Collingwood commissions external review of entire club

UPDATE: EDDIE McGuire says the strategic review of the entire club’s operations will help the Magpies grow into the future.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and coach Nathan Buckley. Picture: Getty Images

COLLINGWOOD has commissioned a strategic review of its entire club operations to help achieve its on and off-field goals.

The Magpies have appointed experienced businessman Peter Murphy to lead the examination of every department, including the men’s and women’s football setups and netball division.

The “strategic blueprint” could form part of the end-of-season analysis of Collingwood’s coaching staff.

MENTAL HEALTH: FASOLO SEEKS HELP FOR DEPRESSION

OWN GOALS: MAGPIES CAN REMEDY ACCURACY WOES

Magpies president Eddie McGuire today revealed a separate review would “go through” the football department and performance, including out-of-contract senior coach Nathan Buckley.

“We are going to have a full review also of the football department,” McGuire told Triple M.

“What are the type of coaches we need going forward. Where is football going?

“We got the boxes on the board if you like, who’s in them. Who are the people? What are the skillsets required?

“What we’re doing actually is just stripping the place back.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and coach Nathan Buckley. Picture: Getty Images

This is the fourth full-scale review into club operations during the McGuire era.

“We have now got a lot of things that weren’t even in existence 12 months ago,” McGuire said of the club’s investment in women’s sport.

“We have to look at infrastructure right around Victoria for the explosion of women’s football and what that means.

“Also, just the changing face of football itself ... just where we go with all areas of the football side and then the business side it just changes all the time — whether poker machines are part of your going forward.”

The club’s sponsorship markets and infrastructure plans at the Holden Centre will come under the microscope.

“It’s a very good time to sit through and look at your business model,” McGuire said.

“Some areas of our business that we were driving full steam ahead on have now stopped so we need to go to a different position.

“We’re going to go through board, football department ... everything.”

McGuire said the review would provide clear guidance on how the club could continue to grow over the next decade and specifically combat the league’s equalisation taxes.

“This blueprint will serve as a top-to-bottom guide for the next phase of our club’s great journey,” McGuire said.

“It will unlock further enormous potential and help to neutralise the encroaching impact of AFL equalisation policies.”

Murphy is the executive chairman of anti-poverty project Global Citizen and founder of Pan Group Australia.

He has been working with the Magpies board as a consultant in recent times and is involved in the club’s foundation.

Murphy will draw on external expertise including Chris Thomas, the former managing partner of global executive search firm Egon Zehnder.