Worsfold not keen on coaching return
John Worsfold has all but ruled himself out of the running for Carlton’s senior coaching position, declaring that he hadn’t given the position any thought and was unlikely to do so.
Bookmakers throughout the country installed Worsfold as an outright favourite to succeed Mick Malthouse, who was sacked by the Blues yesterday after weeks of angst between coach and club being aired publicly.
But Worsfold said he was “miles off” coaching again.
He finished a 12-year stint at the helm of West Coast at the end of 2013.
Caretaker coach John Barker will coach the Blues for the first time against Sydney at the SCG on Friday night. His elevation came after Carlton president Mark LoGiudice said the relationship between the club and Malthouse had deteriorated and forced the Blues to bring forward a decision on his future.
It came after an explosive interview on Melbourne radio yesterday when Malthouse said he expected to be sacked during the bye in round 11.
He made an astounding claim against Carlton chief executive Steven Trigg that the former Adelaide boss had signed Eddie Betts 18 months before Betts made the move to the Crows.
Trigg gave a detailed denial of the allegation.
“Mick’s obvious public misalignment with the football club has resulted in a loss of trust between the club and coach,” LoGiudice said.
“The board considered the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that not making a change now would only exacerbate our current position.”
In the SEN interview, Malt-house had effectively dared the club to sack him.
“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 said.
“I don’t really get it. If you don’t know about the person now, what does two weeks show?
“Boards crack under pressure, and the first thing that goes is the coach because it relieves a bit of the pressure.
“They beat their chest because they’ve made a decision, and they move on.”
Malthouse insisted he still had the backing of his players, some of whom he said felt alienated by the Blues’ hierachy following comments earlier in the year.
Malthouse is understood to have received a full payout.
He was later conciliatory, issuing a statement thanking Carlton and declaring the sacking “concluded” his coaching journey. “I bear no grudges and I have no regrets,” he said.
“I have achieved some amazing football highs with some wonderful people and endured tough times with great support.”
Worsfold poured cold water on succeeding Malthouse.
“There is a possibility that I might want to coach again one day, but that is miles off being next year,” Worsfold said.
“There is no way that I am ready to consider stepping into those shoes whether it be in the next month or whether it be in September.
“If I am not seriously thinking about whether I am ready for it now, then I am definitely not.
“If I was keen I would have to be itching to get into it now and looking for opportunities and I am not doing that.”
Worsfold paid tribute to Malthouse, his premiership coach in 1992 and 1994.
“To win two and coach three grand finals from over here is a pretty good effort,” he said.
“It stacks up with teams like Geelong who won three over a five-year period in the State they live in.
“If you rate how tough it is from over here I think it is an outstanding effort.”
LoGiudice declared earlier in the year that Malthouse would coach out the season, the final 12 months of a three-year deal.
“I’m disappointed that last night we were aligned and this morning we were not,” LoGiudice said yesterday.
“We’re very disappointed but life puts up challenges. It would have been great to have Mick coach out the year, but at the end of the day everyone chooses to live life the way they want.”
