Carlton coach Michael Voss says there’s no playing group culture issue amid a ‘management matter’ with a staff member

Carlton coach Michael Voss says he is “really comfortable” with his playing group, denying there is a club-wide culture issue after confirmation a senior staff member took leave for a “management matter”. It follows the departure of high-profile president Luke Sayers in the pre-season who was caught up in a lewd picture scandal and stepped down. “The club can confirm it has been dealing with a management matter,” a Carlton statement said. “While the club is not in a position to provide commentary on individual employees, the club wants to make clear this matter is in no way related to any gender-based misconduct and any such insinuations are inaccurate and misleading. “The club’s first priority is, and always will be, its people and this is at the forefront of the club’s handling of this matter.” Voss says the issue is “being managed at the right level” before knocking back suggestions of a cultural problem at Princes Park. “I don’t have any visibility on it, I couldn’t add any further commentary outside it, I know it’s been dealt with and the club has taken care of it,” he said. “I think you’d have to fire those questions (about culture) at someone who has more visibility on it; from my point of view I am really comfortable where our playing group is at. “I am really comfortable with where our environment is, we’re firmly fixed, as you can imagine, on making sure we make a good account of ourselves tomorrow night and obviously do this event justice.”