Fall back as in he will talk to us once there is no chance of a head coach job. That would be fair enough.

Montgomery and Harvey have both stated they enjoyed working at carlton and learnt a lot in their roles.

I think we will get a good team together.

I am not really in favour of getting a godfather figure in though. I would like laidley but only in a normal assistant role.

Of course we're Dean Laidley's fall back option. One is a head coaching position, the other a glorified assistants role.

Can't quite figure out how you believe this is a 'sad situation' Josh...I think you're just stirring the pot.

Josh struggles with this concept. Everything is doom and gloom to him

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Someone has to be the bad cop with Synbad out of action.

very interesting and actually agree. this is nothing like (refer to the hird coaching panel) the set up at Collingwood, where they have clearly defined roles, i.e. head coach/apprentice etc.. this sounds like tis going to be the head coach learning from the apprentice. i just dont think it will work.

unless choco is the head coach, for three years, while hird does hsi apprenticeship in that time, in which case, im not sure if that will work either .. its going be an interesting scenario to watch, just as is the collingwood scenario over the next few years.

what i dont want to see is carlton go down the same path, for the sake of going down the same path. i echo the statements of a few others. if laidley comes in, its as an assistant, not head of coaching etc.. ratten has been in the job for three years now, he is the head coach. period. its not to say he doesnt need help, and that is where laidely could come in handy, but ratten is clearly the head coach, so going in for a role as anything but an assistant coaching role, is going to seem a strange move.

It's a nonsense in this AFL day and age to persist with a guy as senior coach who is deemed to be tactically deficient, IMO.

Well, while being unsure whether Ratts is the man for the job or not, having a deficiency in one area doesn't disqualify you from being head coach as there are so many areas to get on top of. Most coaches will have areas of weakness and the smart ones hire staff to fill those gaps. From the outside at least, we haven't done that at CFC. Hiring Laidley would help address one issue, and adding a couple more talented assistants would make a big difference. Capuano has done a great job with our rucks (one is being actively chased) - having quality assistants shows. If we can get the right people in, I'm predicting next year we'll be talking about how much 'Ratts' has improved.

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I would like to thank Collingwood for helping me keep faith in my old man. He always told me that 'People are thick'.

Surround yourself with people who make you look good

would have replied to you rexy, but this is pretty much my response to it, so no need

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Goodwin will become one of Hirdy's boys ...

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I just want my old club back ... (edit) maybe I have!

I hardly think I'm like Synners- I just want our club to be innovative and with a clearly defined plan as to how we're going to make it to #17.
All I'm seeing at the moment is a mishmash of chasing any uncontracted player regardless of asking price or cultural fit, chasing any defected assistant coach regardless of skill set, a CEO unaware of appointments and retrenchments, a coach with 12 months to go who hardly has confidence in himself- let alone the players..
Things dont need to be this way but they are. And its because of a lack of strong leadership off the field that is absolutely killing us.

C'mon mate - you're better than that...that's all hearsay, internet rumour and most of it crap. I agree there needs to be better leadership - I'm not completely convinced that needs to come from within the club, but I suspect post-Christmas we'll find out whether or not the Board is serious in implementing any change in this area.

Well, if true, Blasted bombers have got a jump on us with the coach poaching. According to the Australian, Bomber Thompson is going to join Essendon* as Director of Coaching.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/mark-bomber-thompson-to-be-james-hirds-boss-at-essendon/story-e6frg7mf-1225930260349

It'd be nice to see these sorts of headlines, ie - high quality people joining, for the Carlton Football Club.

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I would like to thank Collingwood for helping me keep faith in my old man. He always told me that 'People are thick'.

Where is synbad?

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

You could be a pinup boy for SEN with this calibre of emotional beat up based on nothing.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Todays paper, the HUN says that John Barker will be named an assistant coach at Carlton.
Saints and Hawks fans are already laughing at us.

The basic coaching structure should (obviously IMO) see the senior coach delegating individual areas of player development to his assistants which are based around his overall tactical philosophies.

As I've said previously, the new appointments will go a long way to exposing what the club really thinks of Ratts.

Fair points. Nobody has strengths in all areas. Just out of interest, what are Rattens actual strengths?

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Just listened to press conference on Fox Sports as Essendon* announced James Hird as their coach. To be honest, I am a little envious. The guy is switched on, has footy nous and appears to a leader of men. Yes, i know there is alot of water to pass under the bridge and the jury will be out etc etc.
I hope the CFC are going all out to get the best. Ratts needs great men around him to lead this club forward. Get the best, you become the best. You become like those who you hang around.
Dick Pratt's passing away is a big loss.
We don't want to fall behind the scum. They are formulating a great team around them. Look out.

We have had plenty of fancy pressers like that. When it comes to mid winter and you are playing on a gloomy MCG with a bunch on players out injured or suspended or under clounds it all means nothing.

Pretty much all the stuff Hird said about the direction he wants to take the team down was pretty straight forward and sounded like he was following our blueprint. Admitting they were coming from a long way back. All about improvement. Wants to make sure that when his list average age is 25 -26 (the average of premiers of late) his players are ready to win the flag. It all sounds like what have been criticized (mainly by our own fans) for doing since Ratts took over.

A coaching team of past players too !