Legacy of Collingwood president Eddie McGuire takes another hit
As the club president continues to come under the blowtorch for his response to Collingwood’s racism report, a former player says Eddie McGuire’s legacy is suffering.
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Eddie McGuire’s response to the report that found “systemic racism” at Collingwood threatens to tarnish his legacy at the Magpies, Carlton premiership player and ex-Adelaide assistant Scott Camporeale says.
But Camporeale reckons McGuire will see out the season as Collingwood president, as calls intensify for him to speed up his departure from the role.
McGuire had to apologise at the club’s AGM for opening a bizarre media conference, prompted by the Herald Sun revealing the contents of the explosive report, with the comment that it was a “historic and proud day” for the club.
It adds to McGuire’s infamous “King Kong” comment when talking about Adam Goodes after he was racially abused by a Pies supporter in 2013, while last year the Collingwood president said he was “proud” of how Steele Sidebottom reacted to his ban for breaching COVID-19 protocols.
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Camporeale said McGuire’s latest blunder didn’t sound great, even though he understood to an extent what the Pies president meant.
“He had some pride in his club that they put themselves through this report and absolutely find what the detail was and the damage was done,” he said on Grandstand SA.
“But how he said it was the issue.”
Camporeale said he believed McGuire would see out the year as president, but the events of the last week would have seriously hurt how he would be remembered.
“I think he will be around for the year, I think it is very hard and very difficult to find someone like him as a key stakeholder straight away,” he said.
“Absolutely (it will hurt McGuire’s legacy) he has been a personality for the game, a great leader for Collingwood in rebuilding their club and facilities.
“He has been a huge part of the AFL brand for so long.
“(But) he has had some pretty big slip ups in terms of what he has said politically, particularly in this environment that we live in.”
After the media conference by McGuire and other Collingwood leaders, Pies players released their own statement after being “humiliated and shocked” and shocked by the report — according to star defender Darcy Moore.
It adds to the furore from fans over getting rid of Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson during the trade period, while senior coach Nathan Buckley’s contract is up at season’s end.
Camporeale said if Collingwood started the season slowly then these issues would start to build pressure on the Pies.
“If Collingwood don’t get off to a good start, Treloar, Stephenson will be a reason, Buckley will be a reason,” he said.
“That is when we start hearing all the accusations around all the unsettling (at the club).”
LUMUMBA TICKS OFF AT BUCKLEY
Heritier Lumumba has ramped up his criticism of the Collingwood Football Club by taking a swipe at Magpie coach Nathan Buckley.
In a social media post on Friday, the 2010 premiership player asked whether Buckley stood by comments that he made regarding the culture at the Holden Centre.
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“A few months ago, Nathan Buckley sent me an email inviting me to come back to Collingwood to see ‘how much the club had changed’,” Lumumba wrote.
“Thanks Bucks — just want to know, do you still stand by these comments? Simple yes or no will do.”
Lumumba also criticised a public letter of apology issued by the Magpies collective playing group, saying it “feels like … a tool for damage control” by the club over its damning “Do Better” review into racism.
“I don’t doubt the sincerity of players when they say they are ashamed of staying silent and have been shocked by the contents of the leaked #CFCDoBetter report,” Lumumba wrote on Twitter.
“However, a few things should be noted.
“It’s strange that young players — who are not responsible for the administration and culture of the club – have issued an unconditional statement acknowledging harm when the management and leadership of the club have yet to do so.”
A few months ago, Nathan Buckley sent me an email inviting me to come back to Collingwood to see ‘how much the club had changed.’ Thanks Bucks - just want to know, do you still stand by these comments? Simple yes or no will do. @ncb_cfc
— Héritier Lumumba (@iamlumumba) February 5, 2021
https://t.co/ragl2fwWJ1
1/ My response to the recent letter from CollingwoodFC players:
— Héritier Lumumba (@iamlumumba) February 5, 2021
I don’t doubt the sincerity of players when they say they are ashamed of staying silent and have been shocked by the contents of the leaked #CFCDoBetter report. However, a few things should be noted:
President Eddie McGuire has been under pressure to resign following the leaking of the report on Monday that exposed “systemic racism” at Collingwood.
Following the united “apology” from the entire Magpie playing group, star midfielder and vice-captain Taylor Adams said they “felt ashamed” by the contents of the club’s review into racism.
“As a group of athletes, we were really disappointed by the findings in (the report) and of the treatment people had experienced inside the four walls of our sporting club,” Adams said on RSN.
“It didn’t sit well with us as athletes and we want action change off the back of it.”
■ SEE THE FULL REPORT: EXCLUSIVE DETAILS HERE
Collingwood AFLW coach Steve Symonds said on Friday he had spoken about the racism report with his players, who had strongly backed the “Sorry” statement.
“From a women’s football perspective in our club we’re the most inclusive group going around so we’re really focusing on that and we’ve got a nice little family going and we’re happy with that,” Symonds said.
“In my time here I’ve never seen anything of that occurrence. There’s nothing that’s been anything but positive here. It’s been a really great environment the two years I’ve been here.”
The Magpies’ past players group also issued a statement on Friday to “welcome the recent findings”.
A statement from our athletes.
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) February 4, 2021
The following letter has been written by the 150 footballers and netballers of Collingwood. pic.twitter.com/m6U0H3MooV
“We see this as a great opportunity to drive and support change throughout the club, the AFL industry and the community,” said Paul Tuddenham, president of the Collingwood Football Club’s Past Players’ Association.
“The Do Better report states that whilst much progress has been made there is much more to do to ensure the systems and processes are in place to be consistent in dealing with issues such as racism when they occur.
“We will be asking the board to ensure these structures are developed and implemented as a matter of urgency to give the support and education required to all our current players and staff.”
Sorry Pies felt ‘responsible’ through ‘silence’
Collingwood’s men’s and women’s players have released a powerful message of apology following the release of the club’s damning racism report earlier this week.
In an open letter on social media written by the “150 footballers and netballers of Collingwood”, the players opened with the message “Sorry”.
The Magpies’ players’ collective issued an apology to anyone who had been “hurt or discriminated against due to their race” through their association with the club.
After taking the time to digest the club’s Do Better report, the Magpies’ playing group said it felt “responsible for these injustices” through “our silence”.
Collingwood’s response to incidents of racism was laid bare in a 35-page report, which the Herald Sun published on Monday.
The report found “systemic racism” within the club that “must be addressed if things are to change”.
— Scott Pendlebury (@SP_10) February 4, 2021
The Magpies’ players said they would confront the club’s history, pledging to help create a club for the future that allowed all to “thrive, regardless of race”.
“Sorry. As athletes we are sorry to hurt anyone who, through their association with our club, has been marginalised, hurt or discriminated against due to their race,” the letter read.
“Through our silence, we feel responsible for these injustices. We acknowledge it is not enough to simply show support for the principles or anti-racism and inclusion.
“We will confront the history of our club in order to learn, heal and determine how best to walk forward together.
“Over the last 72 hours we have had the opportunity to digest the DO BETTER report. We also apologise to those members, fans and community who feel guilt and shame as a result of the systemic racism that has occurred within our organisation.
“To all the young people who dream about one day pulling on the black and white stripes, we pledge as athletes to continue to help create a club that allows ALL of us to thrive, regardless of race.”
Collingwood’s past players also issued a statement on Friday, saying they “welcome the recent findings” in the Do Better report.
In a statement issued by Paul Tuddenham on behalf of the Collingwood Football Club’s Past Players’ Association, the club’s former players said they would be asking to board to act on the findings in the report as a “matter of urgency”.
“We see this as a great opportunity to drive and support change throughout the club, the AFL industry and the community,” said Tuddenham, president of the Magpies’ past players’ association.
“The Do Better report states that whilst much progress has been made there is much more to do to ensure the systems and processes are in place to be consistent in dealing with issues such as racism when they occur. We will be asking the board to ensure these structures are developed and implemented as a matter of urgency to give the support and education required to all our current players and staff.
“For 128 years the Collingwood Football Club has strived to be a place for everyone to belong. The players who pull on the black and white stripes give to them and to each other physically, mentally and spiritually and continue to do so once their playing days are over. We have not and will not always get it right – we’d be arrogant and ignorant to think so. However, we strive to create an environment where every player – past and present – can feel proud of what they achieve at the club and have the support they need once they leave it.”
Collingwood star Darcy Moore said all the players at the club were in agreement they needed to respond to how they felt about the contents of the report.
“We put our heads together and we were absolutely in agreement with how we felt about the contents of the report and what it had to say about our club and our club’s history,” Moore said.
“We decided to put our heads together and write a letter to the public and say we need to do more and we are going to acknowledge our history. I can personally hand on heart guarantee that every word of this letter had been written by athletes at the Collingwood Football Club. It has been a difficult few days for us to digest, but I can personally guarantee that we put our feelings into words and that’s what everyone is reading right now.”
Moore denied the letter was in response to club president Eddie McGuire’s handling of the report’s release when he came under fire for labelling it a “proud day” for the club, before later apologising for his choice of words.
“This message is not about anything other than the issue at hand, which is the fact that a distinguished professor has published a report saying that our club historically has a problem with systemic racism,” Moore said on SEN.
“That’s why we have written what we have written. There is no other reason other than to say we acknowledge this history, we are going to take a good hard honest look at it and we are going to move forward.
“It has been well publicised how the press conference was received but, as I said, the purpose of this letter is about nothing more than the contents of that report.
‘It’s not about individuals, it’s not about personalities or anything else. It’s about what the report had to say and about us making our club better in the future.”
Moore said it had been important for players to use “sorry” as the opening word in the letter as it was their “first reaction from reading the contents of the report”.
He said the players would make sure they used their voice in the future to “make it a better club for the future”.
“It means … that if there was to be an incident in the future that we won’t sit by and just let it happen, we will speak up and use our voice,” Moore said.
“But it also means that the contents of this report has certain recommendations in it, all of which have been accepted by the authority figures at the Collingwood Football Club.
“We are going to use our voices to ensure that within the club, these actions are followed through with and that we are a part of this process.
“We’re not going to sit back and just let others take control, we are going to use our voice to make sure that this never happens again and we make it a better club in the future.
“We are not administrators, we are not strategists, we’re not pencil pushers, we are athletes and we have got a voice and we are going to make sure that the future makes for better reading than what that report did.”
Ruckman Brodie Grundy also posted the statement but added his own message, saying “the recent Do Better report which found systemic racism within the Collingwood Football Club was confronting and deeply disturbing”.
“It was important to sit in this feeling of discomfort and process it. I am committed to the tremendous road ahead in dismantling systemic racism,” Grundy wrote.
1/4 My sincere and unreserved apology to anyone who, through their association with our club, has been marginalised, hurt or discriminated against due to their race.
— Brodie Grundy (@brodiegrundy) February 4, 2021
The playing group signed off the letter, “faithfully”.
It ended with a note saying it had been endorsed and supported fully by the 120 staff of Collingwood.
LIFE AFTER EDDIE: PIES START SUCCESSION PLANNING
— Sam Landsberger
Collingwood’s nominations committee will meet this week to discuss applicants wanting to join the club’s board as it plans for life after Eddie McGuire.
The Magpies have vowed to headhunt key figures in the corporate world to reshape their board as their president’s tenure comes to a dramatic close at the end of 2021 – after 23 seasons at the helm.
The Pies boasted 76,862 paid-up members last year, but in reality it will be the current board that chooses McGuire’s successor under a largely in-house process that has become common at AFL clubs.
McGuire poured praise on the existing board members at Tuesday night’s annual general meeting and it seems likely that a current director will take the reins in 2022.
Entrepreneur Peter Murphy, who was elected two years ago, is considered an early contender, should he be willing to take on the added responsibility.
Murphy founded PAN Australian Group, is the global chair of Global Citizen and is also a trustee and chair of the Collingwood Football Club Foundation.
McGuire has two vice-presidents; Alex Waislitz and Mark Korda.
Waislitz has served under McGuire for his entire 23 years while Korda joined the board in 2007 and, together with Mark Mentha, founded advisory and investment firm KordaMentha in 2002.
Christine Holgate, Jodie Sizer and former midfielder Paul Licuria also sit on the current board.
“We’ll take on-board any applicants through (the nominations committee),” McGuire told the club’s AGM.
“We also have magnificent board members as you’ve seen tonight, all of whom could easily assume the position of the president of the Collingwood Football Club.
“So we’ve actually got an embarrassment of riches as far as great people to choose, and we’ll take our time in doing that and making sure the balance of the board is right and we have the right expertise coming in.”
Collingwood’s Reconciliation Action Plan committee met on Monday night after McGuire’s unfortunate attempt at spinning the club’s racism report, which was obtained by the Herald Sun.
Sizer said the committee acknowledged Collingwood’s board for “accepting the report in its entirety”, as well as the “deep hurt” brought by the conversations.
Murphy said it would prove a “wonderful pivotal moment” for the Pies, who have claimed they will endorse all 18 recommendations from the racism report.
“It’s a credit to the courage of Eddie’s leadership the courage of the board’s leadership to step into this and to look at it,” Murphy said.
The Magpies’ RAP states that the club has until this year to hit an employment target of 5 per cent for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders staff in non-identified roles across the business.
Under the ‘opportunity’ section on page 46, the document states: “Collingwood believe that a big part of creating sustainability includes the ability to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and businesses”.
The Magpies are the only AFL club without an Indigenous player on their 2021 list.
Retired midfielder Travis Varcoe left the club and has taken a coaching position at Western Bulldogs.
McGuire said it was crucial to assemble a hands-on board to relieve the financial pressures on chief executive Mark Anderson after the AFL slashed this year‘s soft cap from $9.7 million to $6.2 million.
Coach Nathan Buckley has lost Matthew Boyd (Fremantle) and Garry Hocking from his panel amid plenty of staff turnover in both the football and administration departments, although the Magpies did poach Graham Wright (Hawthorn) to lead their on-field program.
“It’s never been more vital for our board to actually get in and do extra things,” McGuire said.
“That’s why this year it’s been so fantastic to have the extra work and expertise of this voluntary board. A board which kicked in a fair bit of dough themselves this year.
“There’s a nominations committee that meets. We’ll also be going out into the corporate world and seeking people who we think are the right people to fill the positions as they become available.”
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