BRETT Ratten's tenure at Carlton has been grist for the media mill all year, but the fourth-year coach is confident he will remain in control of the Blues' destiny next season and beyond.
Ratten took over from Denis Pagan in a caretaker capacity with six games remaining in the 2007 season, when the club finished 15th, and has overseen 45 wins, 45 losses and a draw since.
Perhaps more pertinent to the issue is that 11 of those wins have come this season, which sees the Blues sitting in fourth place, six rounds from the finals.
However, the fact that two of Ratten's losses came when the team was in a winning position in elimination finals against the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans in the past two years has been the sticking point at Visy Park.
The club's board reserved its decision on Ratten's future until the 2011 premiership campaign is over, a position that, along with chairman Stephen Kernahan's public assertion that the Blues must win a final for the coach to win a new contract, created much speculation.
Ratten has stoically toed the company line in the face of questions on his future all season, but he gave a rare insight into his private thoughts on Wednesday.
"Personally I'm confident that I'll be here next year," Ratten said from Visy Park.
"I haven't looked at the papers … I don't really listen to the radio and I don't watch any of the footy shows, so really I'm not worried about what people think.
"They can say I'm in jeopardy. That's the biggest thing about coaching. Hearing Chinese whispers and third-party conversations or rumour and innuendo … what-ifs - it is what it is.
"I can only deal with what I can control and that's about getting this team to a position of winning finals and playing in finals and being a powerhouse again. That's what we're striving for.
"I'm just worrying about the end of the year with my results. We haven't talked about my contract and we'll just leave that alone."
Ratten's confidence is based on more than Carlton's current position on the ladder.
Since winning the job in his own right nearly four years ago, Ratten has been a work in progress as a senior coach, but he feels both he and his team are now reaping the benefits of the work that's been done with the Leading Teams program overseen by Ray McLean.
"There's no doubt that I am a more rounded coach this year compared to last year," he said.
"It's something that you have to learn and grow along the way. I don't think you can flick a switch and be the best coach in your first or second year. I think you actually have to build [toward that].
"I think David Parkin said that in the first few years you're actually learning on the job and I would say that is absolutely correct."
Ratten scoffed at suggestions the conversation about his future could be brought forward following the departure of Neil Craig from Adelaide, but he did recommend the Crows look up trusted lieutenants Alan Richardson and Gavin Brown.
"I think Alan has been really close in a couple of interviews [for other senior roles] so he'd be one that I'd be really surprised if Adelaide don't at least hear from," he said.
"He's got all the credentials - he's a senior assistant here - to be a senior coach. He's nearly done everything in coaching.
"Gav's coached his own team and been involved in great success at Collingwood, so I wouldn't be surprised if they get an opportunity to interview."
