Payback time with Ratten under pressure?!
Blues must lift for Brett Ratten Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
November 26, 2010 CARLTON chief executive Greg Swann says it might take "significant" improvement from the Blues list next year for coach Brett Ratten to keep his job.
The club's board has deciding against extending Ratten's contract past next year, with some members clearly impatient for immediate improvement.
Swann admits the spectre of Mick Malthouse hangs over Ratten, with Paul Roos another high-profile coach consistently linked to the Blues.
But he says he is hopeful Ratten extracts another year of progress from his young side, which would see the former captain's contract extended.
Given a good run with injuries, that might take a top-four finish despite consecutive top-eight finishes in the past two seasons.
Even a lightning start would not see the club's hard-line position budge.
"I have spoken to Ratts about that already. There are eight or nine coaches that come out next year, so it's going to be a bit of a feast, depending on how you start," Swann said.
"But I think our position is pretty clear - we will let the season run whether we are 0-10 or 10-0, and have a look at it at the end of the year."
Asked specifically on 3AW what Ratten had to do to avoid the chop, he set lofty goals.
"We have a whole lot of criteria there ... it's fair to say we have to keep improving and maybe to a significant degree."
Former Pies chief executive Swann knows supporters will connect the dots if the Blues do not start well.
"That speculation is there. I am pretty sure he's going to stay where he is and he signed a contract," he said.
The scene is already set for a rollocking Round 1 encounter with Richmond after Tigers president Gary March yesterday questioned Carlton's financial result.
The Blues this week posted a $2,264,444 operating profit, but their annual financial report shows government and AFL grants worth $2,389,131.
"Interestingly in their financial results they trumpeted a $2.2m profit when actually after stripping out government grants they made an operating loss of $125,000.
"So it will be even sweeter when we smash them Round 1," March said on a blog on Richmond's website.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/blues-must-lift-for-brett-ratten/story-e6frf9jf-1225961119936