The ground-breaking deal that has established Collingwood’s coaching structure for the next five AFL seasons eventually hinged on one 30-minute conversation.

After months of intense media scrutiny and careful negotiations, Collingwood’s hierarchy had to wait as Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley went into a separate room to discuss the radical proposal.

When they emerged, the deal was effectively done.

Malthouse will continue to coach the Magpies for the next two seasons, with Buckley now at the club as an assistant.

From 2012, Malthouse will have a three-year term as director of coaching at the club as Buckley takes over the team.

The story behind the power-sharing agreement is detailed in Side By Side, a new behind-the-scenes book about Collingwood’s tumultuous 2009 season.

Malthouse was coming out of contract at the end of the season and his future proved one of this year’s biggest AFL stories.

It came down to the meeting at the office of club president Eddie McGuire on a late-July Saturday morning.

Football director Geoff Walsh chaired the meeting, with chief executive Gary Pert also in attendance.

McGuire, Pert and Walsh waited as Buckley and Malthouse discussed the proposal in private one last time.

Buckley says he would not have accepted the proposal if Malthouse showed any reluctance.

“I could not have painted any rosier picture for the alternative,” Buckley says in the book.

“Mick said, no, this is what he wanted to do and second, and in many ways more importantly, did he think it was a good thing or the right thing for the footy club?

“Ultimately his answer to those questions was `yes’ and `yes’.”

The agreement was made public three days later.

The book also looks at the confidence within the club that the Magpies can win a premiership in the next couple of years.

At last year’s annual general meeting, McGuire told members that the Magpies had set themselves to win a flag within three years.

They made this year’s preliminary finals, losing to eventual premiers Geelong.

At a February pre-season meeting for Collingwood’s coaching staff in Sorrento, Walsh was even more specific.

“In 30-40 games, we’ll be in a position to win a premiership,” he is quoted as saying.

“This bloke (Malthouse) is the man to take us there – I’m not pissing in his pocket or putting pressure on him.

“We’re in a better position at the start of 2009 than Geelong or Hawthorn were at the start of their premiership years.”

“Side By Side, A Season With Collingwood”. Author: Peter Ryan. Publisher: The Slattery Media Group. RRP: $49.95

© AAP 2012

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