The contenders to replace Eddie McGuire, who will stand down as Collingwood president at end of 2021 season
Three potential successors to Collingwood president Eddie McGuire have ruled themselves out for the position.
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Former Victorian premier John Brumby has ruled himself out as a contender to replace Eddie McGuire as Collingwood president.
Brumby, 67, was informally approached about his interest in joining the Magpies board but has declined because of business commitments.
“I’ve been a Pies supporter since I was six-years-old, I love the club and I love the team, and I’m very flattered that people thought of me, but I’ve got very heavy board commitments and for all of those reasons I’m not a contender,” Brumby told the Herald Sun.
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It comes as two other highly regarded possible candidates - newly re-elected Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp and property developer and former Magpie Paul Tuddenham - said they would not be seeking the Pies’ presidency.
The Magpies announced on Wednesday a net operating loss of $1.8 million in the COVID-affected 2020 season.
The club said total club revenues hit $47.5 million and 76,931 members remained loyal through the pandemic.
With gate revenue lost completely and other revenue sources severely diminished, the club’s revenue declined by 35 per cent or $25,894,325.
The club was able to retain cash reserves of over $8 million and has a net asset position of around $43 million.
Brumby, 67, is chancellor at La Trobe University and chairs the Fred Hollows Foundation, Citywide and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust.
He said McGuire had done the right thing by setting in train a succession plan.
“I’m a big believer in renewal,” Brumby said.
“Ed has done a mighty job, but for every organisation there comes a time for renewal and so this is it and it’s exactly the right thing for the club to get some renewal at chair level and renewal at board level.
“I think that is really crucial. But I think the club is in better shape than many of its critics will say. The recruiters have done well this year, despite all the controversy, they’ve done well with the draft picks and we’ll be a very competitive team in 2021.”
Asked who would make a good replacement for McGuire, Brumby said: “I’m not going into that, but what I will say is there are some really good people on the board and there are some good external candidates.
“That will be a process that they work through over the next year.”
Collingwood will cast the net wide in its search for Eddie McGuire’s successor.
Prominent businessman John Wylie, top player agent and 1990 Magpie premiership player Craig Kelly, president of Warner Music Australasia Dan Rosen, and former Collingwood player and now property developer Paul Tuddenham – son of Magpie great Des – have all been touted as potential replacements.
Long-time vice-president Mark Korda also has support, but some say he is too connected to the McGuire era after serving the past 13 seasons as a board member.
Capp, Collingwood’s first female director, who no longer serves on the board, had also been floated as a future president but the timing is not right for Capp as she was recently re-elected for four years to the city’s top job.
Kelly has previously spoken publicly about his desire to one day take on the Collingwood presidency, but his business interests and the fact that his son, Will, is an emerging Magpies player complicates his ability to fill the role.
While McGuire’s decision to walk at the end of 2021 after 23 seasons at the helm took many by surprise, it gives the club time and scope to identify and approach prospective candidates.
McGuire himself was a left-field choice when he swept to power on his 34th birthday in October 1998.
Long-time Collingwood lawyer Francis Galbally, who last month called on McGuire to put a succession plan in place by Round 1 next year and publicly declare his intention to vacate the presidency, said the Magpies’ boss had made the right decision.
“I was surprised, but it was clear that momentum was building,” Galbally said.
“When I spoke to many people, they all had the same view. They didn’t want to go public, which I respected, because they had children coming through and they had other occupations – but they also wanted Eddie to make the decision himself.
“It’s obvious that friends of Eddie’s would have discussed this with him. He’s made the right decision.
“He’s the best president Collingwood’s ever had – no doubt – but there had to be a transition period, I said that, and they’ve now got the transition period and they are going to look for a good leader, and there many people out there who are good leaders.”
But Galbally said McGuire was not the only Collingwood board member who needed to go.
“Renewal of the board is important as well,” he said.
“There are people who have been on the board for many years that need to consider their own positions. The club moves on. The club is bigger than any individual and Eddie made a fabulous emotional speech last night and any person who is a Collingwood fan through and through would be very proud of him.
“He did the thing that you have to do at the right time – and although a few of us called it a bit early, it was still his calling, and that was a good thing.”
Galbally was the Magpies’ honorary solicitor from 1976-94 and is a prominent Melbourne businessman.
His brother, David Galbally, AM QC – a former Magpies director – had also called for McGuire to walk as part of a major “clean out” of the club.
“In terms of growing the club, no-one has done it better than Eddie,” he said on Tuesday.
“The foundations of Collingwood are very solid thanks to him. He’ll go out now in the way in which he should go out.”
But David Galbally has backed Korda to take charge at the Holden Centre.
“I think Mark should take the reins,” he said.
“He’s been there, he knows the history of the club, he knows the finances and we need somebody who knows where the club has come from – not someone brand spanking new.”
Their father, the legendary lawyer Frank Galbally CBE, played six games for Collingwood and served on the club committee, while uncles Jack and Bob also pulled on the famous black and white strip.
Jack was vice president between 1951-62.
McGuire, 56, is Collingwood’s second longest-serving president in terms of seasons – and the third longest serving of all club presidents.
He has been president for a total of 513 games and in Round 3 next season will overtake Harry Curtis’ longstanding VFL-AFL record of having been president for a total of 515 games.
TEARFUL McGUIRE ANNOUNCES SHOCK PIES EXIT
– By Reece Homfray and Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Collingwood chief executive Mark Anderson says departing Magpies president Eddie McGuire will not only go down as a great of the club but also a “legend of the game”.
McGuire made the shock announcement that he would step down as president of the Pies at the end of 2021, a role that he has held since 1998, at Collingwood’s annual members’ forum online.
McGuire kept the bombshell close to his chest, only telling wife Carla and his two sons, with Anderson finding out the big change at the same time as the rest of the Pies faithful.
“I was listening to it like our members, with surprise and shock and just processing was I hearing what I was hearing,” he said on SEN.
“You could hear the passion in Eddie’s voice.
“Straight away we had a couple of drinks after it and had a good chance to chat.”
McGuire has juggled the Collingwood presidency with radio breakfast, at times attracting controversy for comments he has made.
Anderson said despite this McGuire’s legacy should be a shining one.
“Eddie is an absolute legend of the club and a legend of the game,” he said.
“His impact across our club in particular is immense.
“He has rebuilt our club and there is an amazing amount of success he has had with the club as well.
“(His legacies for Collingwood include) the building and relocation of Collingwood to the Holden Centre (Olympic Park) and to the MCG as our home ground.”
McGuire choked back tears while making the shock announcement he will stand down from the top job at the Magpies he has held since 1998.
McGuire plans to be involved in helping choose his successor but says there “has not been a Melbourne Cup field” of candidates in previous talks to find his replacement.
“Back in 1998 it was my time to stand up for our beloved Collingwood, instead of calling on others to do something for our club, they turned my way and I’m proud that I answered,” McGuire said.
“I have given everything I have to this position and now it is time for the club going forward, I will stand down at the end of next year and spend the rest of my time as president setting up a new era of Collingwood.
“I have given commitments to sponsors, governments and many people that I will remain at the helm in 2021 and do so with the responsibility of providing a smooth transition and a springboard into the future for our club in its senior leadership position.
“I had planned to make this announcement at the end of the year but Covid put paid to many finally laid plans, in conjunction with the change in direction of my media life and the timing of my son’s schooling ending, the time was right and future strong for our club for me to make this call.”
McGuire, 56, said he was confident of a smooth transition and the club was in strong shape despite the global pandemic stripping millions of dollars from the industry.
“Despite the ill-informed views of some, we have an active nominations committee … who meet to discuss skill sets required for our board and the identification of talent. It has been an interesting experience over the years speaking to many people, some no one have heard of and some have been floated from time to time about their availability for a position on the board and a possible succession of my presidency,” he said.
“As has been the case at most clubs including ours, there has not been a Melbourne Cup field for the position, many have shown an interest for when it suited, not necessarily when it suited us. As I said as a young man landing in this position in 1998, sometimes the position picks you
“I can assure you, there is never a perfect time to be a president of a football club and certainly not emerging from a pandemic.
“So I won’t be handing off a hospital handball, that is why I’m making this announcement tonight, to give interested parties or more to the point people we are interested in, time to get their affairs in order and for me and my board to have the opportunity of providing a Barack Obama style transition rather than a Donald Trump experience.
“The club is in great shape, we continue to evolve and push ourselves and I can assure you this will not be a farewell tour on my part. I am anxious to push reform, continue to build this club and win the premiership in 2021.
“So in the meantime it is business as usual, my passion, love and energy for Collingwood remains undiminished, my care for the competition remains deep and abiding.
“Before I stood up here tonight, only my wife and sons were privy to my decision as I wanted the people I represent – the members and supporters of the Collingwood Football Club to hear it from me directly.
“There will always be a reason to go on, another idea, another campaign, another battle, but in due course that will be with another president.
“So let’s look back on 2020 tonight, set the agenda for 2021 and get on with winning that flag … as always, may the Magpie flourish.”
McGuire said leading the fight against racism and developing facilities at the Holden Centre and Victoria Park were among his priorities next year.
“I have much to do before I hand on the baton, together with my board and executive we are set to announce significant landmark initiatives in the area of equality, the fight against racism to ensure Collingwood is a safe and welcoming environment for all people, and more on that in due course.
“We are finalising plans on our redevelopment of the Holden Centre and the building of Victoria Sports a world leading play in medicine, rehabilitation and concussion research and telehealth. It will give our players in all our codes access to the best research and development in these areas in conjunction with our partners.
“We are also pushing into grassroots development of sports and health. These plays will generate so many benefits for our club and the community, our women’s sports programs and renovations of Victoria Park continue.”
McGuire has been president of Collingwood since October 1998 and is easily the game’s longest serving current club boss.
Despite a devout following from the Magpie faithful over 22 years, he had come under heavy criticism this year following a disastrous trade period.
Former Magpies director and leading lawyer David Galbally, AM QC, who said McGuire’s time at the top was up.
Galbally told the Herald Sun last month: “You can be in charge of a club for far too long.
His brother and former Collingwood lawyer Francis Galbally followed up by telling the Herald Sun that “Eddie needs a succession plan in place and he needs to state publicly that he is going to go of his own making”.
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