MICK Malthouse would cost Carlton millions but would wait for Brett Ratten to be sacked before discussing the coaching position, AFL.com.au columnist Damian Barrett says.

Speaking on Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show, Barrett said triple-premiership coach Malthouse would command at least $1 million a season and insist on bringing in his own staff.

Speculation about Ratten's future has followed the coach for much of 2012, with the Carlton board reportedly split between retaining their coach or sacking him.

Ratten is contracted until the end of the 2013 season.

Barrett said if Ratten was sacked and Malthouse became Carlton coach, he would want to bring as many as three assistant coaches with him.

Alan Richardson, John Barker, Gavin Brown, Matthew Capuano, Mark Riley and Paul Williams are Ratten's current assistant coaches. Barrett hinted only Brown would survive a cull.

Ratten reacted angrily when asked about his future following Carlton's shock loss against Gold Coast on Saturday night.

The loss all but ended the Blues' season.

Compounding Ratten's problems are his rumoured issues with key Carlton personnel.

Barrett said he believed Ratten's relationship with CEO Greg Swann had become strained, while the coach and Carlton's high performance manager, Justin Cordy, were barely on speaking terms.