Melbourne captain Max Gawn has described Michael Voss's decision to step down as Carlton coach as "premature," expressing concern for Blues skipper Patrick Cripps amid the looming fallout. Voss resigned following Friday night's loss to the Brisbane Lions, leaving Carlton with a 1-8 record and effectively out of finals contention.
Gawn's Perspective on Voss's Exit
Drawing from his own experience after Melbourne sacked Simon Goodwin in August last year, Gawn empathised with Cripps's situation. "I feel like it's premature — 15 weeks for an interim coach is a long time," Gawn told Triple M Melbourne's Mick in the Morning. "I'd be worried if I was a captain with an interim coach for 15 weeks. It's a big job for 'Crippa'. He's had a mountain of work over the last five, six years, and he's got another big one now to keep everything going."
Fagan's Tribute to Voss
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan paid tribute to Voss, who captained the club to three premierships. "Personally, I find him a fantastic bloke," Fagan said. "He's obviously a legend of our football club. If you talk about Brisbane Lions, there's two names that are the legends of the Brisbane Lions in my eyes, and that's Leigh Matthews and Michael Voss, for all that they did back in the 2000s. I wanted him to do well with his coaching and I always get disappointed when I see coaches lose their job. I just wish him all the best and hope he's not lost to footy. He's always welcome at our club."
Rapid Decline for the Blues
The 50-year-old's resignation marks a rapid fall from grace. Voss took the job ahead of the 2022 season and powered the team to a preliminary final in 2023. The 2024 season also looked promising, with the Blues sitting second on the ladder as late as Round 19. However, they managed only one win in their last six games, slumping to eighth before being eliminated from the finals by eventual premiers Brisbane.
Cripps and Florent React
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps confirmed he learned the news directly from Voss on Monday night. "He's been a great mentor and a great coach to me," Cripps said upon arriving at Ikon Park on Tuesday morning. "He just let me know before everyone else found out; our relationship's really strong. That's all I can really say now."
Ollie Florent, who was recruited to the club by Voss, said he was "flat." "I was hoping we could get it done for him. He's such a great coach, I just wish him nothing but the best," Florent said. "He welcomed me so nicely into this club. It's a shame but I just wish him all the best. We had to keep playing for him; he's Michael Voss — he's led by example. I've never had this many cameras in my face before; it's really sad to see him go. I had no idea." Asked to send a message to Blues fans, Florent said: "Stick with us, it'll turn."
Josh Fraser will step into the interim role in the first year of his second stint at the club.
