it doesn't seem right for the great man to go out like this.
congratulations kouta, you are one of our all time greats.
thank you for the memories. you will be sorely missed.
would love to see the great man back at the club in some capacity in the future.

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dane's trolling again

Our last Premiership player...... but we still have a Premiership Player coaching us.

Well done Kouta. Had your number on my back since '93.
A true champion in every sense of the word. Don't worry about the injuries, just remember what he did.

A true gentleman if ever there were one, and a true champion footballer.

Kouta goes up to Carlton FC heaven to sit with the other greats of our club.

As someone said earlier, not only a champion player, but a champion person as well.

I will never, ever forget Kouta's last quarter in 99. At his peak in 99 and 2000, there simply wasn't any player int he league who could go with the big bloke. His 12 week run in 2000 will be hard to top as the best consecutive 12 weeks played by any player for any club.

Watching Kouta mature in the public spotlight, especially over the last 4-5 years, has been a pleasure - a fine ambassador for the club.

Good luck Kouta.

Thanks Kouta

Thanks for those marks and goals in the last Q of the 99 Prelim,

Thanks for making a lot of players look pretty silly as you dodged and weaved with the ball in 1 hand,

Thanks for wearing navy Blue, like a few others I'm proud you played for my club and wrapped I chose this weekend to come over with my son who never saw you at your best so we can say farewell and watch us against the filth.

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I'm shocked to be sitting here

Couldn't agree more Dane. Would love to have Kouta back as purely a clearance coach. He was the clearance king IMO. The best extractor of the ball from the middle thats played for a long time. Just watch the '99 Prelim again and listen to Gerard Healy predict Kouta clearing before it happened.

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" Koutoufides has taken the last quarter by the scruff of the neck..." Commentary Drew Morphett Last Qtr '99 Prelim. Pure Gold.

Thanks for the memories Kouta. You are and always will be a True Blue Carlton Legend. #43.

dom, I reckon he'd fail as a clearance coach. Purely because of the fact that physically, he could do things no-one else ever could. Kouta had something you can't teach: freakish physical attributes.

It's the guys who became very very good without seeming to possess anything different to the next player... those are the guys who are probably the best teachers.

Media Conference at 12.30pm today.

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

Had the pleasure of watching the great man turn it on in 2000. Awe inspiring atmosphere when the crowd chanting "KOUTA!!! KOUTA!!! KOUTA!!!!". We all knew we were witnessing something special.

And by all reports a champion person.. my (soon to be) ex-wife told me that when his father was terminally ill and he attended the radiology she worked at he was always humble and polite. And even though it was inappropriate for people to ask him while he was there, he was still politely signing autographs when people asked him too...

Good luck to you!

Would that be Diesel?

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

Ohh... and thank you for all the great highlights and memories over the years!!! I knew you were special when I saw you first pick up a ball one handed on the run...

or Ratts

Don't agree guys sorry. It wasn't just his physical attributes. It was more his keen sense of where to be... what space to run into. It's called judgement. Knowing where the ball is going to be. Reading the play off the hands of ruckmen.

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" Koutoufides has taken the last quarter by the scruff of the neck..." Commentary Drew Morphett Last Qtr '99 Prelim. Pure Gold.

Thanks for the memories Kouta. You are and always will be a True Blue Carlton Legend. #43.

Congratulations on being a great and good luck for the future bigfella!
Should have won an extra bnf.


Kouta will always stand in the panthon of Carlton greats!

Times are a -changing!

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Nice sentiment Synbad

Farewell Kouta

A true ornament to the game – on field at your peak no-one could touch you and off field you were always a gentleman as well as being king of the kids. Thanks for the glorious memories.

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

Champion of the Club and a great fellow as well.

I fondly recall a game against North at Optus in, maybe, 2000? I believe he kicked around 4 goals, got about 30+ touches and had the priviledge of having Carey moved on to him, such was his dominance.

I will sorely miss the versatility, strength, skill and courage of the big 43.

5 goals BC - that tape is just about worn out.

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

Ratts said he was going to look for ways to promote another rookie.
Now he has one.
I can't better anything I have read before this post so I won't try.
The thing that amazed me for many years was the way the crowd called his name every time he got the ball. It sounded like they were booing!
Kouta Kouta Kouta all out of sync.

He was like Connor Macleod of the clan Macleod.

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

Thanks, was wondering when the official announcement would be.




Pagan declared that Kouta was unstoppable that day. Fortunately Kouta lasted longer at Carlton in 2007 than Denis did ... just!

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Kouta is the greatest player I have ever seen play the game.

Voss, Hird, Buckley, Ricutto, Judd, Cousins, all the modern day "greats", all pale in comparison to Kouta.

Kouta is his prime would beat any of those players (and anyone else you care to name) hands down.

Kouta could take hold of a game, and impose his will upon it like no other.

No-one could stop him.

Goodbye Kouta.

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I AM DISENFRANCHISED

A very sad day.

Although there has been some awesome on-field Kouta moments mentioned, my enduring memory will perhaps be the image of him holding up the ball from Big Nick after the last Princes Park game. Never been so fired up and emotional after loss than that moment!

All the talk's been about Hird and Buckley finishing - Kouta HAS to be right up there with them when the tributes are handed out (actually above imo). Absolute champion.

No longer will we see him pick up and carry the ball like a loaf of bread!

Make sure you all get to the game early on Saturday for one final huge chant of 'Kouta, Kouta, Kouta'. Let's rock the roof in front of the Maggots fans.

Good luck champ.

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Long live the Mighty Blues.