Michael Voss has vowed not to shy away from expectation and is determined to prove his doubters wrong in his second stint as an AFL senior coach after being appointed by Carlton.
The Blues announced the selection of Voss on Thursday, having sacked David Teague last month after an external review of their football department.
The 46-year-old Voss has signed a three-year deal and takes the reins after Alastair Clarkson and Ross Lyon both turned down approaches from Carlton.
Blues president Luke Sayers immediately put the heat on Voss, reiterating his desire for the former power club to return to the finals in 2022 after missing out the past eight seasons.
“It’s largely important not to cap where we want to be,” Voss said.
“There’s some good talent here and that’s one of the real exciting parts of being able to coach this football team.
“I won’t step away from embracing expectations.
“We’ve got a rich history and have had some great success as a football club and we’ll embrace those expectations.
“But hopefully we can also shift the narrative a little to how we can actually play for an even greater purpose, which becomes even bigger than the result itself.”
A triple-premiership captain of Leigh Matthews’ dominant Brisbane Lions side, Voss then coached them in 109 games between 2009 and 2013 – for 43 wins and a draw – before he was sacked.
He spent 2014 as the expert coach on television show ‘The Recruit’ before returning to club-land as an assistant coach with Port Adelaide.
Voss led the Power’s midfield for four years and stepped up as Ken Hinkley’s senior assistant, playing a key role in helping them reach successive preliminary finals in the past two seasons.
Critics have claimed Voss had his senior coaching chance at Brisbane – where he made his coaching debut at just 33 years of age – but the former tough midfielder is eager to silence them.
“There’s an element of that within me and I am essentially a competitor,” Voss said.
“Ratifying that as a player is one thing because it’s very easy to make a difference by the way that you play, but you do that very differently as a coach.
“For me as a competitor you’re always trying to get the best version of yourself and we’re not here to just be part of a group – we’re here to be the best.
“That’s what as competitors we’ll try to strive for.”
Carlton previously sought out Voss at the end of 2007 to replace Denis Pagan but he opted not to interview for the role.
The childhood Blues fan, who idolised club greats Ken Hunter and Wayne Johnston, interviewed after Brendon Bolton was axed in 2019 only for Teague to be appointed after a successful caretaker stint.
Richmond assistant Adam Kingsley also presented to Carlton this week but narrowly missed out on the role, having previously missed out to Craig McRae for the Collingwood job.
Fellow Tigers assistant Andrew McQualter and Essendon’s Daniel Giansiracusa were also in the running at Carlton before the appointment of Voss.
MICHAEL VOSS
Age: 46
Coaching career: Brisbane Lions senior coach (2009-13), Port Adelaide midfield coach (2015-2018), Port Adelaide senior assistant (2019-21)
Playing career: Brisbane Lions – 289 games (1992-2006)
Premierships: 2001, 2002, 2003
Brownlow Medal: 1996 (tied with James Hird)
All Australian: 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2011 inductee)
AAP
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