Former Carlton captain Sam Docherty has urged the AFL club to hold the line with Michael Voss amid intense scrutiny on the beleaguered coach.
Voss has come under increasing pressure following the latest in a series of second-half meltdowns by the Blues, who surrendered a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in their stunning loss to North Melbourne on Friday.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Michael Voss avoids question about future
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A poor 1-3 start to the season — ahead of a huge clash with Adelaide to open Gather Round on Thursday night — comes after Carlton backed Voss last August to fulfil the final year of his contract in 2026.
“I just don’t think you can make a move on a coach at this time of the year. I think it would be a really poor decision,” Docherty said on 3AW radio.
“They didn’t back him in fully and give him an extension, but they backed him in to see out this year of footy.
Carlton are being urged to hold the line with Voss and not do anything rash. Credit: Seven
“After changing most of the assistant coaches and a new GM of footy, a bunch of list changes, we’re four games into a season and I think it would be a really hasty call to do that.
“I think you’ve got to let it ride out and see what happens over the next little period and then make the decisions there.”
Docherty, who called time on his 184-game career last year, spent a dozen seasons at Carlton and was on the list when senior coaches Mick Malthouse, Brendon Bolton and David Teague were sacked.
He said the Malthouse experience – the coaching legend was sacked eight games into the 2015 season – should serve as a warning about axing a coach so early in the year.
“The sugar hit of a caretaker coach has a life-span but I remember by about Round 14 or 15 that year, that year was absolutely hell,” Docherty said.
“The direction of the club, where you’re going, what you’re doing was really tough.
Mick Malthouse feels the strain during a match before his sacking. Credit: Getty ImagesFormer star Dale Thomas was hounded by media on the day Malthouse was sacked. Credit: Getty Images
“So I think the Blues’ hierarchy, whether they listen to me or not, probably not, but I think it would be silly to be making moves this early in the year.
“You’ve got to ride it out and there’s going to be a lot of pressure on the club, and everyone knows that.”
Meanwhile, Blues football boss Chris Davies said the club would resist any calls to sack Voss in the coming days before next week’s Gather Round.
“Yeah, I can, I absolutely (guarantee it),” Davies said on 3AW radio.
“We are 1-3 and if we are taking any positives from those three losses, it’s that we have been in positions to win those games.
“But we are bitterly disappointed that we have been unable to get the job done, certainly in the last couple of weeks.”
Davies, lured from Port Adelaide over the off-season, said his role was to support Voss and defended 2018 premiership coach Adam Simpson’s position at Carlton as a part-time leadership mentor.
“Adam’s history in the game, his experience has been invaluable to Michael so far and these are the times when you want to provide absolute support to your senior coach,” Davies said.
“And having a person who has seen the ups and downs of a coaching career, I know that Michael is enjoying the mentoring and the feedback he is getting from Adam.”
Voss, now in his fifth season at Carlton, acknowledged after the 14.12 (96) to 13.8 (86) defeat to North Melbourne pressure would continue to build.
But the 50-year-old wasn’t interested in questions about his coaching future.
“I’m sure people will have that conversation and they can go for it,” he said.
Carlton defender Nic Newman said Voss remains an “incredible leader” for the club.
“He fronts up like good leaders do,” Newman said on 3AW radio.
“He was pretty calm and measured about the (North Melbourne) game and felt like we played some good footy in the third (quarter).
“There were just some moments late and it wasn’t the same issues as last week, but it was more around some moments that we didn’t own. We’ll go to work on that.”
The Blues will be without vice-captain Jacob Weitering against Adelaide after the key defender was concussed in the loss to North Melbourne.
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