Malthouse undecided on AFL coaching future

26 Aug 2012, 7:13 pm   -   Source: AAP

While Mick Malthouse is undecided about whether he will return to AFL coaching, he still feels he has the energy to do the job.

A nightmare AFL weekend for Brett Ratten darkened further on Sunday when Mick Malthouse spoke about the adrenaline rush he felt from coaching.

Questioned at length on Melbourne radio, Malthouse said he still felt he had the energy to be a senior coach again.

Ratten's future as Carlton coach is again a hot topic after the Blues were awful on Saturday night, suffering an upset 12-point loss to Gold Coast.

A week after their encouraging 96-point belting of Essendon, Carlton are out of finals contention.

There has been ongoing speculation for several weeks that Malthouse, the three-time premiership coach who left Collingwood at the end of last season, is most likely to take over if Ratten is sacked.

"I thoroughly enjoy coaching, the good and the bad," Malthouse said on 3AW.

"Playing first-gamers, playing 200-gamers and just being out there and understanding there's a competition on between you and your opponent, that is so wonderful.

"That is such an adrenalin rush. But you've got to take everything into consideration - you've got to have the energy.

"Have I got the energy? Well I suppose, I think I've got the energy."

But Malthouse is also mindful of the potential pitfalls, saying the end of his successful reign at Collingwood had left scars.

Malthouse and the Magpies negotiated a succession plan, where Nathan Buckley took over as senior coach this season.

But there was plenty of tension last season and Malthouse decided to leave the club, rather than stay on in a director of coaching role.

Malthouse said he was yet to discuss the future with his manager.

"There's a lot to take in to consideration when you declare yourself a football coach," he said.

"You can't escape the fact that it's a 24-hour, seven days a week and multiple months job."

In a television interview that was recorded before Carlton's Saturday night game, Malthouse was asked repeatedly if he would coach the Blues.

Asked if might be interested in the job if it became available, Malthouse replied "probably not".

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