Carlton have sacked CEO Cain Liddle as the club’s end of season review takes another big scalp.
Liddle’s axing follows a disastrous season for the Blues, with the club boss joining head coach David Teague in unemployment.
Carlton sent out a statement this afternoon confirming the news, describing it as a mutual parting of ways after Liddle had asked for some clarity over his future.
“The board convened last night to discuss Liddle’s request and position, identifying that the disparity between off-field and on-field performance has grown significantly, without enough done to bridge that gap over a long-term period,” the statement said.
Despite the board’s fiundings about Liddle’s performance, club president Luke Sayers praised his contribution in the statement.
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“Under Cain’s leadership the club has cleared historical debt, significantly grown membership and commercial revenues, as well as introduced new non-traditional revenues, which now leaves the club in the strongest financial position we have been in for many years,” Sayers said.
“Our players, coaches, staff, members and supporters can be incredibly grateful for the role Cain has played in placing the Carlton Football Club in the off-field position of strength we now find ourselves in.”
Sayers added that the board would be looking for the next CEO to have a stronger focus on the performance of the football team, given the business side of the club is now in a strong position.
“As I mentioned last week, we are entering a reset phase for our football club, and while we have built a strong platform in a business sense, the ability to ensure our on-field position matches our off-field one is an area that must be addressed,” Sayers said.
“That will be the focus for our football club as we look to appoint a new CEO – someone who can drive a sustainable level of high performance across every department of the football club.
“Whilst the performance of the entire club has been under review, the board has now completed all personnel changes.”
While Sayers assured that the bloodletting was over, there is still a huge job ahead of the board to find the right candidates to fill the head coaching role vacated when Teague was axed as well as a new CEO.
The coach search has been widely criticised after leading candidates Alastair Clarkson and Ross Lyon both withdrew from the race.
Ex-Kangaroos coach Brad Scott is now considered the frontrunner, with leading AFL journalist Caroline Wilson telling Nine’s Footy Classified the twin brother of Geelong coach Chris Scott was weighing up whether to apply for the Blues job or take up a role as the AFL’s Football Operations boss.
“What is clear now is that Brad Scott holds the key to the Carlton coaching position, in my view,” Wilson said on Wednesday night.
“Brad Scott has not been interviewed formally, but I understand [he] is strongly considering throwing his hat into the ring.
“As we sit here tonight, my belief is that Brad Scott is weighing up whether to hold on and throw his hat completely into the AFL ring for the football operations job to replace Steve Hocking.
“I don’t think [the AFL] has encouraged Brad to go for the Carlton job, not by any means, because they’re interested in Brad Scott, but I don’t think Gillon McLachlan would be not understanding if Brad were to do that.”
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