The ugly public rift between Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley and his former AFL team-mate Wayne Carey reached an icy truce.

While Carey promised not to publicly criticise Laidley again and Laidley expressed hope that they could repair their relationship, neither backed down.

When asked on Channel Nine's new Footy Classified show if he thought Carey could return to the club this year in a specialist assistant coaching role, Laidley replied "with what's gone down ... I wouldn't think so."

Carey said he had no desire to be an assistant coach, but said he would help if asked.

He also added: "if Dean thinks it's irreparable, it's irreparable."

"There will be no further comments about Dean Laidley, but there will be further comments about the Kangaroos," he said.

But Laidley countered that Carey should have spoken to him before making a strongly-worded statement last month about the state of the club.

The coach also made it clear he thought Carey had been outspoken at least partly to satisfy his requirements as a media commentator.

"It's not irreparable, I've got great respect for the man, for what he's done for the footy club," Laidley said.

"But I just thought that the timing, what we'd been through, our pre-season had been so good, it would have been great for Wayne to ring up and say 'what's going on at the football club, what track are you going (down)?'.

"Obviously he's got a few new media (deals) and that sort of stuff."

Last month, Carey said the embattled club needed a stronger public presence and suggested another former Kangaroo, Sydney assistant coach John Longmire, should take over as coach once Laidley's contract expires at the end of this season.

Laidley then savaged Carey, saying he had "ripped the heart" out of the club in 2002 with his much-publicised sex scandal.

On the weekend, Carey said Laidley "has an arrogance about him" and also called him aloof, saying he generally did not acknowledge his old team-mates.

Carey was Laidley's captain when the Kangaroos won the 1996 premiership.

"It's a little bit disappointing, but for 100 years these things have happened in a footy club, the club legend comes out and has an opinion," Laidley said.

"One mistake was falling into Wayne's comments the first time.

"There's probably one person I haven't spoken to, and that's Wayne."

Laidley added it was "embarrassing" for Longmire to have his name brought up as a possible replacement as Kangaroos senior coach.

Carey said he had "nothing against Dean", but added he was worried about the future of the club.

He also conceded the timing of his initial comments was not ideal, only a few days before the season started.

"I have conceded the timing wasn't correct, (but) I stand by what I said," he said.

"I want the Kangaroos to be around for the next 100 years.

"I speak to a lot of Kangaroos people, I am only saying what a lot of Kangaroos people are thinking."

Carey also said the club would not have been able to recruit emerging star Daniel Wells had he not left the Kangaroos in disgrace in 2002.

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