New Collingwood president Mark Korda is the anti-Eddie McGuire
Everything that you’re used to hearing and seeing from the president of Collingwood, box that up and erase it from your mind.
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He‘s the anti-Eddie and Mark Korda won’t be shying away from it.
Everything that you’re used to hearing and seeing from the president of Collingwood, box that up and erase it from your mind.
“If Eddie (McGuire) is a big pea, I’m going to be a small pea,” Korda says.
A quieter and calmer Collingwood is what can be expected under the leadership of Korda, the renowned corporate recovery specialist who for the past 14 years has been a part of McGuire’s board.
There will be no headlines, no gaffes, no chest-beating or fighting with the AFL, no commentary on anything to do with football or coach Nathan Buckley’s position.
If Korda had his way, he’d happily disappear from the spotlight following the initial flurry over his appointment and go about his business under the radar where he’s most comfortable.
“I have probably been the behind-the-scenes person making sure we’re financially stable and supporting Eddie,” he says.
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“Eddie is a unique individual even in Australia isn’t he? The legacy he’s left at Collingwood for the whole club is just terrific. I have seen it first hand and we should never forget that.
“I will be a bit like the ALDI ad, ‘Good Different’. I have three key attributes that I carry from (his company) KordaMentha, one of them is I’m able to take very complex things and make them simple for people.
“I‘m a collaborative person, that is the way KordaMentha is run and I’m also good at strategy and culture.”
His strategy early for the most pressing question at the Holden Centre – whether Buckley will be re-signed – is to defer to others.
New football boss Graham Wright and CEO Mark Anderson will be in charge of deciding whether Buckley’s reign finishes at the end of his 10th season.
“I‘ll rely on what Mark and Graham recommend to the board,” Korda says.
“When you’ve got the best people in place and the best processes in place, you end up with the right decision.”
The racism storm which ultimately led to McGuire‘s departure continues to haunt this administration with critics lining up to whack Korda given the club pledged to change, yet appointed someone from inside who is effectively part of the furniture.
He says he has more understanding now than he did previously and sees his most important move as president to implement the recommendations of the infamous ‘Do Better’ report.
“We are now well informed on a very complex issue and we have to make sure Collingwood is a safe place for everybody and hopefully what we do really helps the AFL and helps society move along,” Korda says.
“We think we will change and we will be a better club but we hope we can help others change as well.”
Korda’s love for Collingwood comes from his mother’s side whose family lived in Brunswick and followed the local team who wore black and white.
His favourite players growing up were full-forward Peter McKenna and the Richardson brothers, Max and Wayne.
“Now I’ve got three boys and five grandchildren who all barrack for Collingwood and my sons say it was the only good thing you did as a father,” he says.
He claims the club is united behind him despite reports of a board split with Peter Murphy, who acted with him as co-president, also coveting the job while there has been a late push from outside for former Channel 9 executive Jeff Browne.
“I‘ve spoken to Peter three times today already, there is no problem,” Korda says.
He calls himself a “conduit” between the past and the future and has only looked at being president for the next two years given he‘s up for re-election in 2023.
“I‘m doing this in the best interests of the Collingwood Football Club, I don’t need the profile, I have got my own very good business,” Korda says.
“I will do it and the idea is to continue to build a great club. We’ve had our challenges but I think we’ve covered it pretty well and I know everyone is calm at the club.”
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