Mark Thompson has ruled himself out as a candidate to coach Carlton next season and questioned the state of the embattled AFL club.
Thompson said he is done with senior coaching and would only be interested in an unlikely comeback if he was confident about how the club was operating.
"For me to do it - and I've experienced something pretty good - it would have to be a pretty special club," he told Fox Footy.
"It's a big challenge and unless they were a really special group of people ... I'm not sure, from the outside, that they've really got their club together at the moment.
"That's the problem I think with some people, is they just walk into clubs because there's an opportunity.
"That has to stop in the future (and) people have to be a bit more selective on who fits with who."
Thompson has joined fellow premiership coach John Worsfold in saying he does not want the job.
The Blues sacked Mick Malthouse on Tuesday and named assistant John Barker interim coach for the rest of the season.
Barker will on Thursday morning give his first media conference since taking over.
He will speak at Melbourne Airport before the Blues fly to Sydney for Friday night's AFL match against the Swans at the MCG.
The embattled Blues will be without senior players Chris Judd and Bryce Gibbs, who are injured.
Thompson coached Geelong to the 2007 and `09 premierships.
He was also interim coach at Essendon last year as James Hird served his AFL suspension.
Asked if he was interested in making a comeback, Thompson said: "no, I wouldn't ... I'm done.
"I really enjoyed it and the bug's there.
"It's almost like you've been given a gene to coach.
"But in saying that, gee, it's a harsh world."
Thompson also called on senior Blues officials to be honest with the players, saying that otherwise they will continue to struggle on the field.
"What do they need? They need to know what's going on in their club - absolutely, the truth," he said.
"People, when they receive the truth and start to believe the truth, then they'll go out and say `well, yeah, I trust what they say.
"If they don't trust, they won't play.
"You'll find out whether they do or not, I reckon, with their performances."
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