How Carlton move came for West Coast flag coach

Adam Simpson has explained exactly what his role at Carlton will entail.

It was announced on Tuesday that the West Coast premiership coach has taken a part-time role as a director of coaching with the Blues where he will act as a consultant to Michael Voss.

Simpson downplayed his new position, saying he will be at Ikon Park just twice a month simply to provide support for Voss and the football department.

“It’s a bit of a mentoring role with Vossy and the other coaches,” he said on SEN Mornings.

“This is instigated by him (Voss), he’s the one I’m working for.

“When I was coaching I would have loved someone one out, one back who was less connected with the day-to-day because when you’re in that day-to-day you get caught in this groupthink and you’re all on the treadmill really. You all end up thinking and talking the same.

“So having someone a little bit on the outer to talk to every now and then would have been good for me. I thought I could help in that sense with Vossy.

“He’s got a new coaching group and they’re all in different roles and he’s got some new staff as well. I’m more about process and structure rather than the strategy and winning piece.

“It’s pretty low level to be honest. It’s a bit more hands on in pre-season just to cast an eye on what they do and compare what we used to do at West Coast, what we did well and what we did poorly.

“In season it might be a couple of times a month just there for some of the younger coaches or Vossy depending on what he needs, just to give advice or a different look at whatever might be happening.

“It’s a consultancy role, a mentoring role for younger coaches, and I’m there for Michael.”

Simpson and his family are moving back to Melbourne next week and he will fly to Perth weekly for business, rather than other way around for his coaching and media obligations.

Additionally, Simpson says he has no ambitions to coach at senior AFL level again after leaving the Eagles in July 2024.

Already there have been some suggestions that if the Blues are struggling early in 2026 that he is the perfect man to potentially replace Voss.

But the North Melbourne great insists that is simply not the case.

“That’s definitely not the intent,” Simpson added. “There’s no sinister plan, there’s none of that.

“That wouldn’t be a great look for me or for anyone. I don’t think that’s going to happen anyway.

“We can put that to bed for sure.”

Simpson will next year join Gerard Whateley on SEN for the Monday Means Test and can also be heard on SEN WA with Scott Cummings and Tim Gossage on Thursday mornings.