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Absoluetely it was the manner of the losses not the losses themselves despite what was said in the press conference. It's the way the team was allowed to lose by an absence of self interest on Boltons part. Maybe that makes Bolton a bit naive. He could have made moves to save or win games but clearly the ethos was let them kids learn the hard way. I think they must have privately had a number at which point it was deemed to be unsustainable. The truth is we will never know if Bolton had the capabilty to coach bigtime because he was given nothing to work with except some youthful hope and a truckload of bad luck.Problem with giving a number publicly is it ties your hands somewhat.
If our effort had been top notch the last month, but we were just falling short, I think he'd still be coaching even with a 1 & 10 record. As much as win/loss was clearly a factor, I think the performance of the group within the losses has been the real keystone. When the effort dropped, and Bolton wasn't able to get it back within a month, the question had to be asked.
Glad we didn't give in to pressure to put a number on it. We shouldn't have.
Bolton did the hard work and whoever comes in will reap the benefit of that. Bit rough getting sacked in the 4th year of a 7 year rebuild but we are Carlton and this is the sort of thing we do. It's why we've been so bad for 20 years.
The worst thing about all of this is that it goes to prove we had no idea what was going to happen when we begin doing what we have done and that is on guys like Stephen Silvagni and MLG's head. If they didn't realise rebuilding through the draft with kids and virtually no senior foundations would make us this bad for this long then they are fools and that's being kind. That's concerning for me.
It raises serious concerns in regard to our administration and whether we actually know what we are doing and that we probably haven't changed our ways at all over the last 20 years. Here we are, a club with really bad list problems and again we sack yet another coach. We are the sort of club who fixes a flat tyre by replacing the engine and keeps doing it over and over again and wondering why it's not going anywhere.
This really really makes you wonder about people who thought we could go down this path and be competitive by now with a team of kids. Why does our football club believe that if you don't have senior players and rebuild with kids that it takes about 5 years to compete. Do they know anything about football at all?
I would hope the people at our club learn something.
On the positive side I don't think this will hurt us too much. There are some things to look forward to.
We should improve next season unless we start losing decent players and fail to gain good mature players. I think we are still a couple of seasons away from being a decent side regardless of who is coaching as I don't think the coach is too important in a modern setup.
The new coach effect should kick in for a month or so. Just about all sides overperform for a short period of time under a new coach. Not sure why but it seems to motivate players and kick things into gear.
On the negative side, unless our list looks really attractive I can't see too many coaches putting their hands up to coach us unless we really overpay and that's going to really hurt us with our off field cap. Our record with coaches and our tendency to sack them makes us really unappealing. In fact after this, after Ratten, after Malthouse I would think we would be the last place you would want to coach to be honest unless we pay and pay well. Then again there are always people out there looking for a head coaching job.
I can't help to think this was a typical Carlton decision to appease powerbroker board members, fans and media people. Typical of us, looking for someone to blame and it's always the coach.
I don't think time will tell whether this is a good move or not as our list should improve unless we start failing with recruitment and when it matures, whoever is coaching is going to be fortunate enough to have a list with quality and time to further build on their side.
I feel sorry for Bolton and feel this was a real nothing move. I think he knew what he was doing, he just didn't have the players. Hopefully whoever comes in will come in and be fully supported in all aspects and goes really well.
A huge part of rebuilding our brand and club. Unfortunately we couldn’t quite get those close ones for him.
Not many people were upset about his ability to coach or our list when we matched it with some strong clubs, even though we were going misssing for much of the game.
Now our backline is decimated, our midfield young and easily moved off the ball and beaten, thus high pressure inept delivery to our forwards renders us uncompetitive. Our depth is sadly still lacking, so no surprise to me at least that we are getting spanked lately.
But unfortunately the losses were not wins and it’s easier to sack a coach than to drop the whole senior team. Bolts didn’t unfortunately get a chance to work with this group for too long, which is a shame and quite sad.
The talent is there no doubt, so let’s hope we can save face to a degree and knock a few off in the remainder of the season, so we can be proud of our club once again.
Thanks for your tireless work Bolts.
All the best for your future.
Cheers and..
GO BAGGERS!!
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It is amazing how Ratts has come back into focus.The only 2 I will be happy with is Clarkson numero uno, or get on our blended knees and beg Rattan to come home where he belongs.
I'd like to see David Parkin have an advisory role. As our most successful coach and an astute strategic thinker I believe he would have a lot to offer.DEFINITELY THINK ROBERT WALLS WAS A POOR APPOINTMENT.
Hope they bring in a ex senior coach as head of coaching next to whoever else comes in
I understand what you are saying but the turnaround did not seem to be coming and it is clear the mental state of the players has shifted....and not in the right direction.I hate how my club behaves right now. Give a guy an almost impossible task, then kick him to the curb at the exact moment you should be backing in your choice and the direction you set him upon.
Thanks Brendan for all your positivity and the effort you went to trying to teach leadership to a rudderless playing group. I am sorry it was ultimately them who let you down.
I wish your time at the Blues had ended differently and hope this is not the end of your journey as a senior AFL coach. Ultimately the club will move on, however this decision in no way diminishes the value you have added to all those working at the club, the supporters and the playing group.
When we do eventually get to the big dance, I will raise a glass to you and your efforts to drag this club kicking and screaming into the modern era.
Best of luck to you and your family during the next phase of your career and life.
A thought provoking post GB that I would have largely agreed with prior to the North game, but imo (aside from the Pies outlier) something went seriously wrong from that point on, after which we found ourselves in a dramatic tailspin that looked set to continue. Imo, our performances and organisation against North, GWS, and seriously depleted Saints and Bummer outfits were simply unacceptable, and the signs from Crippa, Simmo, and Daisy down through most of our list were poor of late. Unfortunately, I think that the players’ belief and confidence were shot, and along with those things their effort was falling away. In short, it appeared to me that Bolts had lost the group, and that a point of no return had likely been reached.
Of course, we could have persisted with Bolts until the end of the season, to see if he could somehow turn it around, but imo that would have jeopardised our recruitment needs for 2020 - a few more months like the past 5 or so weeks and we would have been an absolute no go zone for any decent mature players, which we desperately need to attract at season’s end. No, as gutted and flat as I feel today - because I genuinely wanted Bolts to be “the one” - I think that the club has taken the correct decision. As I see it, we’ve stuck with the horse (plan), while changing the jockey (senior coach) ... although I live in hope that our strappers (assistant coaches) will be heavily scrutinised in the weeks and months ahead.
So yes, obviously it will bring about some change in the short term like an fresh start does but in terms of the bigger picture what will it do.???
Fantastically put.Thanks BB for what thus far has been largely unrewarded effort on your part.
The players performance yesterday was so apathetic it was inevitable that your stint as coach was over. I think the timing was right. The players on the list are much more talented than they are showing. They have lost confidence and it is clear BB has lost confidence.
The CFC is now in a much stronger position than it was in at the end of 2015. I expect success in the years ahead and if it comes a significant component of that success will be built on the early teachings of BB, who has made sacrifice to a higher cause more than a turn of phrase. True to form the dignified manner of his departure shows BB lives truly the meaning of that message.
Being a young coach of a young developing list was always a high risk/high reward strategy for all concerned. There is no point doubling down on the bet. If we were going to change course it would always be the coach overboard first.