Carlton captain Marc Murphy has praised caretaker coach John Barker for implementing a more attacking style of footy and says he's given players renewed confidence.
Barker is in the frame to be handed the role permanently, having led the Blues to two wins and brought out a vast improvement on the previously uncompetitive side since he took the reins following Mick Malthouse's sacking in May.
Murphy, who will play his 200th game when he lines up against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, hailed Barker's positive relationship with the players and his forward-thinking on-field approach.
"He's given the guys a lot of confidence," Murphy told Melbourne radio station SEN on Thursday.
"I supposed Mick (Malthouse) was a lot more defensive in terms of the way he sort of tried to attack the game in terms of going around the boundary.
"Johnny's of the view of going through the corridor and taking risks and backing blokes in."
Barker remains high in the pecking order on a list of candidates for the permanent coaching job, which has now been trimmed to less than 20 by a selection panel headed by Carlton chief executive Steven Trigg.
Murphy said Barker has been coming into his own more and more with each match in charge.
"He's improved so much over the years as an assistant coach, and especially over the last six or seven weeks," he said.
"He's getting better and better every week.
"I personally love playing under Johnny, he's been great for myself a lot of the other boys in terms of trying to get our focus back on just enjoying our footy."
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