"YOU should feel like you’re always welcome at Carlton".
Michael Voss has certainly built a connection through his short time at Carlton, urging the entire Club to connect to its roots not only post-Covid, but in a completely new phase of the Club itself.
Speaking on the 'Dyl and Friends' podcast, host Dylan Buckley (39 Carlton games) was impressed with the amount of Club functions he has been invited to since Voss' appointment, with Harry McKay admitting it is a huge focus - for not only the playing group - but the Club as a whole.
“Having really good people in key roles is important and all those people you mentioned plus several others have done an amazing job,” McKay said.
“There's been a massive emphasis on that over the last couple of months: I think ‘Vossy’ and a couple of other coaches have been huge on that, reconnecting the Club again.”
Referencing some of the changes that have been made at the Club, the emphasis has shifted towards creating an environment that feels like home to all: past, present or future.
With the football department creating a family-like connection, McKay admits that it has also influenced their football in a positive manner, knowing and trusting each other like never before.
“Every Tuesday we’d have a team breakfast, all the department comes together and has a breakfast and we’ve often got some past players to come back and share their stories, say g’day to them and it’s just reconnecting Carlton again,” he said.
“I think it’s been a little thing but also a big thing that once you play at Carlton, you should feel like you’re always welcome at Carlton, and I think this year has taken some big steps towards getting that back.’
With Voss at the helm leading the charge, McKay admits it’s hard not to be inspired by the way Voss approaches himself and the team, giving plenty to his players so that they want to give plenty back.
Thankfully, the new IKON Park redevelopment has a noticeable lack of brick walls.
“When you have your captain’s run, you have a run around, you do your line meeting and you always finish with your senior coach meeting – those ones are another level,” he said.
“It’s hard to describe but he’s just got a way of articulating words that I’ve never seen before and his ability to inspire.
“There is actually a running gag that as soon as everyone walks out, it’s like ‘has anyone seen a brick wall? We need to run through it’. That’s literally what everyone says.”
The playing group and those around them have never been in a more positive position to want to improve and facilitate change for the better at the Club.
McKay says that a lot of this is to do with Voss’ personable nature, with his approachability and ability to connect with others naturally passing onto those around him.
“His ability to connect everyone - make you feel part of something bigger than yourself, inspire - it’s amazing,” he said.
“He has done a lot of work on that type of stuff and it really shows and we’re super lucky to have ‘Vossy’ and his motivational speeches for sure.”
