Focus on the Task at Hand
Carlton coach Michael Voss has made it clear that he is not letting the intense scrutiny surrounding his embattled AFL club affect his focus. He insists that key stakeholders within the club are still aligned, despite the challenges the team has faced this season.
The Blues (1-3) have had a difficult start to the year, with several costly second-half meltdowns. This has placed them under significant pressure, especially as they prepare for their opening game in the annual Gather Round against the home side Adelaide on Thursday night.
Voss remains focused on helping the team move out of its current slump, even as speculation about his future continues. The football boss of Carlton, Chris Davies, recently confirmed that there would be no decision made about Voss’s position before the match against the Crows.
However, former Melbourne great and commentator Garry Lyon has suggested that Carlton and Voss may be heading towards an inevitable parting of ways. Despite this, Voss, who was backed by the club last August to see out the final year of his contract in 2026, continues to concentrate on improving the team’s performance.
“I don’t pay any attention to it,” Voss said when asked about the external noise surrounding the club. “At some point in time you’ve just got to get on with the task at hand, and that’s what we’re doing. I’m not distracted off anything other than just getting the best out of the team and supporting them as best we possibly can to make the progress we need.”
Dealing with the Pressure
Carlton has struggled significantly in the second half of games this season, winning just one of eight quarters after halftime. The team has also failed to hold onto leads in their past two defeats against Melbourne and North Melbourne.
“We’re not winning, so obviously you expect some level of scrutiny,” Voss acknowledged. “You appreciate that’s what’s going to happen every single week when you come off a game you should win and you don’t end up finishing the job. But also what you have to do is continually look at what’s real and what’s not real.”
Despite the poor start to the season, Voss feels there is no disconnect with the club or the increasingly frustrated supporter base. “No, I don’t. Where we’re aligned on is we’re not happy with where we’re at,” he said. “I think we can agree on that.”
Preparing for the Challenge Against Adelaide
Carlton will be without vice-captain and defensive stalwart Jacob Weitering due to a concussion for the tough test against Adelaide. The Crows, who also have a 1-3 record, are under pressure as well.
“Adelaide are a team that do bring an enormous amount of pressure, and we’ve got to make sure that we can absorb that,” Voss said. “We’ve also got to make sure that we can go from inside out really fast because they’re a team that can do that. And clearly they’ve got some scoring threats, so our defence is going to have to be right on.”
