After watching an impotent Collingwood fall apart to Carlton on Saturday afternoon, and hearing Eddie McGuire’s revelation that he considered stepping down from his role as president, one cannot help but reflect on his 18 years of power at Collingwood.
Naturally, being a cynic, this reeks of a McGuire stunt – he will continue as president and it is ‘backs to the wall’ and ‘this is how champions respond in dark times’.
Maybe I have listened to too many Billy Birmingham CDs…
Notwithstanding, McGuire deserves many accolades for turning the club around from late-1990s whipping boys and administration basket-case to a powerhouse.
The Pies played in five grand finals (including the replay in 2010), and what is most impressive is how the team regenerated so quickly from the end of 2003 to be contenders again.
Adding in his presidential suave, McGuire also reinvigorated the notion, “I support my team and whoever is playing Collingwood”.
From a supporter base, the peak of this success was nearly 80,000 members in 2014. However, the public gaze has slowly turned over the last decade to the man who synonymously became ‘Eddie Everywhere’ from such humble beginnings.
McGuire is certainly in the Millionaire hotseat – he will be glad to know that he can use his three lifelines to make some big calls on his legacy in this coming season.
Lifeline 1: The 50-50
This call relates to whether he should commentate on football matches and be a club president at the same time.
Many in the Sydney media (during his rather tenuous leadership of Channel Nine in the mid-Noughties) referred to him as a P-plate CEO.
I would support this notion in regard to his incapability to recognise a conflict of interest. I know McGuire is not alone in this (think James Brayshaw, Jason Dunstall until 2013 etc), but he is certainly the highest profile.
The decision is an easy toss-up – you either commentate or you lead a club. You cannot be an outspoken critic one day and impartial commentator the next.
Lifeline 2: Ask the audience
The court of public opinion is a fickle beast. It is interesting to note that Collingwood’s year-to-date membership is down to 55,000 members, a huge drop from last year’s 75,000.
With the Pies’ season slipping away surely it is time to have a think about 2017 and play an expansive simplified game and see what the list has to offer? The fans want an exciting brand of football and to see the next generation take the game on. Think how the Dogs and Saints are exciting everyone again.
Lifeline 3: Phone a friend
I could be cheeky and suggest a line-up containing Jessica Rowe, Andrew Pridham, Mick Malthouse, Adam Goodes or Leon Cameron would be happy to assist. But the point is that his commentary on key issues is becoming erratic, irrelevant and boorish.
Think ‘boning’, think King Kong, think commentary on academies, or any other lambasting of any footy success in the northern states for that matter.
McGuire completely overlooks that Collingwood’s own recruitment top-up strategy (with the exception of Adam Treloar) includes luminaries such as Sydney’s Jessie White and Tony Armstrong (the irony), Jeremy Howe and Levi Greenwood.
These were players to build towards a next challenge. They had a huge plunder with two top-ten picks in both the 2013 and 2014 drafts, yet took Matt Scharenberg with six and Nathan Freeman at ten in 2013, and have Jordan De Goey (5) and Darcy Moore (9) from 2014. Moore and DeGoey have potential, the rest have been a disaster.
McGuire has found it very easy to criticise the teams who have had a recent armchair ride in the draft, like Greater Western Sydney, but let’s not forget Gold Coast were in a similar boat. The case study of those two clubs’ divergent recruiting strategies showcases that you still need top scouting, a strong club environment and a bit of luck – not necessarily high numbers in a draft to build a side.
McGuire’s choices over the 2016 season are a lot more complex than just framing around Millionaire lifelines – but I think now is the time for the Pies to get some new direction at board and coaching level. The Nathan Buckley-McGuire partnership is now symbiotic at Collingwood – one cannot live without the other.
The McGuire-Malthouse model was superb – powerful and intimidating. It combined the zen and the pugilist. Now we have a struggling coach, a spiralling team, questionable culture and a president who has been in the chair for 18 years and won one flag. Time to pass the baton to get Collingwood firing on the field again.
If I were Eddie, I’d take the guaranteed $32,000 and leave the show pondering the $64,000 question.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
The Collingwood member has been suspended for the rest of the season by the AFL after touching West Coast player Harvey Johnston during the…
Apart from one five-goal game, GWS forward Toby Greene has only kicked six goals from the other eight games. He's traditionally had success against the Western Bulldogs.
Speaking to Channel Nine, Collingwood supporter Justin Witcombe apologised for the incident with West Coast's Harvey Johnston that saw him banned for 12 months.
Bayley Fritsch should become an even more important player from a structural perspective, given key forward Jacob van Rooyen will be unavailable due to concussion.
The fan leaned over the fence at Marvel Stadium and touched West Coast youngster Harvey Johnston.
Tom Hawkins returns to familiar surroundings of Geelong - but is it the tonic he needs to regain some of his confidence back after a goalless four games.
