Carlton Supporters Club

Same. You can't pass up a once-in-a-generation player when they say they want to come to our club.

The theory re Gibbs as I have read, is that our backline was so bad at kicking that Scotto, Yazz and and Gibbs had to be played there to get any kind of rebound happening. Don't know if it's true.

Personally, I wouldn't give a rats ar5e about the HBFs! I'd put any old blokes like Treacle, Molasses and Corn Syrup in the midfield as long as they could get the stoppage ball out to the likes Judd, Scotland, Murphy, Garlett, Betts, Armfield or Yarran I don't care!

The sad thing is, I think Ratten was the best midfield coach we've had since the Parkin / Briton days. But he never really got the rest of the field sorted as he probably needed it. We won stoppage after stoppage, not just as a result of Judd because we won them without Judd playing. I suppose in hindsight we know there were many issues around Fev, Yarran, O'hAilpin, Cloke, Garlett, Robinson, etc., etc and a bit of club politics as well.

If you compare points F/A in 09 (Fev's last year) and 10,11, you will see that there was a dip in 10 compared to 09, as the coaches tried to figure out a new forward structure. Then in 2011, you see they sorted it out and we had more points for and less against than 09 and 10. A forward line that at various times consisted of the 3 amigos, Waite, Hendo, Setanta, Thornton. Not exactly the stuff of dreams.

Yeah, I get that. What I think is we haven't scored enough from the midfield and we left our better options buried in the traffic. It's worth pondering when you think an extra 1 or 2 goal average per game is equal to 3 or 4 spots higher on the ladder.

I'm too busy looking at poor results, demoralized supporters, poor media performances, dodgy trades, and a few other things besides. His record was very good, but all players and coaches get to a point where their heart's not in it, and where they just can't or won't do what's required. Why is it that in the 12 months he was out of the game, that no other club showed any interest ? Why is it that we were the only ones ? Why is it when we moved him on, once again no other club showed any interest ? Why is it that when he threw his hat in the ring for the Crows job, they ignored him ?

The rest of the AFL world is telling you something, and you ought to pay attention.

This isn't about Malthouse.

I'm saying that no employee of any organisation would enjoy a succession plan forced upon them.

What part of that point is lost on you??

I couldn't care if it was Malthouse or any other afl coach.  It was a daft idea to begin with, and we are yet to see a player turn assistant turn senior coach all in one club and enjoy any decent success.

Even Ratten went to Melbourne before coming to us.

Whether they like it or not is not relevant. I think conceptually a succession plan is a great idea. Otherwise what else is there ? The usual media circus, mounting pressure, loss after loss, then the coach gets sacked. You think that's better ? The fact that Bucks so far has stunk it up does not invalidate the original idea. The idea is good - the choice of replacement, perhaps less so.

Not a forced succession plan.

It worked with roos,  because roos had had enough, and didn't want the job anymore.

As for the selection process,  like a normal job interview you canvass the candidates available and hire accordingly.
Not thrust the chosen one into the hot seat and then oust the previous one.

You know how we selected Bolton.

Given that we were virtually bankrupt at the time we probably didn't have much choice, Judd paid his wages many times over with new sponsors and members.
Not only that, he also set standards and gave the club credibility, but in pure football terms it was a poor trade.

Appointing a club stalwart as coach almost always ends in tears, in recent times it has for Voss, Ratten and Hird and it no doubt will for Buckley, you can count on one hand the times that it's worked over the last 30 years.
When the time comes it's always postponed too long and then when the trigger is pulled it's like shooting Bambi, and divides supporters and members.
It's just not a good idea.