Carlton sacking Ratten was a "poor decision": Scotland

Heath Scotland says Carlton's decision to sack former coach Brett Ratten was a “poor” one.

Ratten was sacked in 2012 to make way for AFL coaching games record holder Mick Malthouse, despite leading the Blues to three consecutive top eight finishes.

Scotland believes the board acted too quickly in bringing Malthouse into Princes Park.

“To be honest, I think it was a poor decision (to sack Ratten),” Scotland told SEN Breakfast.

“I thought Ratts was doing a great job. I think we might’ve won 11 games (in 2012), we just missed finals, we had a lot of injuries.

“I think Carlton acted on the opportunity to get Malthouse too quickly.

“I was always disappointed that that happened to Ratts.”

Scotland is delighted Ratten received a second opportunity to lead a side, having landed the senior coaching position at St Kilda.

“I’m just so thrilled that he’s got the opportunity to coach again now because he’s got a lot to offer,” he said.

“For me, as a player and now a young coach, you learn from the coaches you’ve had and he was probably the man I learnt the most from in my time in playing.

“A lot of my philosophies as a coach, I probably learnt in my time under him.”

Scotland has been appointed as a development coach at North Melbourne after stints at local sides in the Eastern and Ballarat Football Leagues.

He is also a former Collingwood teammate of Roos coach Rhyce Shaw.

Scotland played 268 games for Collingwood and Carlton over 15 years.

Listen to Heath Scotland on SEN Breakfast in the player below: