In big news out of Carlton, assistant coach John Barker has resigned from his role amid the club's lacklustre form.
Barker, who handed in his formal resignation yesterday, was keen to stay on with the club until season's end, but according to The Age's Sam McClure, was told by the Blues hierarchy that he will not be needed until then.
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With this, it is believed he will depart the club over the bye, and told the Carlton top brass that personal reasons was the root cause of his departure.
In a statement released by the Blues, Barker said he was grateful for the relationships he had built over the last decade.
“I’ve absolutely loved my time in footy, and most of all I’ve loved the relationships I’ve built during my time in the game,” Barker said.Â
“However, over the past 12 months I’ve been able to take the time to reflect on what’s most important to me and given the nature of the role and all it commands, I’ve made the decision to explore other avenues outside of football, and most importantly with my family at the forefront of this decision.”
Carlton Head of Football, Brad Lloyd, today thanked Barker for his time at the Club and acknowledged the contribution made during his period at the Blues.
“On behalf of the entire club, I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge John’s efforts over the past 10 years and thank him for his contribution to the Club,” Lloyd said in a press release.
“He has been a valued member of our football club and has played an integral role in the development of our playing list during his time at the Blues.”
Barker's resignation will further aggravate the Blues' mounting off-field issues, with the club yesterday announcing an independent investigation into their football department off the back of a stagnant 2021 season.
Carlton find themselves in 14th position on the ladder, with their loss on Sunday to the struggling Eagles further compounding the misery and discontent felt amongst Blues fans.
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Head coach David Teague, in his first uninterrupted year at the helm of one of the biggest clubs in the land, hasn't set the world alight so far.
Carlton haven't been able to beat any top eight sides in 2021, and with only four wins against Fremantle, Essendon, Gold Coast and Hawthorn the only thing to show for their off-field work over the summer.
It's fair to say that Teague will have woken up today even more under the pump with his second-in-command now out the door.