Carlton Supporters Club

It's not about pretty or ugly. It's about being in control of proceedings. We won't be winning anything of note giving up big margins and trying to scramble playing desperado football in the dying minutes / seconds.

The good teams play tough accountable football, structured and in control. Think of any team that has won the flag this century. The Malthouse teams, the Clarkson teams, WC last year. That's what Bolton was aiming for IMO.

This isn't a weekend pottery course for depressed middle aged women of means. All this talk of freedom and players being able to express themselves - can you imagine Malthouse or Clarkson saying something like that ?

The last 3 flags have been won by coaches who seem far more measured and inclusive in their responses than Malthouse or Clarkson.  I think the days of the wall-punching, finger-pointing 'angry ant' type of coach are over.  The Millennials who are pulling on AFL jumpers now won't put up with that sort of crap.

The Malthouse approach was cooked by the time he got to us, and even Clarkson's reign was underpinned by the Dawks ability to recruit ready-made stars on an annual basis.  His Hawks are not looking so accountable and structured now.

I think we might not be talking about the same thing. I'm not talking about tearing strips off players. I'm talking about getting the right balance between order and chaos, between a controlled, structured and method driven style of play, and fast / instinctive styles. I'm saying the former is what tends to get you the prize. Watch Rhys Shaw's presser from this weekend - says it loud and clear "I'm a defensive first coach."

I haven't seen Clarkson punch a wall (at least on TV) since 2012. And Malthouse was in a GF 12 months before he came to us, after a sensational H/A season where the Pies had the best % of any team since 2000, including now.

But let's face it, the game was mostly devoid of skill, and system or method seemed to disappear in large parts. This "hack it forward at all costs" idea, which seemed to increase as the game wore on, is not a platform for future success. We won't be troubling too many teams with that.

Our next step will be to start burying some sides, I hope its next week.  These nail biting finishes need some relief. Eradicating the slow start would go a long way allievating that.

Having said that I can't understand the sour grapes because, at the end of the day, Teague has two from three and that's what matters. Teague is beginning to prove how bad a match day coach BB was and its becomming clear that he wouldn't take advice. Surely Teague would've been asking him to make the type of match day changes that are proving so successful now.

But let's face it, the game was mostly devoid of skill, and system or method seemed to disappear in large parts. This "hack it forward at all costs" idea, which seemed to increase as the game wore on, is not a platform for future success. We won't be troubling too many teams with that.

None of these type of moves was a hallmark of the Bolton era.

Clarkson has been punching things since 1987.   And no way are Hawthorn top 4 - they have almost no forward line.

Order vs Chaos boils down to a variety of factors, probably the most important one of which is experience - an element in which we are severely lacking and no coach can teach. Unfortunately, there is only one way to get experience, and that is to get experience.  In two years' time, we will have the advantage of a group of early 20s with 50-100 games under their belt and I think structure will be far more apparent then.  Clarkson 2013-15 and Malthouse 2010-11 had the advantage of very experienced teams, which almost by definition brings with it an atmosphere of control and structure.

Once Malthouse came to CFC, his style was found wanting (and several of our players started looking for the door).  And Clarkson is now finding out the same thing.  There is not a coach on the planet who is going to make our list look like a seasoned bunch of professionals overnight.  It will take time.