David Parkin

I said, I thought, well, that's me.

I really struggled.

And so I had that sort of relationship with them and understanding.

It's difficult, Gerard, as you know.

I mean, you've talked to them all and seen them all in action over your lifetime in footy, and the personalities at the top have varied so much.

When you think of the Buckleys in terms of the Vosses and the current Fagans, et cetera, the present Collingwood coach, I mean...

the personality and character of the people leading us changed enormously in my lifetime.

You can't imagine the Ted Wittens of the world as leaderships now being anywhere near acceptable by the population which they're dealing with.

So footage changed.

You know better than anybody else who's been a part of it over all those, I think, three phases in my life now.

the game has changed enormously.

And I think if you're in that role now as a coach, it would be the most demanding leadership role that I could think, not only in Australian sport, but in Australian society.

Is it distinct from... I think, yeah, no, Gerard, that's a very, very good question.

I think it,

Probably is because the culture of Carlton over a period of time is, in the sense of the word, is unique also.

I mean, I've been in multiple clubs over a period of time and not one of those other clubs had anything like the culture that I was experiencing there.

In both my times at Carlton, I had two periods there over a long time, and not one of the other clubs that I was associated with as a player or a coach had a culture like Carlton.

Um...

Yeah, better for worse.

I mean, I tried to... I brought a different, I guess, personality, if you like, character into the role.