Embattled Carlton coach Mick Malthouse has moved to defuse any conflict with the club administration, saying that he backs the club's and chief executive Steven Trigg's rebuilding plans.
Malthouse, who had said on Thursday that players had suffered and lost confidence as a result of the club's declaration it was rebuilding, said he was ''totally in line'' with the club's plans and had no issue with Trigg, who went on radio and expressed disappointment and surprise over Malthouse's previous comments.
Malthouse, speaking after Carlton's 77-point thrashing by Geelong, said he had met Trigg on Friday to clarify the remarks. Trigg, however, said on television that the pair had not met on Friday.
''I have a meeting with Steven every match day,'' said Malthouse, who when asked if they had clarified his remarks, said: ''And we have, there's nothing new come out of this."
Malthouse said he was ''absolutely, totally on the same page'' with the club on the rebuilding strategy, that Trigg was the right person to lead the Blues and that there was ''no fight'' between him and Trigg or him and the club board.
But Malthouse would not say whether he wanted the job beyond this year, when his contract expires. ''That's for me and the board.''
He was at pains to say that he was on the same page as the administration and especially Trigg, who made similar comments to both 3AW and Triple M expressing surprise or disappointment in Malthouse's comments about the impact of a public rebuild on the players. Trigg also said that there could a tipping point for Malthouse to finish in the course of the season.
''I am totally in line with it,'' Malthouse said of the club's plans. ''I know exactly where we are. I made the comment inadvertently when it becomes public, in the public forum, the impact on the players. So that hasn't changed. I'm in total alignment with the football club, in particular Steven (Trigg), I totally understand where he's coming from, totally understand that he is the right person to lead the club in a manner that he wants to lead us.
''And let me say this also, not only in total agreement, I am fully behind him because that's where the club's got to go.... but I also know that when those words are mentioned and it's mentioned to the media and it's mentioned to the supporters...but also the player group get hold of it. And that's probably not the word they need, but nontheless it is the truth, it is absolutely the truth, it is exactly what I think needs to happen.''
But Malthouse said the players had felt the impact of the club communicating that it was in a rebuild. ''I mean, you know, this statement has been out for six or seven weeks, it's not new and I totally agree with it. But I'm saying the player group themselves have felt the pinch and it's not by an ill-defined thing by the footbal club to come and pound the player group.
''It's simply that's the reality is that when it's out in the public forum — and it needed to be out there — because you know the club can't, it's got to have a direction, and I'm totally sold on people who are not mucking around and giving different sort of messages. It's one message and we know exactly what we're going....we know what we have to do. That's why (list manager) Stephen Silvagni has come on board.'
''Let me just assure you of this – there's no fight between me and Steven (Trigg), there's no fight between me and the board. It's just that the end result is the player group haven't responded to it.''
Malthouse said he would not quit the job, in the wake of the latest heavy loss. ''I've had no reassurance outside the fact that (club president) Mark (Loguidice) said it on several occasions to you blokes. If that's not the case, that's not the case. I'm philosophical about it, the simple fact is I'll go till — and I know I've said this story before — it's not in my DNA.''
Malthouse said coaches should honour contracts. ''The three-year contract ends in October. If the club are going reappoint me, that's fantastic. If they don't, I understand. I signed a three-year contract.''
Malthouse said Trigg had not communicated disappointment in the coach's Thursday comments. ''That's not the message he said. He didn't say it to me.''
He said perhaps he should have spoken more about ''the list and its injuries'', with Lachie Henderson and Michael Jamison unavailable. Malthouse said had played the ''great hearted'' Chris Judd ''one day too long'' given that the team had two ''six-day turnarounds'' on a hard ground. The coach said Judd might not play next week.
The Blues laid only 35 tackles, prompting Malthouse to acknowledge, ''tackling has been terrible'' though he also praised Simon White for his game on Tom Hawkins, and Ed Curnow for his tagging effort on Joel Selwood.
In explaining why he would not quit, Malthouse spoke about a conversation with his father who had ''a fist-sized tumour in his lung'' when they spoke. ''Two days later he was dead. But he fought hard....it's not (in) my DNA to give up.''
Malthouse suggested he would not push hard for a contract. ''I've never crawled and never knocked on doors for a contract, okay. They're either given to you or they're not. I'll be the first to say if I'm not ready and I'll be the first to say 'no I haven't the energy', I would never embarrass myself nor the football club and particularly my family and players.''
