As Carlton goes into caretaker mode, it is worth remembering the appointment of a caretaker coach to the main gig is fraught with danger.
AFL clubs have no choice in appointing an interim coach when a vacancy arises during the season, but they do make the decision to keep them in the hot seat? You win some, you lose some in this instance!
Historically, Paul Roos at Sydney and Neil Craig at Adelaide are the exceptions, not the rule.
In the wake of Michael Voss departing Carlton, Josh Fraser has stepped in as caretaker, but will he survive the upcoming 14 weeks to become the Blues' 36th coach?
I look into the biggest backfires of clubs promoting caretakers. It is easy to be seduced by early results and clearly it doesn't always work out.
Here are the five least successful promoted interim coaches since 2000.
5Mark Harvey, Fremantle Dockers (2007)
Mark Harvey took over as caretaker coach Fremantle in round 16 of 2007 and, for the last seven games of the season, he led the club to four wins and three losses, including a 25-point win in his first game as caretaker.
His tenure was longer than some of these other coaches, as he sustained a permanent coaching role from 2008 to 2011. Throughout his 90 games as coach, he had a 39 per cent win record.
He did take them to a surprise finals appearance in 2010, including winning an elimination final against the Hawks, but after a poor 2011, Harvey was sent packing.
