Am I happy the club are not going to play finals this year? NO

Am I happy we have had two poor seasons in a row (that said I am in the camp that believes *Ess didn’t deserve to play finals last year because their performances might have been assisted, which means we were a deserved finals team – which is corroborated by the fact we won our first final, and let’s not forget CFC under Malthouse actually improved their ladder position in 2013 vis a vis 2012)? NO

Do I think our slide down the ladder is Mick’s fault? NO

It is possible for good coaches to oversee teams slide down the ladder you know? Mick’s Coll went down the bottom then came back up and won a Flag. Remember, the coach isn’t the one who takes to the field and handballs and kicks and marks and runs and shoots for goal and defends. The players do this. I know that might come as a surprise to you but it is actually true.

The coach can try to implement a game plan (which btw looked alright against Haw, Geel, Coll lately), can try to lift confidence and belief, can delegate certain roles to assistant coaches, can work with the list manager (don’t think we have one FT at CFC which doesn’t help) and recruitment manager to shape the list over time etc, but at the end of the day he is not the one who has to go out there and make it happen.

If you have mediocre players or a list in transition a coach’s hands are pretty much tied. Which is what I think has happened to Carlton the last few years. I’d put it to you this is fact and pretty much undebatable for 2 reasons …

1. Our recruitment for a long time has been rubbish. This has been widely publicized both in here but also in the football media.
2. We have a midfield (note : the midfield in the modern caper is the most important part of a team, the engine room as they say) in transition. The established core, the guys who basically WERE the midfield for years (Judd, Scotland, Carrazzo, Mclean) are nearing the end or are already cooked (Simpson is the only veteran still going strong). Coupled with the fact we have not drafted quality midfielders to replace this decaying midfield core (the draft concessions to GWS/GC being contributing factors of course), and the fact the likes of Murphy (injury), Thomas (injury) and Gibbs (self belief??) have struggled for various reasons to emerge as true, bona fide midfield leaders, it is folly to suggest this midfield which is in transition isn’t a major factor contributing to our current predicament.

It probably doesn’t help Waite hasn’t become the player we hoped he would become, that Betts left (I believe the recruitment of Thomas cannot be judged until he has played his second year post his ankle reco), that Judd missed most of the year, that we had an apparently record high number of post season injuries. In fact the latter point on its own could be a reason for our 2014 performance.

Do you get it now?? Ageing/decaying midfield core, terrible drafting, record number of post season operations. And you blame the coach?? Sorry but I think you’re delusional. To me it’s a no brainer.

Have you ever heard the term a coach is only as good as the stock available to him? Sort of makes sense doesn’t it? Hard to make a good cake when you have bad ingredients.

What has Mick done then??

Well he has been a genius of sorts shifting Rowe to defence. He has it would appear helped Levi get fit and develop some inner belief. He has overseen a marked improvement in White. There alone he has basically found 3 KPPS many of us probably thought would never make the grade. He has turned Yarran into a very, very good player. He has overseen a marked improvement in Gibbs. He was instrumental in getting Everitt across, who right now would probably be in the top 5 in the B&F. He has backed our besieged captain to the hilt. He has thrown down the gauntlet to Jeff and Waite – hopefully he can turn them around like he has Yarran. He has managed to get very admirable efforts of late against some of the best sides going around, only lack of skill letting he and the club down. He has helped Robinson have his best year to date. He has basically seen the face of the 22 change by about 10 names in 12 months, a huge feat and evidence he is introducing new, mostly young blood into the team despite the ridiculous bellyaching of silly fans who seem incapable of seeing beyond Nick Graham.

About the only thing he hasn’t done well is he has overseen some poor efforts against lowly sides. But arguably that is an onfield leadership problem as much as a coaching problem. Therein lies another question for you – do you think CFC have one of the better leadership groups going around? Isn’t it well publicized the list is full of introverts? Mick is not a psychologist you know!

Maybe the other thing he is guilty of is over rating the list. But then it was he who coached Coll 2 years back when I think it was in R3 Carlton with a fit and firing Judd, Betts, Henderson, Scotland etc hammered his Coll to become premiership favourites overnight. Can’t blame him for thinking Carlton were pretty good at that point in time.

And therein lies the proof in the pudding that things can change quickly in 2 years.

But I am sure you’ll throw your blinkers on, stick your head in the sand and find ways to argue our performances are all Mick’s fault despite the fact he has a list in transition with a decaying midfield core, a list built by systematically terrible recruiting for years, a list inflicted by a record number of post season surgeries … oh and have I mentioned the fact in year one Mick was unable to shape the list because players were contracted and the cap was loaded meaning hardly any list changes were possible?

Am I happy the club are not going to play finals this year? NO

Am I happy we have had two poor seasons in a row (that said I am in the camp that believes *Ess didn’t deserve to play finals last year because their performances might have been assisted, which means we were a deserved finals team – which is corroborated by the fact we won our first final, and let’s not forget CFC under Malthouse actually improved their ladder position in 2013 vis a vis 2012)? NO

Do I think our slide down the ladder is Mick’s fault? NO

It is possible for good coaches to oversee teams slide down the ladder you know? Mick’s Coll went down the bottom then came back up and won a Flag. Remember, the coach isn’t the one who takes to the field and handballs and kicks and marks and runs and shoots for goal and defends. The players do this. I know that might come as a surprise to you but it is actually true.

The coach can try to implement a game plan (which btw looked alright against Haw, Geel, Coll lately), can try to lift confidence and belief, can delegate certain roles to assistant coaches, can work with the list manager (don’t think we have one FT at CFC which doesn’t help) and recruitment manager to shape the list over time etc, but at the end of the day he is not the one who has to go out there and make it happen.

If you have mediocre players or a list in transition a coach’s hands are pretty much tied. Which is what I think has happened to Carlton the last few years. I’d put it to you this is fact and pretty much undebatable for 2 reasons …

1. Our recruitment for a long time has been rubbish. This has been widely publicized both in here but also in the football media.
2. We have a midfield (note : the midfield in the modern caper is the most important part of a team, the engine room as they say) in transition. The established core, the guys who basically WERE the midfield for years (Judd, Scotland, Carrazzo, Mclean) are nearing the end or are already cooked (Simpson is the only veteran still going strong). Coupled with the fact we have not drafted quality midfielders to replace this decaying midfield core (the draft concessions to GWS/GC being contributing factors of course), and the fact the likes of Murphy (injury), Thomas (injury) and Gibbs (self belief??) have struggled for various reasons to emerge as true, bona fide midfield leaders, it is folly to suggest this midfield which is in transition isn’t a major factor contributing to our current predicament.

It probably doesn’t help Waite hasn’t become the player we hoped he would become, that Betts left (I believe the recruitment of Thomas cannot be judged until he has played his second year post his ankle reco), that Judd missed most of the year, that we had an apparently record high number of post season injuries. In fact the latter point on its own could be a reason for our 2014 performance.

Do you get it now?? Ageing/decaying midfield core, terrible drafting, record number of post season operations. And you blame the coach?? Sorry but I think you’re delusional. To me it’s a no brainer.

Have you ever heard the term a coach is only as good as the stock available to him? Sort of makes sense doesn’t it? Hard to make a good cake when you have bad ingredients.

What has Mick done then??

Well he has been a genius of sorts shifting Rowe to defence. He has it would appear helped Levi get fit and develop some inner belief. He has overseen a marked improvement in White. There alone he has basically found 3 KPPS many of us probably thought would never make the grade. He has turned Yarran into a very, very good player. He has overseen a marked improvement in Gibbs. He was instrumental in getting Everitt across, who right now would probably be in the top 5 in the B&F. He has backed our besieged captain to the hilt. He has thrown down the gauntlet to Jeff and Waite – hopefully he can turn them around like he has Yarran. He has managed to get very admirable efforts of late against some of the best sides going around, only lack of skill letting he and the club down. He has helped Robinson have his best year to date. He has basically seen the face of the 22 change by about 10 names in 12 months, a huge feat and evidence he is introducing new, mostly young blood into the team despite the ridiculous bellyaching of silly fans who seem incapable of seeing beyond Nick Graham.

About the only thing he hasn’t done well is he has overseen some poor efforts against lowly sides. But arguably that is an onfield leadership problem as much as a coaching problem. Therein lies another question for you – do you think CFC have one of the better leadership groups going around? Isn’t it well publicized the list is full of introverts? Mick is not a psychologist you know!

Maybe the other thing he is guilty of is over rating the list. But then it was he who coached Coll 2 years back when I think it was in R3 Carlton with a fit and firing Judd, Betts, Henderson, Scotland etc hammered his Coll to become premiership favourites overnight. Can’t blame him for thinking Carlton were pretty good at that point in time.

And therein lies the proof in the pudding that things can change quickly in 2 years.

But I am sure you’ll throw your blinkers on, stick your head in the sand and find ways to argue our performances are all Mick’s fault despite the fact he has a list in transition with a decaying midfield core, a list built by systematically terrible recruiting for years, a list inflicted by a record number of post season surgeries … oh and have I mentioned the fact in year one Mick was unable to shape the list because players were contracted and the cap was loaded meaning hardly any list changes were possible?

I just hope Laidler doesn't have a blinder this weekend ... could be a further embarrassment to the Super Duper coach.

How many blinders has he played for the swans?

How many blinders has he played for the swans?

Oh ok. So just a nonsensical post.

How many blinders has he played for the swans?

Well he has played all year for the Swans (a team that Tricky Micky says has the deepest list) ... and yet he was not versatile enough for the Super Duper coach?

I didn't say he has played a blinder nor did I say that I wanted him to play a blinder ...

I just said that if he did it would be further embarrassment to Dr Strangelove ... The fact is ...even playing the whole season for the swans is an embarrassment to him. But eh ... we are all getting use to the stuff ups.

Lets hope Saturday night is not one of them ... and we can turn it on.

Go BLUES!

Your best post in 10 years, Blackers.