assistants, players etc.

I don't think most here are saying Voss is the only problem. No one is that naive. But he is a part of the problem. Either way, I appreciate the alternate view point and healthy discussion.

 

[gbatman]

So nothing that says success as a coach? Just experience

He’s been at Brisbane, Port and Carlton and has achieved what? That’s over 12 years. It’s a fair amount of data to judge

I have said his skills are to get along with players and they like him. He can bring a group together. Tactically and match day I believe he is inept

You said he is capable of change. I would debate that point

The change he has to make is fairly big. He's show that he favours big immobile bodies who can't run, he favours players who don't suit the modern game and I don't think he's going to be able to make this change. His vision for the game, how it was going to change, how it has changed and how it must be played has been incredibly bad. It always has been and I have kept pointing out examples of this over the last 4 seasons.

He's shaped the list in the same way all coaches do. Advising the recruiting team. We have a huge clutch of forwards with no overhead game at all, a good coach is going to demand we don't recruit forwards who lack this ability. We have the leagues slowest midfield, a good coach sees how the game has changed and how the incoming rule changes and demands that they quicken the side up. There are no players in our midfield with traits that allow them to run and carry the football, close quickly on the lose ball and run down opposition players apart from Walsh.

I hear the club, which muct include coaches and recruiters thought we were going to be right up there. Red flags over their ability to make jusdment here.

I think Voss did an ok job with moulding us defensively though I do have one grip with him not playing enough runners in his back 7 and this is probably where it ends.

I think he is gone and he has to go.

What we are asking him to do, if he stays is to be a face. He's what the public and players see but he doesn't make any strategic moves, team selections and list direction and I would say that there is no point in him being there if this is the case.

I think it's best for us that we find someone else and that Voss has no further influence over our list. I think our recruitment also needs a hard look at. There are positions that I would say that our recruiters are good at identifying talent and there are positions I would suggest they are next to useless at when identifying talent. We need a team who can identify talent well in all positions, not just be able to recruit defenders.

There are probably 3 or 4 years of really good recruiting to fix this list. A little less to get back into finals, luck and good coaching alone could sneak us back into the 8 but elevating us to the top 4 is going to take more work than just that.

 

[Gavstar]

Not all great players make great coaches some like Leigh Matthews and Blight did, but a lot of okay ex-players with tactical nous have made great coaches.

Not sure how you find a first time coach with the technical smarts in an interview. Collingwood got lucky with McCrae.

Luck that they ranked Mitchell, Kingsley & McCrae above Voss? Sounds like they (& GW) were on the ball.

 

[mpal6]

I would currently question Voss’s leadership, so without that what’s left? If he’s not the tactician then who is driving the game plan and why is he so wedded to something the competition has gone past? Perhaps he seems like he doesn’t know what to do because he actually relies on others to adjust the game plan.

At Brisbane he made finals early and then performances went down hill. Inconsistency between best and worst, and not playing 4 quarter football. He had no trust in younger players and played favourites at selection splitting playing group (Go home 5). Have things changed? (Ok his board might have went early as they thought Roos was gettable).

The Lions only won 8 games in 2013 and he was told his contract would not be renewed. We should do the same.

I come in peace - just a small tweak to Voss' period with Lions. The only major mistake he made was after our unlikely 2009 finals run, he assumed the list is ready for another premiership tilt and started recruiting mature gap fillers along with top talent but flawed character like Fevola. When this plan failed, it dropped us into our rebuild phase but it coincided with compromised drafts for Gold Coast - pushing our chances of getting good talent through the door much harder. Not to mention we were trying to launch new logo etc to make ourselves look "new" as well to compete with Gold Coast - management error.

Go home 5 was an issue that can't be attributed to Voss. It was bad player leadership like Rockliff and Hanley running riot with hazing and bullying culture. Polec was one of the go home 5s and I'd say he left coz Vossy got the sack. I remember articles at that time from him saying Vossy going made his decision much easier. I don't have to say much about Docherty, he had family reasons to move etc. This is not on Voss at all to be honest.

We needed a massive list cleanout of even our so called top talents like Rockliff (well after Vossy left and Leppa came n left as well) under Fagan, got ourselves good management + coaching structure along with leaders like Hodge whom new draftees would look up to, want to play with and learn from everyday. I didn't realize the impact Hodge had on us until player interviews started coming out with how excited Rayner, McCluggage etc were to play with him and get to be his team mates. Good leaders established good culture and habits (https://www.lions.com.au/news/53486/hodge-sets-the-tone-for-zorko-and-teammates). Word got around amongst player community on improving Lions which attracted more top talents to our list like Neale, Daniher, Dunkley etc. That's when it started turning for us.

 

[JustOneTime]

I mean, he's not without positive attributes: he's experienced, both as a player and a coach. He's worked within successful programs and development systems. He is capable of change. His coaches box is capable of innovation, and has no issue trying something to see if it works.

Doesn't this describe 90% of head coaches. Your posts have a history of a lot of text but no substance.

Internal working relationships

• Has Voss established a strong relationship with Austin to ensure Carlton are bringing in the right players for his programme and for the current landscape of AFL footy? The answer is no. Too many inside midfielders. drafting C Lord and then B Camporeale shows there is a disconnect. On wingers; Bins/Hollands/L Camporeale (Walsh/Acres/Cottrell/E Hollands) shows too many wingers/inside mids. We already have other inside mids in Cripps, Cerra and Hewett. Does father sons mean you ignore them as special categories...derr.
• Has Voss established a strong relationship with the fitness/medical teams. Over 4 years he has continually played sore players and says that is it normal of the AFL landscape. Meanswhile the current trendsetters are resting sore players ready for finals. Voss is obstinate in media about they crossed the line so they are 100%. We know this is stupid bravado. Ignorant. Dinosaur sh1t. Voss has oversaw Walsh 3 times not make the start of the season, train too hard and breakdown. Actually, Walsh is now completely broken down on vossy's watch.
• Has Voss taken 'accountability' for the quality of his assistants? Other successful clubs have strong capable assistants Ratten at Hawks. Bolton at Saints/Pies etc. If the assistants need to go then what was Voss doing for 4 years as he is accountable and allowed 'average' quality coaches lead our team.
• Given Voss is technically inept but a leader of men, does he take accountability that he didn't put in place a master tactician. Did he turn over every stone to have someone smart enough with the 'system/transition/role' skillsets on his team. The output over 4 years says no.

Transition plan and roles

• There is no doubt he has gone backwards in this area. He doesnt understand 'defender profiles'. He has soft, unsafe decision makers playing in defence over his time (Young/Kemp/McGovern). Did not work with Austin over 4 years to fix (Haynes is disrespecting the problem and something too little too late). He has papered over this weakness by sending the whole team into the defensive 50 to lie about Carlton's overall defensive profile. So Hamill is dire and Voss is accountable for putting him in place and keeping him there.
• Cooper Lord an additional inside midfielder and good player now filling a hole on the wing. 4 years after Setterfield. He has no idea on roles. Hollands moving from a role he can play well third year in to a role he cant ever be good at long term. Motlop in the middle when motlop likes inherently to slag off and find space to create.
• Moving the ball in transition and scoring. Woeful. Everyone has already forgotten the 10+ games in a row of predictable high down to the wing out of defence and even higher insides 50. Funny how Mckay is now out with a sore knee after continually launching at huge packs.
• Now he is stuck with only using two fwds 4 years later and one of them is out injured. Hence our dead duck situation of high ball into a short charlie.
• His assistants have probably put forward all these changes. But he is accountable to overrule. The only successful role change is JSoS where they had no clue whether he would succeed or not.

Previous success 2023 and vossy

• In each of the seasons there has been wild swings in form from atrocious to brilliant. I dont think he has any control over what is happening. The swings are too wild. He is riding a bucking horse without any control over the output. 2022 being in the 8 until the last game. The first half of 2023 and then the second half. The brilliance to get second in 2024 and then look dire a couple of weeks later and drop down and just scrape into th 8 because of another team failing. Now 2025. There is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest he doesnt know what the **** is going on or at the very least; he cant control outcomes. And if he cant control outcomes, then he has to go.

Where does Vossy seem ok?

• I think he is genuinely a strong leader of people. He is good in the pressers in terms of keeping things in house. Slightly obtuse with 'lets get after it'. But a pass i guess. Remember the layers and now think we a struggling with 1 layer of complexity in our footy as it breaks down everywhere.
• Would hire Vossy as a midfield coach or Scouts leader.

 

[Gethelred]

Doesn't this describe 90% of head coaches. Your posts have a history of a lot of text but no substance.

Internal working relationships

• Has Voss established a strong relationship with Austin to ensure Carlton are bringing in the right players for his programme and for the current landscape of AFL footy? The answer is no. Too many inside midfielders. drafting C Lord and then B Camporeale shows there is a disconnect. On wingers; Bins/Hollands/L Camporeale (Walsh/Acres/Cottrell/E Hollands) shows too many wingers/inside mids. We already have other inside mids in Cripps, Cerra and Hewett. Does father sons mean you ignore them as special categories...derr.
• Has Voss established a strong relationship with the fitness/medical teams. Over 4 years he has continually played sore players and says that is it normal of the AFL landscape. Meanswhile the current trendsetters are resting sore players ready for finals. Voss is obstinate in media about they crossed the line so they are 100%. We know this is stupid bravado. Ignorant. Dinosaur sh1t. Voss has oversaw Walsh 3 times not make the start of the season, train too hard and breakdown. Actually, Walsh is now completely broken down on vossy's watch.
• Has Voss taken 'accountability' for the quality of his assistants? Other successful clubs have strong capable assistants Ratten at Hawks. Bolton at Saints/Pies etc. If the assistants need to go then what was Voss doing for 4 years as he is accountable and allowed 'average' quality coaches lead our team.
• Given Voss is technically inept but a leader of men, does he take accountability that he didn't put in place a master tactician. Did he turn over every stone to have someone smart enough with the 'system/transition/role' skillsets on his team. The output over 4 years says no.

Transition plan and roles

• There is no doubt he has gone backwards in this area. He doesnt understand 'defender profiles'. He has soft, unsafe decision makers playing in defence over his time (Young/Kemp/McGovern). Did not work with Austin over 4 years to fix (Haynes is disrespecting the problem and something too little too late). He has papered over this weakness by sending the whole team into the defensive 50 to lie about Carlton's overall defensive profile. So Hamill is dire and Voss is accountable for putting him in place and keeping him there.
• Cooper Lord an additional inside midfielder and good player now filling a hole on the wing. 4 years after Setterfield. He has no idea on roles. Hollands moving from a role he can play well third year in to a role he cant ever be good at long term. Motlop in the middle when motlop likes inherently to slag off and find space to create.
• Moving the ball in transition and scoring. Woeful. Everyone has already forgotten the 10+ games in a row of predictable high down to the wing out of defence and even higher insides 50. Funny how Mckay is now out with a sore knee after continually launching at huge packs.
• Now he is stuck with only using two fwds 4 years later and one of them is out injured. Hence our dead duck situation of high ball into a short charlie.
• His assistants have probably put forward all these changes. But he is accountable to overrule. The only successful role change is JSoS where they had no clue whether he would succeed or not.

Previous success 2023 and vossy

• In each of the seasons there has been wild swings in form from atrocious to brilliant. I dont think he has any control over what is happening. The swings are too wild. He is riding a bucking horse without any control over the output. 2022 being in the 8 until the last game. The first half of 2023 and then the second half. The brilliance to get second in 2024 and then look dire a couple of weeks later and drop down and just scrape into th 8 because of another team failing. Now 2025. There is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest he doesnt know what the **** is going on or at the very least; he cant control outcomes. And if he cant control outcomes, then he has to go.

Where does Vossy seem ok?

• I think he is genuinely a strong leader of people. He is good in the pressers in terms of keeping things in house. Slightly obtuse with 'lets get after it'. But a pass i guess. Remember the layers and now think we a struggling with 1 layer of complexity in our footy as it breaks down everywhere.
• Would hire Vossy as a midfield coach or Scouts leader.

And your posts seem like they're written by Chatgpt, so snap.

And isn't that precisely the point I was objecting to, that affecting the pretense that there are no positives to Voss as a coach?

Well done at making my argument for me. Can I get back to enjoying my Sunday without someone objecting to something they already agree with?

 

[JustOneTime]

And your posts seem like they're written by Chatgpt, so snap.

And isn't that precisely the point I was objecting to, that affecting the pretense that there are no positives to Voss as a coach?

Well done at making my argument for me. Can I get back to enjoying my Sunday without someone objecting to something they already agree with?

lol. Again like all your posts. Nothing of substance. A waffler. I made so many points - all personal thoughts. You say Chat gpt to be derogatory when you know they are my thoughts.

Some people have nothing but air.

 

[bringdoullback]

Players set the standard on what's acceptable and what it means to play for the jumpers.

We attribute too much to the coach on this topic.

Swans culture may have been ignited by roos, but it was the players that drove it for years. Listen to the carlton old boys, they will say the same. McClure is particularly vocal on this topic. Barassi a long time ago, showed the team what good looked like but the culture persisted because of the players.

At face value, cripps looks a solid leader but he doesn't demand enough from his team mates.

 

[GoBlues!]

Luck that they ranked Mitchell, Kingsley & McCrae above Voss? Sounds like they (& GW) were on the ball.

Looks like they chose wisely between 4 untried coaches.

Let’s hope GW chooses wisely again.

 

[Soapy V]

Players set the standard on what's acceptable and what it means to play for the jumpers.

We attribute too much to the coach on this topic.

Swans culture may have been ignited by roos, but it was the players that drove it for years. Listen to the carlton old boys, they will say the same. McClure is particularly vocal on this topic. Barassi a long time ago, showed the team what good looked like but the culture persisted because of the players.

At face value, cripps looks a solid leader but he doesn't demand enough from his team mates.

As you have stated all set up and established by strong coaches

Players then buy in

 

[Gethelred]

lol. Again like all your posts. Nothing of substance.

Dude, this is rather funny.

The point of this post:

I mean, he's not without positive attributes: he's experienced, both as a player and a coach. He's worked within successful programs and development systems. He is capable of change. His coaches box is capable of innovation, and has no issue trying something to see if it works.

Trying to paint him as someone without any positive attributes (cue you saying, "I never said that!", despite implying the shit out of it) is a bit revisionist to say the very least. And you do get responses, SoapyV. Pretending that you don't is rather disingenuous.

... points out multiple positive attributes in reply to Soapy V's post above it:

I keep asking and never get a response.

What traits does Voss bring that make you think he is a good coach?

The extended response to which you provided the forum argued the precise same point I argued here. If I'm waffling, so are you in precisely the same way with AI suggestive formatting.

The other issue here is that you're just patently wrong, but I don't suppose you mind that all that much. Anything to have an opportunity to have a crack.

Some people have nothing but air.

As if, quite literally, anything on this forum is anything but air, Justonetime. That's what speech is; an exhalation, usually by someone with bad breath.

I really don't care what you think of me, Justonetime. As stated, I've got better things to do with my time.

 

[JustOneTime]

Dude, this is rather funny.

The point of this post:

... points out multiple positive attributes in reply to Soapy V's post above it:
The extended response to which you provided the forum argued the precise same point I argued here. If I'm waffling, so are you in precisely the same way with AI suggestive formatting.

The other issue here is that you're just patently wrong, but I don't suppose you mind that all that much. Anything to have an opportunity to have a crack.

As if, quite literally, anything on this forum is anything but air, Justonetime. That's what speech is; an exhalation, usually by someone with bad breath.

I really don't care what you think of me, Justonetime. As stated, I've got better things to do with my time.

So reading through everything you put there...let's get to your points...valid useful points for us all to read on here about Michael Voss and dissect. Oh, here below is one point and it is so general it is of no value as it applies to over 75% of all recent coaches.

From you...I mean, he's not without positive attributes: he's experienced, both as a player and a coach. He's worked within successful programs and development systems. He is capable of change. His coaches box is capable of innovation, and has no issue trying something to see if it works.

Thanks for everything you provided Gethelred. Very insightful - not! It is ok to have nothing to say and have no insight. But it isnt a great look for a mod to to be disingenuous to other posters who are attempting to make points. You misdirect by saying this is typically Carlton's cycle. That point is simpyy a waste of air. Basically, that post you made a while ago has the point of ....don't question the current setup and challenge for change because we have done it 5 times already in the last 15 years. Each cycle is itw own cycle and needs to be addressed in its current light. Not mothballed because we got it wrong 4 times before.

It is simply hot air posting.

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

Serious question; who was the last premiership coach who was either solely ‘tactical’ or entirely a ‘motivator’ in their approach?

Technically Fly. Who specifically kept the overall sort of game plan and style bucks had built the list around. He just built a great 'working environment' changed the standards and the culture..

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

I would currently question Voss’s leadership, so without that what’s left?

Absolutely. We cannot decry the on field and player leaders without tracing the line back to Voss as they are his most influential pieces on his chess board...
They have needed improving for yonks and go backwards

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

Go home 5 was an issue that can't be attributed to Voss. It was bad player leadership like Rockliff and Hanley running riot with hazing and bullying culture.

Funny how his playing leaders are under the microscope heavily again.... Maybe it is the coaches job to ensure he is using the right leaders...

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

Players set the standard on what's acceptable and what it means to play for the jumpers.

We attribute too much to the coach on this topic.

Swans culture may have been ignited by roos, but it was the players that drove it for years. Listen to the carlton old boys, they will say the same. McClure is particularly vocal on this topic. Barassi a long time ago, showed the team what good looked like but the culture persisted because of the players.

At face value, cripps looks a solid leader but he doesn't demand enough from his team mates.

So if your coach chooses the leadership team and the leadership team isn't driving standards properly you just sit back and do nothing and blame the players or do you as a coach change the leadership team.........

Seems obvious to me

 

[Stamos]

Not sure how you find a first time coach with the technical smarts in an interview. Collingwood got lucky with McCrae.

Technical smarts isn’t McCrae’s strength (assuming you mean strategy and gameplan).
He’s a great coach because of focusing on and drilling fundamentals of footy, combined with attitude and team culture.