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.

Eddie McGuire at Monday’s controversial press conference. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

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).”

MAGPIES ALREADY PLANNING FOR LIFE AFTER EDDIE

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.

Eddie McGuire leaving Collingwood’s AGM on Tuesday night. Picture: Wayne Taylor

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.

Collingwood board member Peter Murphy is also chair of the Magpies’ Integrity Committee. Picture: Getty Images

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.”