James Hird urges Carlton to hunt experienced coach to lead them away from 'rock bottom'
James Hird is urging Carlton chief executive Graham Wright to land an experienced coach to replace Michael Voss in a bid to get the club off rock bottom.
Voss stood down from his role as head coach at Carlton on Tuesday morning following a horror start to the season, with list boss Nick Austin following him out the door.
The duo's departure only added another layer of chaos to Carlton's internal structure, with the club now without a list boss, head coach and also a recruitment manager.
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With the turmoil around the club, Hird and Adelaide great Rory Sloane both believe a veteran, experienced senior coach is the right direction for the Blues.
"What I'd love to see from Carlton is for them to make a decision as quick as possible," Sloane said on Nine's Footy Classified.
Michael Voss left Carlton just nine games into the new season. Getty
"Because as a player, if you've had Michael Voss take you through pre-season until round nine, then Josh Fraser through to the end of the year (as interim) and then a new coach ... that is three coaches in the space of a year and that can cook you.
"I'd love to see them move as quick as they can and maybe get a new coach to come in that acts as a head of coaching until the end of the year."
Hird agreed with Sloane and adding the coaching credentials he would be looking for if he were in the shoes of Wright.
"I think they should be looking for a coach who is the best fit for Carlton, and I think that is someone with experience in the industry but also willing to do the hard yards, not just with the team but also with the football club," he said.
James Hird reacts to Michael Voss' sacking on Nine's Footy Classified. Nine
"Carlton, similar to Collingwood and Essendon, is a beast in its own right. But it is a very, very special beast that you need a very, very special person to coach.
"I think it suits a more experienced person because of all the external factors that come around Carlton are bigger than most other clubs."
Hird named premiership-winning coach John Longmire and former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley as perfect options to lead Carlton, but he recognised that Wright has a theme of appointing untried coaches in the top job.
If Wright were to continue on with that theme, Hayden Skipworth, Daniel Giansiracusa and James Kelly would all be potential candidates to replace Voss, though none have been head coaches before.
But Hird still feels an experienced coach is the best option given Carlton's current state.
(L-R) Potential candidates for the Carlton job are Ken Hinkley, Hayden Skipworth and John Longmire. Getty
"The coach that comes in also has that culture issue to change," Hird said.
"And it's not with bad players or bad people, it is in terms with the way they play."
Sloane suggested that Hird could be fit to take on the job at Carlton, but the 53-year-old did not believe he would even be on the list of potential candidates.
"The Carlton job would be an incredible job ... but I think I'd be the last person they'd ask," Hird replied.
Sloane added, moving on: "I don't think there is a better time for a new coach to come in, because they've hit rock bottom at Carlton.
"If a new coach had of come in late last year, with everything that has happened at Carlton to start this year, it would've been a pretty tough season."
Carlton will be led by Fraser for the remainder of the season, with his first game in the top job to be against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.
As for a list boss, Carlton general manager of football Chris Davis will be in charge for the foreseeable future. AFL Media reporter Cal Twomey expects Hawthorn recruitment boss Mark McKenzie will be the top target for Carlton to replace Austin in the future.
