News Ratten Q&A

[BlueTouchPaper]

Gotta love Q/As with Ratts - he asks more questions of himself than the journos do!

I really, really like this guy as a coach - let's hope he takes us far!

 

[Malifice]

Would love to win a final.

The devestation of the final 30 minutes against Brisbane last year...

I still cant speak of it.

Taking it as it comes this year however.

 

[Dramoth]

Could read between the lines there a little. I would like to think he is referring to the kick-ins and work out of the defensive half. With Bowers maniacal runs, Army's sketchy kicking, and Russel's...erm...disposal in general there can be a tendency to give the thing back pretty quickly. I am hoping that the pre-season work has been about trying to get the ball into the hands of the guys that can use it well, and threading our way through traffic from there.

We were always a pretty good thing in a shoot out, and were less well equipped for that this year. I can see a bit of sense in this approach...as long as it doesn't stifle our attacking flair too much. We certainly don't need anymore flogs holding the ball above their head, pretty sure we led the league in that stat last year.

Have to add that Ratts is fast becoming the master of rhetorical question...and what the **** are early doors?

It's a Yarra Glen thing... early opening hours at the pub

 

[Boltfromtheblue]

Rattan: "Chris Yarran's pre-season was outstanding, but he stood on a ball and rolled his ankle before the start of the game last week which was a real shame".

Don't worry everyone, he's ankle is better and his other ball is just fine!

 

[Malifice]

Rattan: "Chris Yarran's pre-season was outstanding, but he stood on a ball and rolled his ankle before the start of the game last week which was a real shame".

Don't worry everyone, he's ankle is better and his other ball is just fine!

I heard it was because he was homesick and had walked out on the club.

Again.

On second thought, this joke isnt even funny anymore. Wasnt really funny the first time I heard it either. God Im working late tonight.

Back OT, I really hope we play more direct footy than we displayed in the NAB cup. 'More inside 50's than the opposition' are one thing, but this is counting the ones (and there were lots of them) that go deep in the pocket as equal to the 'inside 50s' that are pumped in straight from the middle and up the guts.

One of the reason our accuracy is so crap. We chip it into the pockets and have to take scoring shots from BS angles.

We used to have a saying in the Army: 'Up the guts with lots of smoke'. Ratts could probably learn something from that. Then again, we cant throw smoke grenades during a game of footy.

Bugger this. Im going home. Im losing it.

 

[Chodders]

While I hate the chip around style of footy, in this day and age when there is a genuine momentum shift against you, it is really a case of maintain possession or get smashed.

Take last year for example. I love the exciting footy Carlton played for large parts of the year but when the momentum went against us we had no answer. I really like the idea that Ratts is teaching the guys other styles of footy. This will make them more creative players and will lead to a better, smarter team in the long run.

 

[The Coach]

It's a Yarra Glen thing... early opening hours at the pub

Come on now Dram, you know YG has never been that type of pub - we are there for all you tourists so keep bringing all your dollars to the Valley

 

[Jock]

Big year for Ratts - Top 8 a pass and anything below a fail and pressure will be on him.

He often looks like a deer in the headlights in the coaching box

I hope he can really settle on his game plan, his coaching style and bring the best out of himself, others around him and the team.

The training wheels are now off.

I think we'll finish 8th FWIW

 

[krayfesh]

Re: Reading "Ratten" comments it seems 2010 will be more a year of development than 2009

I'm not so sure it's imperitive that we win a final, given that would be a step further than we went last year, minus a gun forward. 2010 will be as much about finding a new avenue to goal, and it simply won't click in round 1. Should be an exciting year though.

If there's one game where it will look like our forward line is clicking, it's against Richmond.

I'm thinking of putting my hand up for selection. Pretty confident that I'd kick at least one goal.

 

[thylacine60]

Re: Reading "Ratten" comments it seems 2010 will be more a year of development than 2009

If there's one game where it will look like our forward line is clicking, it's against Richmond.

I'm thinking of putting my hand up for selection. Pretty confident that I'd kick at least one goal.

You're an inspiration, Carlos.

 

[Silvagnis]

Very, very unhappy with this answer.

I ****ing hate tempo football. Its what shit clubs use to stop getting smashed.

What is wrong with Carlton planning on playing tempo footy?

If we attempted to play attacking footy like the Dogs, Power and Bombers, we would be blown out of the water.

We don't have the skill and pace to pull off that sort of game plan.

We've tried that against Essendon, yet we were blown out of the water because they have more outside players and legspeed.

It sounds like Ratten will try to make the most of a list with plenty of players who can get their hands on the footy first at the stoppages.

And become a more accountable side.

Forward thinking

''It is going to be a team-oriented process and who can contribute offensively and defensively to allow us to score. If you can reduce marks inside 50 from an opposition point of view, then you are right in the game. That is one area of the game we are working on to get ours up. Even with the other bloke in the team our numbers weren't big as a marking team inside [the] forward 50.''

'I think it was a plus to win 13 games [without those players], so you think that is a fantastic result for our club. But I think the way we play at times didn't allow us to control the game, whether we had the ball or didn't have the ball. That is something we have worked on.'

''Teams are trying to spread more to pull that zone out, so using your feet [for disposal rather than handball] has to be more critical,'' Ratten said.

Forward thinking

And Ratten is a poor coach for making of the list he has at his disposal.

Pretty footy doesn't necessarily equal winning footy.

Would you knock back a flag because it was ugly and boring football?

At least Essendon are exciting to watch because they're quick and attacking.

Easy to score against though...

 

[Sublime]

While I hate the chip around style of footy, in this day and age when there is a genuine momentum shift against you, it is really a case of maintain possession or get smashed.

Take last year for example. I love the exciting footy Carlton played for large parts of the year but when the momentum went against us we had no answer. I really like the idea that Ratts is teaching the guys other styles of footy. This will make them more creative players and will lead to a better, smarter team in the long run.

When things are clicking for us, we're one of the best teams going around. Almost unstoppable once we get a run on. You're exactly right that we have no answers once a team hits us hard. Once we learn to cope when other teams hit their straps we will be a much better side. If the opposition are playing well and we can get the ball out of their hands for a few minutes, it can help swing the game back our way, so we can get one of our runs going.

 

[thylacine60]

What is wrong with Carlton planning on playing tempo footy?

If we attempted to play attacking footy like the Dogs, Power and Bombers, we would be blown out of the water.

We don't have the skill and pace to pull off that sort of game plan.

We've tried that against Essendon, yet we were blown out of the water because they have more outside players and legspeed.

It sounds like Ratten will try to make the most of a list with plenty of players who can get their hands on the footy first at the stoppages.

And become a more accountable side.

Forward thinking

Forward thinking

And Ratten is a poor coach for making of the list he has at his disposal.

Pretty footy doesn't necessarily equal winning footy.

Would you knock back a flag because it was ugly and boring football?

At least Essendon are exciting to watch because they're quick and attacking.

Easy to score against though...

Seriously unfair question although the answer is of course 'no'. Ideally we want to win premierships flaunting our talent not negating the oppositions. Tempo footy is reactionary crap that has its place at times throughout a game but I want us to win with quality, strength and purpose.

 

[Weiterbot23]

Tempo football is something we need to learn.

None of us will care if we're boring, as long as we win.

It's when your watching a game that Carlton isn't in and they slow it down that piss's you off. When the blues are playing though, I just want the win!!!!!!


Look at soccer, It's the worst, most slow boring sport in the entire world, but people don;t care as long as their team wins.

 

[HARKER]

Tempo footy is reactionary crap that has its place at times throughout a game but I want us to win with quality, strength and purpose.

and poise and grace and skill for this is Carlton and we are a proud club that won't lie down in the face of adversity

Man, I'm pumped.

 

[Malifice]

What is wrong with Carlton planning on playing tempo footy?

Nothing... to a point. Tempo footy is sometimes a valid tactic to employ, but when its oversued, you get problems.

Much like 'attack at all costs' footy. Overuse it and you'll get caught out.

For mine, initiative and momentum are key. Too much tempo football (chipping the ball around, holding it in the air etc) and you allow the zone teams (such as Adelaide) to flood your backline and then capatilse on your mistakes by running the ball out of our F50 in numbers.

You also telegraph to the opoosition what you are doing, and allow them to seize the initiative back from you. I cant count the number of times we have tried to slow it down, only to cough up a goal in the process.

The flip side of the coin is that over-attacking can get you into strife as well.

An example is the Adelaide game late last year when we were bent over due to being way too indirect. They smashed us through the centre of the ground by flooding back in numbers while we were messing around withe the ball, waiting for a skill error in delivering the ball into our f50, then running the ball out of defence in numbers to an open forward line.

They then re-establishing the zone in attack making it impossible to penetrate thier zone if the kick outs. You were almost wishing they would get a goal, as a 1 point play quickly tuned into a 7 pointer.

As an example of the opposite effect (over attacking) is Essendon a week or so later (also against Adelaide) in the elim final where they were caught out trying to execute the exact opposite. The crows were able to comfortably catch them out on the rebound.

Collingwood seem to handle the zones pretty well without resorting to overusing tempo football IMO. They play the sides that employ the zones pretty well. Basically they tend to play more man on man football, and trust their man to beat the opposition player.

I just really feel we are overusing methods of trying to controll the game. Id really like to see us play more direct football, and more often. Id also like to see us using zoning from time to time, if for unpredictability as much as effectivness.

 

[HARKER]

Seriously though, we all have names for some of the crap footy that has been dished out by the "tempo" sides and I'd hate for us to be tagged accordingly.

If Ratten has nothing else to go by, I'd suggest we just revisit the scoring for and against through periods where we have tried to slow the game down over recent years.
I know that once I see that ball being raised into the air 5 minutes before quarters end, I lock up and brace myself.
I don't know how many times we have scored through those last subsequent minutes but I'll bet that the ledger is in the RED for us.

Hasn't worked before and cannot see why it would work going forward.


Addendum: You've got to be kidding me.
Three posts with three second to the post results, with you taking my thoughts away, Mal.
I've got better things to do today. I'm out...

 

[Blue since 72]

and poise and grace and skill for this is Carlton and we are a proud club that won't lie down in the face of adversity

Man, I'm pumped.

I don't know, I didn't get that from your post.

 

[Jimthegreat]

It's a case of knowing when to go and knowing when to whoa. If you're to win a flag you have to know how and when to slow the game when necessary. You also know when you have to attack. This is what Ratten is saying. Getting that balance right, which as he says, we haven't in the past. We want to attack when we have momentum and slow the tempo when in trouble. What's he's saying is that he wants us to control the entire tempo of the game.

A few simply haven't got that. The see "chip-chip" and stop there going "oh god no" without any understanding of what he's trying to achieve. That's only part of it so we don't get called "downhill skiers" again.....good on the attack but crap the other way.

 

[Dramoth]

Come on now Dram, you know YG has never been that type of pub - we are there for all you tourists so keep bringing all your dollars to the Valley

I lived in the Glen for a couple of years back at the beginning of the 90's

Played cricket for Dixon's creek for a season

 

[The Coach]

I lived in the Glen for a couple of years back at the beginning of the 90's

Played cricket for Dixon's creek for a season

I remembered you had been a YG boy - hence my crack. Would have been there 25 years myself this year.

 

[Go_Blues!]

I think being a practice game the powers that be might have taken the term a bit more literally than most of the fans.

No doubt it frustrated a lot of fans there on the day, but the main point is practice, in match conditions.

I would expect when the intensity level and the real deal starts we won't slow the game down until we have to, and probably not to that extent.

Although the main point in keeping possession is to actually do that . Would also like to see the skill level increase with the added intensity too.

Off topic and please ignore....but where did you get that photo from (of John Howard) I have a similar photo when he was doing a lame attempt at displying his wares in science to a bunch of journalists.....of course he was nothing but impressive but all the same, that part was embarasing.

 

[CrippsonBlue]

Seriously unfair question although the answer is of course 'no'.

It is?

I certainly wouldn't make it that far into the season if this was the case...

 

[Dramoth]

I remembered you had been a YG boy - hence my crack. Would have been there 25 years myself this year.

I would love to move back there and settle down... eventually.

And indulge in my love of wine in a perfect setting

Would have been there for 20 years myself this year