NEW CARLTON president Mark LoGiudice insists Mick Malthouse is the man to coach Carlton, set to initiate talks on a new contract with the veteran coach.
LoGiudice, managing director of property investment firm Crawford Group, will take over from long-standing president Stephen Kernahan on Monday.
Malthouse, in his 30th season of VFL/AFL coaching, has taken the Blues to a 4-8 start to 2014.
LoGiudice said he was looking to extend the three-time premiership coach’s three-year-deal beyond 2015.
"I would imagine sometime next year we will sit down and have a chat (to extend), absolutely, yes, absolutely," LoGiudice told The Footy Show.
Asked if he expected Malthouse to be coaching into 2016, LoGiudice said: "I couldn't see why not."
LoGiudice had no doubt Malthouse’s experience suited Carlton’s plight.
"Mick is absolutely the right person to coach this football club, Mick is absolutely the right person to lead the players and the team to success."
As a result of the poor start, the club’s recruitment team has taken a hit, at the hands of powerbroker Bruce Mathieson who labelled it the worst in the AFL.
LoGiudice admitted to a recent attempt to poach Hawthorn’s head of recruiting Graham Wright but denied it was a move pushed by Mathieson.
"I'm not a Bruce Mathieson person, I'm a Carlton Football Club person and I'm here to lead the Carlton Football Club," he said.
"I spoke to Graham Wright, there's no secrets about that, I spoke to Graham to find out his availability, he was contracted to Hawthorn.
"I make no apologies for trying to make the Carlton Football Club a better place. I make no apologies for trying to improve and bolster that area we've identified we need to improve."
Despite suggestions recruiting boss Shane Rogers would depart Visy Park, he has this week re-affirmed his position at the Blues.
