Free rein for Blues to enjoy

New coach Teague to embrace art of football, and less science

TRYING to coach Adelaide superstar Eddie Betts was the best lesson in hands-off teaching that new Carlton mentor David Teague could have had.

It helped Teague frame a “let them be themselves” philosophy that he hopes will renew the Blues players who the 38-year-old has urged to express themselves.

Being given such freedom from the coach is manna from heaven for millennial ears and Teague has made it clear he will embrace the “art” of football as much as the science, which many feel was too present in the 77-game tenure of sacked coach Brendon Bolton.

Teague cited the Betts example as one of many he’s experienced as a long-term assistant coach through four AFL clubs and said making the players believe in themselves as much as any game plan would be a key pillar of his 11 games in charge.

“You can turn football into a real science. I think it’s a bit of an art as well in terms of allowing them to be themselves,” Teague said yesterday ahead of his first match in charge, against Brisbane at Docklands Stadium today. AFL ROUND 12 think we are going to be very tough to beat.”

Teague said his players would be judged on their effort and willingness to compete after the 22 players badly beaten by Essendon last week were roundly panned for output in those areas.

“I want to see improvement, I want to see us getting better,” he said.

“They’ll get things wrong, I’ll get things wrong as well. But we’ll learn together.

“What I would love them to do is to commit to whatever decision they make, and then we can learn from it.”

Teague was happy to recall veteran Dale Thomas for the clash with Brisbane, after a one-week club suspension for drinking before a game, because everyone was getting a “fresh start”.

“I wanted a fresh start and my first address to the players was a fresh start,” Teague said.

“I had to give him a fresh start or it would have been hypocritical of me. I believe in him as a footballer.”

Teague said he was not prepared to put his hand up for the job beyond the next 11 games, because that time would determine if he was ready to be a senior coach.