Michael Voss responds after receiving vile death threats: ‘You don't belong here'

7NEWS

19 hours ago

A reflective Michael Voss has issued an impassioned and detailed response after it emerged he received death threats from vile AFL fans who are frustrated with Carlton's form.
The Blues slumped to 6-10 and effectively had their finals hopes dashed with a 56-point drubbing at the hands of arch-enemy Collingwood last Friday night, making it two consecutive 50-point losses in a row.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Michael Voss issues impassioned response to heinous death threats.
The loss accelerated widespread criticism of Voss who, despite having a year to run on his contract, is under pressure to keep his job beyond 2025.
And while some criticism of the 50-year-old is warranted, given their declining performances dating back to late last year, it was taken too far in recent days when trolls threatened a brutal end to his life.
Asked about it at his weekly press conference on Wednesday, Voss reflected on how 'passion' for the game could ever get to this, and where motivation for the game more broadly should be coming from.
After sharing a childhood story about his inspiration for the game coming from a Sherrin football he was gifted as a four-year-old by the captain of his father's old local club, Voss then juxtaposed his experience with 'the dark side of football'.
'I just used to smell it and always have it in my hands. It really inspired me ultimately to follow my dreams, and that was really impactful on me,' Voss said of his first brand new football, as part of a long monologue that lasted several minutes.
'And then I've also seen the dark side of football as well where we blame, we become victims, and it's sort of this environment where it's quite toxic, and we think showing passion is about anger, and it's not about that at all.
'So when you see both, it's what you choose.
'When I turn up, and I turn up for football and I turn up on the weekend, I look at that four-year-old and think about what families are and about communities and how we bring people together and what we want our environment to be. And that's what it's supposed to be about; it's supposed to be about bringing people together. And so, that is extremely important to me.
'And it's also about the 12-year-old who you want to inspire that next generation. So, when I look across the fence, I see the 12-year-olds and I see the 14-year-olds that have aspirations to be able to do this.
'So, when you turn up on the weekend and I do what I do, I do that for Carlton, I do that for the next kid that's going to be playing in the Carlton Football Club jumper. I do it so our football club can have this sustained success that we're all craving.
'But there's a way we need to behave and there's a way that we need to go about it, and when things are tough, you've got to show that support the right way, not the wrong way.
'Now, if that's a measure for some people on what it should look like, then I'm sorry, you don't belong here.
'And we'll move on and we'll make sure that we continue to bring a supporter base that will support in the good times, and it will support in the bad, and we'll continue to support our people to be able to do that.'
Voss said he brushed the threats off when he first received them, but soon realised the wider impact they would have.
'I was dismissive at first, but there's a flow-on effect,' he said.
'The first thing you always think about is the person beside you or the family member or the team.
'Because as a result of what I do, you appreciate there's an element of scrutiny that comes with that, but then there's a part that's completely unacceptable, and I think we can all agree that that part is unacceptable, and we don't tolerate that as an industry.
'We leave that with the AFL integrity (unit) at the moment and I expect a pretty forthright response.
'But this is the current nature that we need to consider within the AFL environment, and we all have responsibilities; I have responsibilities, you guys have responsibilities here about what you write and your opinions you're able to create — and you've got to understand that the ripple effect is beyond just what your opinion is. It reaches deeper.'
After showing patience with several questions on the subject to begin the presser, Voss then declared an end to the discussion on that topic, sternly asking reporters to move on.
'I am more interested in tomorrow,' he said.
'If you have questions about tomorrow I'd love to hear them. And I appreciate after four or five questions, it's probably enough.
'So, let's focus in on now what happens on the grass, that's what I'm really more concerned about, 24 hours out.
'It will get dealt with, we'll have those conversations that we need to behind the scenes, the support's been incredible — so we just move on to what happens on the grass now.
'And I know you'll respect my position on that and you won't go one more, right? So, let's just... you've got your answers, so let's move on.'
The Blues play Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night to kick off Round 18.