AFL legend Leigh Matthews has thrown his support behind Craig McRae’s bid to become Collingwood’s new coach, labelling his former Brisbane charge as a modern-day leader.
McRae, who Matthews coached during the Lions’ golden era in the early 2000s, has emerged as the favourite to replace the position vacated by Magpies great Nathan Buckley.
Robert Harvey has been Collingwood’s caretaker coach since Buckley departed in June, but McRae is well placed to take on the job full-time after former Adelaide mentor Don Pyke pulled out of the race this week.
Four-time premiership coach Matthews believes McRae, 47, has served a strong apprenticeship and would be an inspired choice to lead Collingwood through their rebuild.
“The school teacher training is good training now for any kind of management type of role,” Matthews told 3AW.
“If you’d asked me when ‘Fly’ (McRae) was in his 20s would Fly be a senior coach one day, I would have said probably not.
“There’s about half a dozen players I could name before that.
“That type of personality seems to be more the type of personality that helps you be a good coach in this era.
“A lot of the things that make you an alpha male champion player are just things that are of no value – they’re almost negatives – when you become a senior coach.
“I think Fly is a coach of the modern era in his general personality.”
McRae played 195 AFL games, featuring in all three Lions grand final wins between 2001 and 2003, before retiring after the 2004 season.
He has served in assistant coaching gigs with the Magpies, Richmond, and currently Hawthorn.
Jimmy Woods
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I just thought he was being honest & if he did take a Mitchell style offer then who could really blame him. I would hate it but he is spot on to make clear he needs to at least learn to coach elsewhere, cautionary tale for Bux, Shaw, The Weed etc. God I hope they sort this board crap out, land a decent coach & get on with it.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Captain is frustrated with the mess too but was either naughty or clumsy and forced to retract.
Jimmy Woods
Roar Rookie
What a mess, the board, the prez, the coach, even the captain. If McRae wants it then sign him up & let him pick his team of coaches & players.
adhitya0710
Roar Rookie
Logically speaking, that is what should be done, get the coach first. But but but, it is Collingwood!
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Chris, Williams is seen as too volatile a character and too much of a loose cannon when the club is crying out for stability.
Chris
Guest
The delisting process should take place forthwith. I would entrust that process to Graham Wright and Robert Harvey without a second thought. As regards the new coach to be appointed, there seems to be a lot of chopping and changing. Why not appoint Mark Williams to get things rolling instead of opting for McRae, Kingsley, Voss etc. The solid no-nonsense appointment is staring the selection committee right in the face and they seem to be ignoring it. Please get Choco in and let's stop messing around. This will also give us the opportunity of making a decent long term choice in a couple of years time.
HFF
Guest
Collingwood should name the coach immediately so that he can have a say in which players are kept and which players are shown the door.