Collingwood coaching race: Sam Mitchell pulls out of process to replace Nathan Buckley

A renowned assistant coach has pulled out of the race to replace Nathan Buckley. See who remains in the hunt for the top job.

Sam Mitchell, one of the AFL’s leading coaches-in-waiting, has pulled out of Collingwood’s hunt for a new coach.

The Brownlow Medallist, four-time premiership champion and current coach of Box Hill Hawks informed the Magpies on Monday that he won’t be a part of the process to replace Nathan Buckley.

The highly-rated Mitchell had been considered one of the leading candidates for the vacant position, with the Magpies seeking to speak with him after Buckley’s departure following the club’s Queen’s Birthday victory over Melbourne.

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Hawthorn assistant coach Sam Mitchell has pulled out of the race for Collingwoods’s vacant role. Picture: AAP

But sources close to the club confirmed Mitchell told them he won’t be seeking the role.

Mitchell, 38, has long been seen as a possible replacement at Hawthorn should four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson call time on his remarkable career at the club.

Clarkson remains contracted to the Hawks until the end of next year and has continually said he plans to honour that commitment as the club works on a rebuild.

But it is not known whether Clarkson – who has coached the Hawks since 2005 – intends to coach on beyond the end of his current deal, which could potentially pave the way for Mitchell to succeed him at some stage.

Collingwood’s search for a new coach is still considered to be in its infancy, with 2010 premiership player Luke Ball added to the five-man coaching subcommittee late last week.

The other members of the subcommittee are football boss Graham Wright, board members Paul Licuria and Peter Murphy and chief executive Mark Anderson.

Licuria told News Limited recently the club would embark on the most extensive coaching search in its history, insisting they would chase the best candidate, not necessarily the biggest name.

Collingwood is searching for Nathan Buckley’s replacement. Picture: Phil Hillyard

There have been two distinctive schools of thought in regard to the next Magpies’ coach – whether to look at a first-timer from among a group of well-regarded assistant coaches including Mitchell (who has now withdrawn), Adem Yze and Adam Kingsley, or whether to appoint an experienced former AFL coach such as Mark Williams, Ross Lyon or Don Pyke.

Long-time assistant coach Robert Harvey will act as caretaker coach until the end of this season.

It is understood Williams has had some support within the club, but sources suggest the club is still a long way from being in a position to name Buckley’s long-term successor.

Collingwood’s last premiership coach Mick Malthouse gave Williams, 62, a ringing endorsement in his Sunday Herald Sun column last month.

“My No.1 candidate is Mark Williams,” Malthouse wrote. “A premiership coach at Port Adelaide and a former Collingwood captain, it’s a no-brainer.”

“He is having a massive impact at Melbourne, after doing the same at Richmond, and he helped to steer the development of Greater Western Sydney in its infancy.”

Originally published as Collingwood coaching race: Sam Mitchell pulls out of process to replace Nathan Buckley