A former Collingwood club director says he believes Eddie McGuire realised there needed “to be a change” at the Magpies when he decided to stand down as club president.
Key points:
- McGuire will relinquish the Collingwood presidency in 2021
- Former director David Galbally says he is not surprised by McGuire’s decision
- Mr Galbally says it is time for a new leader who will generate new ideas
McGuire told a club member’s forum on Monday night he would step away from the role at the end of next season, ending a 23-year stint at the helm of the Magpies.
Lawyer David Galbally AM QC, who served on the club’s board from 1974 to 1983, was highly critical of the Magpies last month, arguing McGuire needed to step down.
He said the Magpies’ administration had “lost the plot” following the recent tumultuous trade period that saw the club offload key players to ease pressure on its salary cap.
In the wake on Monday night’s announcement, Galbally said McGuire had made a wise decision to step down as president.
“Eddie has been there for a very long time and I think he’s realised there needs to be a change,” he said.
“I think it’s important that there is a chain of individuals that can take over the club and help it develop over a period of time, otherwise we get to a situation where we have for too long the one person in control and we don’t really develop any new ideas because of that.”
Career full of highs and lows
McGuire, a veteran media personality and commentator, became so ubiquitous earlier in his career he was known as “Eddie Everywhere”.
He has had a long list of highlights and lowlights during his time in charge of the Magpies.
Having taken on the presidency in 1998 at the age of just 34, McGuire is credited with transforming a struggling club into a powerhouse, a process that culminated in the 2010 AFL premiership.
McGuire’s time as Magpies president, however, has not been without controversy.
In 2013 he apologised for an on-air radio gaffe in which he suggested Sydney Swans Indigenous star Adam Goodes should be used to promote the musical King Kong.
His comments came only days after Goodes was racially abused by a Collingwood supporter at a match at the MCG.
Three years later he issued another public apology for making a joke about drowning prominent AFL journalist Caroline Wilson.
McGuire has also attracted criticism for other performances in his Magpies and media roles.
Galbally said it was a “great tragedy” there were people in the community who wanted to have a shot at someone who was successful.
He said McGuire had become a target because of his success.
“If the person who’s successful makes the slightest mistake or error of judgment then everybody, those people love to get out their knives and have a go and see if they can put some holes in the back of that individual,” Galbally said.
“Eddie’s going to have his detractors because he’s been extremely successful but he’s tried very hard, without a doubt, to do the very best that he possibly could by Collingwood, as he has by the [Nine] Network.
“That’s the sort of individual he is: [He] throws himself in and gives himself or whoever he’s working for the very best of his being. That’s who he is. That’s Eddie.”
Collingwood 2010 premiership player Luke Ball said McGuire’s tenure was a testament to his passion for the club.
“That term ‘you bleed black and white’ gets thrown around a fair bit, but he was so driven by his love and passion for the club,” he said.
Ball said the attention McGuire attracted was part of constantly being in the media spotlight.
“It’s never phased him,” he said.
“That’s one thing I know for sure: If he has made a blue, he’s put his hand up and accepted it, and in a sense got back to work and tried to move on pretty quick from it.”
‘A really big fan’
Former Collingwood player Jaidyn Stephenson, who was critical of the way he was offloaded to North Melbourne amid the messy trade period, said he had a close relationship with McGuire during his time at the Magpies.
“I obviously knew Eddie pretty well and he’s been a very successful president for the last 23 years,” he said.
“I’m sure whatever he does in the future he’ll do well at, as he has with all things he’s done in the past, so I wish him all the best.”
Stephenson said he wanted to get in touch with McGuire at some stage following his announcement.
“Whenever he comes into the club he’s just like a really big fan,” Stephenson said.
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McGuire said the next 12 months would not be a “farewell tour” as the club searched for a replacement and established a “new era”.
“I have much to do before I hand on the baton,” McGuire told the Magpies members’ forum on Monday night.
“Together with my board and executive, we are set to announce significant landmark initiatives in the area of equality, the fight against racism, all types, to ensure Collingwood is a safe and welcoming environment for all people.”
Meanwhile, Collingwood is expected to hand down an internal investigation into allegations of racism from former player Héritier Lumumba.
