New hat for Ratts?
01 June 2006 Herald Sun
Jon Pierik
COULD Ratts be returning to the lurching ship?

Brett Ratten, a three-time Carlton best-and-fairest winner and 1995 premiership hero, was an interested onlooker at Blues training at Princes Park yesterday.

Ratten also spent time watching Essendon* and Richmond train as preparation for a hopeful return to the AFL next year.

It's understood the former hard nut midfielder is again keen to be an assistant coach, having spent a year with Melbourne in 2004.

He left the Demons to learn more about being the man in charge and this season is coaching second division side Norwood in the Eastern Football League.

The Blues had approached Ratten about an assistant's role when he left Melbourne but were knocked back.

The club has not spoken to Ratten about a possible return, but it's understood he would have no problem working with coach Denis Pagan, who is contracted until the end of 2008.

There were rumours of a rift between Pagan and Ratten in July 2003 when Ratten, then captain and after 255 games, was forced into retirement by shoulder problems. Both men strongly denied the claims.

Pagan may have to seek new assistants next year if the Blues, as expected, finish on the bottom.

Barry Mitchell, Tony Liberatore, Terry Daniher and Tony Elshaug are Pagan's right-hand men.

As the Blues (2-7) prepare for Sunday's clash against Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome, Pagan brushed off suggestions some players were fighting for their future at the struggling club.

"We haven't even thought about that at this stage," Pagan said.

He said a decision on whether skipper Anthony Koutoufides continued next season would not be made until after the season.

Koutoufides flagged earlier this week this could be his last year.

"We are going to support Kouta no matter what happens," Pagan said.

"We would have loved for him to go out when the side was playing finals football but that's not to be. We just hope that he finishes off the year in good style and then he can sit down and have a talk to the club and the powers that be about his destiny."

Young defender Andrew Carrazzo has accepted a one-week suspension for striking in the VFL last weekend.

Meanwhile, Pagan says he hasn't given any thought to drafting former Demon and Magpie Shane Woewodin, who is keen to return to the AFL.

"All we worry about is improving our young guys, encouraging our senior players to give direction," Pagan said.

And while Essendon* coach Kevin Sheedy agrees Woewodin should still be in league ranks, he has shied away from tossing him a lifeline.

"In the end, it's just one of those sad situations where he should be playing in a league club right now," Sheedy said.

"I would think at the moment, we probably may not (draft Woewodin) because we picked up Scott Camporeale and Chris Heffernan. I was really happy with those selections to help (Jason) Winderlich and (Ricky) Dyson and (Brent) Stanton and, say, (Courtenay) Dempsey and these kids.

"We just needed a bit of experience which we went and got last year with Camporeale and Heffernan and in the end we'll keep moving with the kids we've got."

Woewodin, who turns 30 in July, has averaged more than 30 possessions for East Fremantle in the WAFL this season and the 2000 Brownlow medallist emphasised that talent with 37 disposals for Western Australia against South Australia in Adelaide last week.

with Bruce Matthews

7
This would be great!
Can prtobably give him his jumper back too!

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

The problem is that Pagan cannot get by without Tony Elshaugh, I wonder if this means that Pagan may be going also

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Blueboy forever

No. 7 for 2007

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Tony Elshaugh is a trainer and runs the boys through there paces.

Could it be the SOS and Ratts grand plan for a take over. Denis goes Ratts the successor and SOS slots in at some stage to see the Blue Baggers win there next flag.

Oh la la

that part is very concerning...why not just come out and say that we are focusing on a development path with our younger players.
If we sign him up I'll never go to carlton game again.

We've had plenty of chances to sign him up (as have 15 other clubs) and haven't...

GAAAAAWWWWWNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

isn't that what he said, he has not thought about it meaning he aint going to......

The Woewodin came from a interview on SEN that Herald Sun jumped on and claimed as there own story

He was sitting off to the side, taking notes, then about half way through went through the Social Club, shook hands with a Director, and with Ian Coutts. It seemed as though they hadn't seen each other for a while, so I dont think he's spent too muych time at OO.

Wouldn't it be great to have Ratten as an assistant / midfield coach? Our blocking / teaming around the ball is a real achilles heel, and this is something that Rats was exceptional at.

Imagine if the season peters out.... Pagan keeps his job and drafts Woewodin...

LYNCH MOB!

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Love Cricket? Love me

A catagorical "NO" please Denis....just so I can sleep a wee bit easier.

Ratts as part of a new coaching department? I'd be happy with that.

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There's so much I could say...

We've had plenty of chances to sign him up (as have 15 other clubs) and haven't...

GAAAAAWWWWWNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!![/quote]

GWS,

know what you are saying but we are talking about Carlton and Pagan here!!!!
Surely it couldn't happen

The board , i dont think has faith in Mitchell to do the job.. he isnt 'big name enough'... theyre ultimate was for SOS to take over after Denis.. but this has kind of snuck up on them... i agree it looks like they will turn to Ratten and SOS...

From what i understand it wont be Mitchell.

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Ratten would be a fantastic get. The players at Melbourne couldn't speak highly enough of him for his short time at the dees. All say he had a major impact on their development and really got them up and about, more specifically the midfielders. Even though they were bound to have a good year in 2004 (being an even number!) Ratts was a great presence and influence.

Just what a bunch of young, budding midfielders need to have around - a tough, talented, Carlton premiership great to mentor their progress. You know it makes sense, i'm marciblue...

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C'mon Blueboys!

I've got to say I loved SOS as a player, but he doesn't sttrike me as the coaching type. He seems to speak in cliches, and his TV comments indicate he's not great at thinking on his feet or articulating any particularly insightful ideas.

I like Ratts, but the main query with him is that he seems a little unreliable. He was at Melbourne a year, then left tho they rated him highly. Then I think he went to SA to be a senior caoch, something he wanted to do now because of the age of his kids, at least that's the reason he gave Melbourne publicly, now he is back coaching second grade EFL. I don't know why he didn't stay at Melb for the three years, he would be in a much stronger position now given that virtually every caoch employed in the last 20 years has come via assistant role at AFL.

Be interesting to see which way Denis jumps if his assistants are sacked and he's told who he is to take on. From comments Smorgon has made it appears that the Board have already taken some autonomy away. He looks like a defeated man to me. Anyway the Board will have to do something if we continue on as we've gone, and changing assistants is the easiest and cheapest way to go, but it may mean we have a lame duck coach.

I think DP is yesterdays man, but you need to back the coach all the way or change him, seems the board - tied into a contract they wanted - are likely to have a bob each way.

I say why wait until next year? But I am unrealistic.
Lets not talk about Silvagni as being a possible future coach, he wouldn't have a clue. Stick with Ratts please.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Hang on a minute, is the bloke writing this story the same Jon Pierik that gets bagged mercilessly on here for every other story he's ever filed on Carlton for the little paper?

Yep the same one. One spin story and there's no questions asked about the veracity of the report?

Every other word Pierik has written has been lambasted, so I'm glad to hear he's come good with this scoop.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

The performance of THE CLUB on & off the ground is the responsibility of the board.
IF the board determines Pagan is not getting the results they expect they must show him the door whether it be by sacking him or "forcing" him to resign by making things very difficult for him.
The club is always bigger than the individual.

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There's so much I could say...

Did John Picknick actually go up to Ratts and ask a question? Or did he scribble his notes from a distance?

Whatever the case doubt whether Ratts can improve the performance of his protege - Justin Davies.