Is it fair enough to assume that if Carlton fail to make the finals in both 2010 and 2011 then Ratten's position would at the very least be under heavy review by the club ???
We should give him this year as a 'grace' for losing Fev/Stevens etc, and try to restructure the fowardline, he certainly doesn't deserve to be sacked if we miss the 8 this year, however I think in 2011, that is when the real pressure will be mounted (if not by the fans, by the press IMHO)
And by no means should the club give Ratten an contract extention before the end of the 2011 season* we went down that path before with Pagan after he won the Nab cup, and what a disaster that was ...
*If we make the finals this year though, he probably should given an extension for I think he would have exceeded most expectations ...
Apparently Sticks has told several influential supporters he thinks we'll struggle to make the 8 this year following Fev's departure.
And I concur, I'm not writing off the boys for 2010, but I think it's dicey for us to make the 8, especially since Judd's out for the first 3 rounds, and the constant doubts on Marc Murphy's fitness ...
We've still got a list mostly made out of kids, so techincally I don't think the club has finished 'rebuilding/reloading' the list to make a serious flag tilt.
And another thing on Ratten's favour is that he's changing the culture of the club and coming down hard on players who are disruptive elements (IE Fevola and Cam Cloke discarded last year, and the penalities upon Betts, Walker, Houlihan etc)
But I stand by my belief that if the Club WANTED to get rid of Ratten by the end of 2011(that would be the earliest possible time IMHO) I think Choco is exactly the right coach Carlton needs, and unlike Pagan, he is still very professional and fired up to coach, I think Pagan took the carlton job as an retirement fund, whereas Mark Williams still has plenty to offer and prove at AFL level (he's been undermined at Port by massive budget cut-backs, and the fact their hack of a CEO keeps trying to knife him in the back)