Sacked Carlton coach Mick Malthouse has slammed the "negative" and "self-serving" letter to the club's members sent by Blues president Mark LoGiudice on Monday.
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The letter flagged the Blues would determine if the record-breaking coach would continue at Ikon Park in 2016 after round 10.
In his first interview since having his contract terminated on Tuesday, Malthouse said he was disappointed by the letter, arguing that it was not representative of what he believed would emanate from the meeting he had earlier in the day with LoGiudice, and Carlton chief executive Steven Trigg.
"By and large I thought what would have been released to our supporters and our members would have least taken into consideration the plight of our players," he told Fox Footy.
Malthouse believed that if the club had been able to reach the bye without the axe falling, things would have turned around with the return of several key players from injuries.
"We just needed to hang on, because we were torn apart by unfortunate injuries. We as a football club couldn't afford that."
Malthouse was subsequently dismissed on Tuesday morning following his destructive interview on SEN.
The three-time premiership coach said he knew things were ominous when football operations manager Andrew McKay was absent from a match committee meeting later that day.
He added that distance had opened between he andLoGiudice, but he was not looking for a fight.
"Our disconnect started weeks ago," he said.
■The John Barker term at Carlton will begin without the club's three biggest-name players, with captain Marc Murphy, dual Brownlow Medalist Chris Judd and reigning best and fairest winner Bryce Gibbs all out injured from the threadbare Blues side that faces premiership contender Sydney at the SCG on Friday night.
Murphy will miss with a calf ailment, while Gibbs (back) and Judd (knee) were both ruled out earlier in the week. Ruckman Robbie Warnock (hip) also misses. Caretaker coach Barker can at least take some consolation from the return of key forward Lachie Henderson, who has been absent since the round five loss to Collingwood. Veterans Andrew Carrazzo and Andrew Walker are also back in the side following injury layoffs, with youngster Nick Graham the other inclusion.
Hawthorn have lost patience with premiership defender Matt Suckling, with the left-footer cut from the Hawks' team which meets Gold Coast in Launceston on Saturday. Fellow backman Grant Birchall (ankle) is also out, with Will Langford (corked calf) another who won't play. Captain Luke Hodge returns from suspension. Melbourne are bolstered by the return of Neville Jeta and Jack Viney to face Port Adelaide on Saturday. Elsewhere, St Kilda regain captain Nick Riewoldt and defender Jarryn Geary for the Brisbane Lions clash, while Alan Toovey is back for Collingwood.
