I was at the Gabba yesterday... it was almost like being forced to watch your parents have sex or something.

Anyway, the Carlton crowds feel like an 80's revival to me. I go there, and look around, and for a moment I am convinced that Bob Hawke is Prime Minister and we are about to win the America's Cup. The absence of young supporters is extremely noticeable. Yesterday I sat with other Carlton members, and there were maybe four or five kids in the whole section. I sat next to two of them. Before the game one of them started talking about his love of Nick Stevens and Marc Murphy. After 15 minutes in the first quarter they looked like they were more interested in jumping on seats and generally being anywhere but the Gabba. Their old man watched the contest as closely as he could - and I remember thinking to myself that when he was young his old man probably took him to Princes Park and held him on his shoulders as he watched the Dominator, Kenny Hunter and David Glascott run around. Back then we offered young kids something... today all we offer them is pain and embarrassment and the derision of their mates in the schoolyard.

I left the Gabba yesterday thinking Pagan would still coach out the year. Today I think that the Board needs to act to be shown to do something, and that on a deeper issue... the Board needs to explore ways that it can provide this Club with fresh impetus and attract a whole new generation of supporters

Wasn't there something recently about us having a very high junior membership though?

_________________
"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about puppies." - Gene Hill

do we need a "line in the sand moment"

say what you want about Hawthorn, but for mine, that was a massive reason for their turn around.

our club and its players are treated with disdain, and i say @#$%&! that.

lets get in a scrap with st.kilda, let other sides know, that when you play carlton you are going to play someone that gives everything

lets get our leadership group ...... @#$%&!, we got nothing.

seriously, the 6 weeks the only thing that can happen is, the end of season review needs to happen now, not in 6 weeks, now, we have to put our kids into action now, cut the weak and look forward.

Kouta, Lappin, Ackland, Bannister and any kids who has any sort of injury, to be dropped, give Murphy a break, bring in Grigg, Hampson, etc.. and give them a position to play, and keep that same position for the next 6 weeks.

Dont worry about the score, tell our kids, to enjoy themselves, play their position, concentrate on beating their man and reward them with praise when they do, and gee them up when they dont.

i cant see us winning a game for the rest of the season, but i also dont see that as a reason as to why we cant get some good feelings through the place.

everyone talks of the negativity, but thats half the problem, we need to go beyond the score line.

dumb it down to a one on one situation.

Bower v His Man - Did he beat him in the first half? Excellent, let him know, did he draw even, excellent your only in your fifth game and you are drawing even with someone of far more experience, did he lower his colors? No issue, you are learning the game, popint out the things he is doing right, ask him to do "abit more"

and do this for all of the players. make it a simple task.

dont worry about winning, beat your man is your task.

There is so many things we could be doing, lets just hope it happens

_________________
Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Hmm, when you are only 4 years old generally it's your dad who will decide and pay for your membership, it's not until you are a bit older that you decide for yourself that barracking of for perennial looser is not cool. And let's face it, if you are 6-10 years old, Carlton is a perennial looser as far as you would be concerned.

frank dardew- great post.

we need players willing to play and bleed for the navy blue jumper or carlton.

6 weeks to go- all players (even thiose with contracts) should be put on notice, start performing or you may not be at the club in 2008.

We have been through 5 years of "re-building" the playing list for this?
Nope, our players are better than that and by a long way. We do leak in a couple of positions and "psychologically" we have taken a beating, but ALL we just need is the final piece of the puzzle (the coaching group) to be constructed and the transformation will be unbelievable

Pagan and his merry men have given up and have nothing left in the tank.

I expect the board to make the necessary move if not today then tomorrow following the board meeting.
I would put Craig Bradley in charge for the rest of the season, not Brett Ratten. Braddles has no long term coaching ambitions so he has nothing lose.
Ratts on the other hand may not do his coaching aspirations any good at all by taking over this rabble.
In Ratts' best interest it may be wise for him to stay at arms length, at least for now.

I was there and it was demoralising.
Quite a few Carlton supporters around the place.
I took my kids, what sort of father am I?
Never before have I witnessed such an insipid performance from a Carlton side.
Too many players do not respect the jumper they play in.
I have never been one to bag Carlton players at a game, but how on earth did we sign Acland up for 3 years? For a man his size... too soft and not enough ticker.
Unfortunately he is not alone.
Game plan appeared non existant, except to play on at all cost, even if it means passing to a player under the pump.
Little wonder Fev gets frustrated, overall the disposal by hand and foot was appalling.
The only upside is my kids are still Navy Blue.
Regards Pedro.

I think Ackland is on a 2 year deal I've heard some people suggest both so I'm not sure which is correct.

There is wonder why Fev drops his head, he committed some blatant bluders yesterday and put in more p1ss-poor efforts. He's a leader and has to be better than that. He won't be there next year.

Fev needs to decide whether he wants to be remembered as a great ala Lockett/Dunstall, or the club clown like Jacko and Capper. The public quickly forget the clowns .

How Russell gets a game is beyond me. I have never seen such an insipid effort in skill and determination. He must be the first to go if this continues with a new coach.

Second must be Houlihan, He gets a game purely because he's played so many, yet he's only played so many because we've been shitouse for so long.

I'd be shattered if they put in yesterday's effort just to eject the coach.

I coulnt watch after 1/2 time. I switched off the Foxtel and took my 2 little boys out. 10 yo son is fearful of a bagging from the schoolyard heavies both this week and especially next week when we get belted by the Aints. My 6 yo son started telling me why it was OK to tank games and get draft picks....I thought: 'is this what it has come to, barrack for the blues and look forward to draft picks'. I'm in favour of tanking as it is the only way i can see us getting anything positive out of this year, but it is sad that a 6 yo's footy dreams revolve around tanking games.

_________________
"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

I have been bagged this morning by some Fitzroy supporters...oh the humanity!

_________________
They coud'nt.....could they?

I think Ackland is on a 2 year deal I've heard some people suggest both so I'm not sure which is correct.

There is wonder why Fev drops his head, he committed some blatant bluders yesterday and put in more p1ss-poor efforts. He's a leader and has to be better than that. He won't be there next year.

Fev needs to decide whether he wants to be remembered as a great ala Lockett/Dunstall, or the club clown like Jacko and Capper. The public quickly forget the clowns .

How Russell gets a game is beyond me. I have never seen such an insipid effort in skill and determination. He must be the first to go if this continues with a new coach.

Second must be Houlihan, He gets a game purely because he's played so many, yet he's only played so many because we've been shitouse for so long.

I'd be shattered if they put in yesterday's effort just to eject the coach.[/quote]

Agree with most of this, but thought Russell was quite good yesterday. And I've bagged him a bit this year. He's improving. We can't afford to get rid of the kids who've at least played a few games now. Thought JK and Bower were good too. These guys are our immediate future.

Oh, and as I type this, Den Den's been cut.

They say the darkest hour is just before dawn. We had our darkest our yesterday........the dawn of the new CFC is today !!!!

I think you have a new fan frankie.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007 ... 985698.htm

_________________
Click here to follow TalkingCarlton on twitter
TalkingCarlton Posting Rules

Gee I know its the ABC but a bit of attribution would hurt the old Gerard not for me but for THE WEBSITE

Holy shit ! we have got to be stuffed when "The Doyen" turns it up.You say you wont be there on Saturday Frank.Bullshit !!!!!!!!!! you will relent and front as usual Frank.
Nothing shits me more than blokes who wont have a dip.And i reckon half didnt.Too many strained heart muscles for mine.Hearts as big as caraway seeds.

And a real bug bear with me.Our recruiters have a fascination with guys of good character............mate,i want players with SHIT character.I want some mean nasty barsteds.Blokes that have a bit of shit in them.Im sick of these goody,goodies.Time to get a few mongrels back in the joint.

_________________
All my dangerous friends

With some strong leadership that is exactly what we want Mick! Good post. We have been too nice for too long!

_________________
"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

Our recruiters should head straight to Warnnambool and look for any J. Brown...M.Maguire types

_________________
I see you watching me watching you.

You are right there is a difference between not wanting to go and not going -I will be there cause I CANT really stay away - one of our favourite sons to be coaching his first real game and hopefully with the addition of a couple of new or young players
I Have to go in any case Mick after imploring the board to be decisive they have and you have to support them for that
As for the players there are about 20 from last week who have an opportunity to redeem themselves -they can really show us that they appreciate our support and want to be part of good times ahead
They dont have to win just show us they have pride in the jumper -tackle chase make the second effort -shepherd block for your team mate
Thanks for your kind words but yesterday was a terrible day for the club -today a step forward but really it is up to the players in the next 6 weeks to regain our trust which they have breached badly over the last 5 weeks -they seemingly have their wish of getting rid of Denis so the ONUS is fairly and squarely on them

Get over it like we all had to in the 60's
There are still 6 years to go before we break that drought.
We were weak then, too. The difference is that in those days, not many teams kicked 100 points a week so the 'thrashings' were only 5-10 goals.
And we copped plenty but only the girls cried.

_________________
Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

What a difference 6 days make - great effort -competitive chased shepherd smothering - encouragement for your team mate -enthusiasm for the contest - a real Brett Ratten type of day and performance
A pleasure to be at Telstra today -YES I did go with 3 generations of Dardews - not at all disappointed -light at the end of the road
best players were our younger players - roll on 2008
PS Wont have to avoid the papers tomorrow
GO BLUES