by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
The decision was made aboard the private jet of wealthy club President Dick Pratt. He and other club officials, including Director Stephen Kernahan, were flying home from Brisbane, where Carlton had just been humiliated by the Lions. The final vote to sack Pagan was up to the club Board, but they were acting on the recommendation of other club officials. The performance of the team over the past five weeks, losing those games by a combined total of over 300 points, was discussed aboard the jet and Pagan met with club officials on Monday to receive the bad news.
Pagan, 59, who coached the Kangaroos to two Premierships before joining Carlton in 2003, will get a $600,000 payout. The club will also begin an immediate search for a replacement. Former Lion Michael Voss is already being tipped as a strong candidate for the position of senior coach. Club CEO Greg Swann described Pagan as a "legend of the game" who had been outstanding as coach and who had worked hard to improve the team. Pagan, who achieved just 25 wins out of 104 matches as coach, said he would be interested in another coaching job next season. He did admit that he would be remembered poorly for his record with Carlton.
Pagan joined Carlton after coaching the Kangaroos for 10 seasons. In that time, the Kangaroos made the finals nine times. They won Premierships in 1996 and 1999, the latter coming against Carlton.
The club has appointed former premiership player Brett Ratten to take over as senior coach for the remainder of the year. Ratten, who retired at the end of 2003, served as an assistant coach at Melbourne in 2004. He went on to coach the the VCFL representative team in 2005, then coached Norwood in the Essendon District Football League in 2005. He returned to Carlton last year as an assistant.
Ratten played 255 games for Carlton 1990-2003 and is one of Carlton’s all-time great players. A member of the 1995 Carlton premiership side, he won the Club Best & Fairest Award on three occasions and was Captain 2002-2003.
Ratten has previously declared his desire for a senior coaching position, said it was important over the next six weeks to revive the team spirit. In a media statement, he said win, lose, or draw, it was more about how the team went about it. He also said the next six weeks would be an "audition" to further his case for the senior spot. Ratten intends to take a very close look at the entire list and plans to give all players a chance over the next six weeks.
Ratten, who will also interview for the job at Melbourne, is only one of a number of candidates for the Carlton job. Assistant coach and former Bulldog Tony Liberatore (283 games 1986-2002) has also declared himself as a candidate. Libba, who won the Brownlow in 1990, has been an assistant with Carlton since 2004. Prior to that, he worked as senior coach of VFL club Box Hill. He said he would have liked the chance to coach Carlton but is happy to support Ratten. He believes Carlton's biggest problem is a lack of on-field leadership. Liberatore said he hoped the players would show more endeavor for the rest of the season. He also said it was possible the style of play could change under Ratten and that the young list still had a lot to learn about how to play the game.
Other potential candidates for the senior job are Michael Voss, Neale Daniher, Chris Bond and Guy McKenna.
Fellow assistant coach Barry Mitchell has been brought back into the football department. Ratten's first decision upon taking over was to reinstate Mitchell, who had been snubbed by Pagan. At the end of last season, Pagan's job was under pressure and Mitchell, who coaches Carlton's VFL affiliate Northern Bullants, was urged to apply. An eleventh hour decision by the board saw Pagan retain his job, but Mitchell's application caused a rift between the two coaches. It was so bad, the pair did not speak to each other and Mitchell was even forced to move his offices to the other end of Princes' Park away from Pagan's offices.
While Pagan accused Mitchell of undermining him and wanted Mitchell fired, key Blues personnel, including football director Stephen Kernahan, wanted his former teammate retained as assistant.
Source: Herald Sun & Stephen Wilson, Club Media Release
The decision was made aboard the private jet of wealthy club President Dick Pratt. He and other club officials, including Director Stephen Kernahan, were flying home from Brisbane, where Carlton had just been humiliated by the Lions. The final vote to sack Pagan was up to the club Board, but they were acting on the recommendation of other club officials. The performance of the team over the past five weeks, losing those games by a combined total of over 300 points, was discussed aboard the jet and Pagan met with club officials on Monday to receive the bad news.
Pagan, 59, who coached the Kangaroos to two Premierships before joining Carlton in 2003, will get a $600,000 payout. The club will also begin an immediate search for a replacement. Former Lion Michael Voss is already being tipped as a strong candidate for the position of senior coach. Club CEO Greg Swann described Pagan as a "legend of the game" who had been outstanding as coach and who had worked hard to improve the team. Pagan, who achieved just 25 wins out of 104 matches as coach, said he would be interested in another coaching job next season. He did admit that he would be remembered poorly for his record with Carlton.
Pagan joined Carlton after coaching the Kangaroos for 10 seasons. In that time, the Kangaroos made the finals nine times. They won Premierships in 1996 and 1999, the latter coming against Carlton.
The club has appointed former premiership player Brett Ratten to take over as senior coach for the remainder of the year. Ratten, who retired at the end of 2003, served as an assistant coach at Melbourne in 2004. He went on to coach the the VCFL representative team in 2005, then coached Norwood in the Essendon District Football League in 2005. He returned to Carlton last year as an assistant.
Ratten played 255 games for Carlton 1990-2003 and is one of Carlton’s all-time great players. A member of the 1995 Carlton premiership side, he won the Club Best & Fairest Award on three occasions and was Captain 2002-2003.
Ratten has previously declared his desire for a senior coaching position, said it was important over the next six weeks to revive the team spirit. In a media statement, he said win, lose, or draw, it was more about how the team went about it. He also said the next six weeks would be an "audition" to further his case for the senior spot. Ratten intends to take a very close look at the entire list and plans to give all players a chance over the next six weeks.
Ratten, who will also interview for the job at Melbourne, is only one of a number of candidates for the Carlton job. Assistant coach and former Bulldog Tony Liberatore (283 games 1986-2002) has also declared himself as a candidate. Libba, who won the Brownlow in 1990, has been an assistant with Carlton since 2004. Prior to that, he worked as senior coach of VFL club Box Hill. He said he would have liked the chance to coach Carlton but is happy to support Ratten. He believes Carlton's biggest problem is a lack of on-field leadership. Liberatore said he hoped the players would show more endeavor for the rest of the season. He also said it was possible the style of play could change under Ratten and that the young list still had a lot to learn about how to play the game.
Other potential candidates for the senior job are Michael Voss, Neale Daniher, Chris Bond and Guy McKenna.
Fellow assistant coach Barry Mitchell has been brought back into the football department. Ratten's first decision upon taking over was to reinstate Mitchell, who had been snubbed by Pagan. At the end of last season, Pagan's job was under pressure and Mitchell, who coaches Carlton's VFL affiliate Northern Bullants, was urged to apply. An eleventh hour decision by the board saw Pagan retain his job, but Mitchell's application caused a rift between the two coaches. It was so bad, the pair did not speak to each other and Mitchell was even forced to move his offices to the other end of Princes' Park away from Pagan's offices.
While Pagan accused Mitchell of undermining him and wanted Mitchell fired, key Blues personnel, including football director Stephen Kernahan, wanted his former teammate retained as assistant.
Source: Herald Sun & Stephen Wilson, Club Media Release
Article last changed on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 1:49 AM EDT
