A Major Name Steps Back from Carlton’s Coaching Race
Adam Simpson, a former West Coast Eagles premiership-winning coach, has officially ruled himself out of the running to become the next head coach of the Carlton Football Club. This decision came after he was approached by the Blues in the wake of Michael Voss stepping down as their coach earlier this month.
Simpson had been one of several high-profile names considered for the role, alongside John Longmire, Simon Goodwin, Nathan Buckley, and Paul Roos. However, on Wednesday night, he made it clear that he would not be pursuing any coaching position with the club.
Speaking on AFL 360, Simpson emphasized that his decision was a “polite decline” based on his current situation. He had been working as a part-time coaching consultant at the Blues, which he said made it difficult to consider taking on a full-time role. “I’m not going to put my hand up for any type of role with Carlton, from a coaching point of view,” he stated.
He added that the conversation with the club was brief and that he felt it wasn’t the right time to step into a coaching position. “It doesn’t feel right when you’re working at the club and mentoring someone. To come in and try and… yeah, that’s not quite right for me.”
Longmire Remains a Potential Candidate
Despite Simpson’s withdrawal, John Longmire remains a strong contender for the job. The former Sydney coach won the 2012 premiership and has been involved in multiple grand finals throughout his career. However, Longmire has not yet confirmed whether he is interested in the role.
“I’m not in the position at the moment in my own head to ascertain whether it’s a yes or no,” Longmire said last week. “These things tend to become clear over a period of time. I’m happy to let that time play out.”
He acknowledged the interest in the position but said it was not a simple matter of saying yes or no. “I understand the questioning and I understand there’s a bit of interest in it. But I really don’t think it’s appropriate for me to say that if I don’t feel I’m ready to answer that.”
Interim Coach Also Steps Back
In addition to Simpson’s withdrawal, Josh Fraser, the current interim coach of the Blues, has also decided not to pursue the full-time position. He cited his lack of readiness for such a significant role.
Other potential candidates have also made statements about their availability. Corey Enright, an assistant at St Kilda, has said he is focusing on the Saints for now, while James Rahilly, who works with Geelong, has indicated he would be open to discussing the opportunity with Carlton if they reached out.
Meanwhile, Collingwood coach Craig McRae has expressed confidence in his assistant Hayden Skipworth, stating that he believes Skipworth is ready for a head coaching role. Luke Beveridge, the coach of the Bulldogs, has also put forward several names, including Daniel Giansiracusa (Hawthorn), Ash Hansen (Carlton), Brendon Lade, and Daniel Pratt (both Bulldogs), all of whom he considers capable of stepping up.
