The carefully-planned Collingwood coaching succession plan laid out by Eddie Maguire could be set to fail, with coach Michael Malthouse set to leave the club at the end of the season, according to an article in the Herald Sun today.
Mike Sheahan has reported that the three-time premiership winning coach is no longer willing to accept a backroom role at the Westpac Centre.
A deal was brokered in 2009 for Malthouse to retire at the conclusion of the 2011 season, with Collingwood’s former captain Nathan Buckley to assume control as coach.
On face value, the deal appeared to suit all parties. Malthouse would have two more seasons to try and deliver the premiership that had eluded him during the first ten years of his tenure.
Nobody expected Collingwood to become a juggernaut that, given the age of its core group, could dominate the competition for several years.
Malthouse chooses his words carefully, and has given several indications since winning the flag last October that he perhaps wasn’t yet ready to hand over control to Buckley.
Maguire has been on the front foot at several times during the year, pointing to the contract in place and threatening legal action should the terms of the contract be broken by Malthouse.
For all and sundry involved at Collingwood, any such action would be a sad and ugly end to what has been an historic era at the famous club.
Given the Magpies are highly-geared toward a tilt at a second successive premiership, any decision on the issue will remain behind closed doors until their season is done.
A disruption of such significance would be an unnecessary distraction that could ultimately cost Collingwood a chance at back-to-back glory.
Maguire has, unsurprisingly, immediately rubbished Sheahan’s claims on Melbourne radio this morning, saying he can “guarantee” Malthouse has a contract, and is “confident” he will stay the club.
Publically, Maguire is unwavering, but privately, he will be furious.
What initially appeared to be best-laid plans now threaten to de-rail Collingwood at its most critical point of the season.