David Teague's manager Liam Pickering has blasted members of the media who have launched a smear campaign against his client.
As Teague's tenure at Princes Park sits on rocky ground due to poor on-field results and ambiguity still surrounding the findings of the Blues' external review, the former Cat backed the bespectacled coach via radio waves on Saturday morning.
“It’s been a vicious, deliberate and nasty attack on a young coach in my view,” Pickering stated during his regular post on SEN's Off The Bench.
“I think it’s been absolutely disgusting. These journos and other people wouldn’t have the guts to do that to [Hawthorn premiership coach] Alastair Clarkson or anyone with a senior portfolio.
“They pick on a young coach who’s coached less than two full years and make it all about him.
“I think it’s a disgrace to be perfectly honest.”
The successful player and coach supervisor also suggested that if Carlton were to cut ties with Teague at the end of the season, it would be a decision that they could live to regret.
Pickering put forth this view by questioning the ethics of Teague's detractors.
“I’m talking about everyone that is writing about it,” he said.
“Everyone that is saying ‘he’s gone before the end of the day, he’s gone before Friday’, they’re barracking for it. It’s a sickening way to earn a living and I can’t stand it to be honest.
“I’m not doubing their sources or opinions…I’m hoping that they don’t (part ways with David Teague), but these so-called experts think they know best.
RELATED: Carlton's mistakes have been made in development, not at the draft
“I would like to think the club has more backbone than to tip into the way the media is running a campaign to push out a young coach who has a better record that anyone they’ve had there since Brett Ratten who was pushed out there as well.
“I just think it’s disgusting…he’s had to defend himself which is even more staggering. I think it’s pathetic.”
The Blues' 2004 best and fairest winner has produced a 43.75% win record across his 48-appearances in a navy polo and began his tenure after taking over from his predecessor, Brendan Bolton, in Round 12 of 2019.
Teague's injury hampered side are set to face Port Adelaide on Saturday afternoon at 4:35pm AEST.
