Under-fire Malthouse slams Blues board
Under-fire Carlton coach Mick Malthouse has criticised the club’s board and reiterated he will not stand down unless he is sacked.
Malthouse’s celebrated coaching career is expected to come to a brutal end within a fortnight after Carlton announced on Monday it would bring forward a decision on his future.
As recently as two weeks ago, Blues president Mark LoGiudice said the veteran coach was safe until the end of the season, when his contract expires.
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But in a sharp departure from that plan, LoGiudice said Malthouse’s position would be assessed during the club’s bye round in two weeks’ time following games against Sydney and Adelaide.
Malthouse responded on Tuesday, lamenting that the board shifted the goalposts on him suddenly.
“If people can judge me after 30 years, what’s two more weeks mean? That I lose it totally or gain more knowledge about it?” he told SEN.
“There’s not a lot to gain by two weeks is there?
“I don’t really get it – if you don’t know about the person now, what does two weeks show?
“We play Sydney with a depleted side and we play Adelaide with hopefully a couple of blokes coming back but we’re not too sure about that either.”
Malthouse further ridiculed the board, saying the coach is always “the first to go” when the board needs to relieve some pressure.
“Good boards stay sound, boards crack under pressure,” he said.
Malthouse said he knew it would an uphill battle to keep his job after the pair who brought him in – former chief executive Greg Swann and former president Stephen Kernahan – left the club last year.
When asked whether he thought he would be reappointed to the coaching role Malthouse gave a simple “No”.
But he reconfirmed his position that the Blues would have to sack him if they wanted him gone.
“I will not be standing down,” he said.
– AAP