MICK MALTHOUSE: Buddy Franklin in no position to call for Carlton to sack Blues coach Michael Voss

There’s always more to the story. But only people on the inside know that to be true.

When a club is “failing” and under fire, it’s almost always the coach who cops the criticism. But calling for their head — during the season — is taking it too far.

It’s the club boards that make the decision to employ the coach, and for how long they sign them up for. So, I believe they have an obligation to see that through.

It takes two to tango after all.

There are very few coaches who would demand extra years on a standard contract. A coach just wants to get on with coaching.

Some clubs stick by their coach regardless of performances and thereby set an agenda that the coach is safe and supported through the ups and downs, which every club has.

When a job comes up, potential candidates are more inclined to trust that club than a club that has a horrid history of sacking coaches.

Because when you coach at a club that tears up contracts faster than Gout Gout’s 200m run, you coach with one eye over your shoulder, which isn’t healthy or helpful.

And when everyone has an opinion — though it comes with the public spotlight of a job like AFL coaching — it adds to the weight that person carries on their back.

I was astounded to hear Lance Franklin make a comment about Carlton needing to “make a change ASAP,” suggesting that the club needs to, and will, sack their coach Michael Voss in the near future.

I didn’t realise Franklin was working on the inside at the Blues and privy to what is taking place at the club and within the playing group.

Franklin basically had two coaches in his career — Alastair Clarkson and John Longmire. Hawthorn and Sydney were both successful in his time there, but each club also endured some pain in that time.

In 2013 Franklin signed a nine-year contract with Sydney, which at the time was the longest contract ever seen in the competition.

It certainly put bums on seats because Franklin is one of the greatest and most exciting players of all times, and I’ve often lauded him for this.

However, he also wasn’t a great finals-performer, and missed many games towards the end of his career due to injury. But did he ever think for one moment that he would be sacked for those non-performances?

Until you’ve lived under that stress and those conditions, you don’t know what it’s like.

It was all well and good when the Blues played finals last year and Voss was hailed as Carlton’s saviour. But when the Blues are losing a year later, it’s the coach’s fault.

From an observer on the outside looking in, I think it’s about time that the critics take a very close look at one of the root problems at Carlton, and that is the performances of the players.

I’m very much aware of the demoralising effect of not winning games that were inked in before the season started. But this is where the old ‘guts and determination’ should come in.

Voss as a player, played with super aggression and took no prisoners. His current playing group looks soft, leaderless, and accepting of the results.

All the huff and puff pre and post-match means very little if you can’t take control of the match, particularly when things are starting to fall apart.

I love the way that Patrick Cripps, Charlie Curnow, Sam Walsh, and Tom De Koning go about their roles, but Walsh is injured again, and for Curnow and De Koning not to kick a goal against North Melbourne, and Cripps not to show the aggression a captain should in a loss, is an insult to Voss

But true to form for the Blues, it’s the coaches, administrators, and recruiters who continue to get potted from outside the club.

For as long as Carlton allows this to take place without a fight, the club will appear to be run by the people who finance it, the big money “supporters.”

Right now, the Blues’ board, particularly the president, needs to come out swinging in defence of Voss.

Though I half suspect that chief executive Brian Cook will be pleased when this season ends and he makes way for Graeme Wright. Will changes be made then? That’s yet to be seen.

As I said earlier, there are clubs who cop the criticism and fight on in support of their coach, and those with a horrendous history of doing the opposite.