Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert has admitted to disappointment about how coach Mick Malthouse handled the explosive television interview on his AFL future.

Pert said the much-discussed interview on Channel Nine's The Footy Show last Thursday night had confused the issue.

At the end of this season, assistant coach Nathan Buckley will take over from Malthouse in a succession plan negotiated two years ago.

Malthouse's role is yet to be defined and he said on Thursday night there is a slight chance he could leave Collingwood at the end of the year.

The three-time premiership coach is likely to be in hot demand from other clubs.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said a meeting at the club on Friday afternoon regarding Malthouse's role, scheduled well before the Footy Show interview, had gone well.

But Pert said the Thursday night interview had muddied the waters.

"We all know him and love him, but he's playing games with Sam (interviewer Sam Newman) and Sam's playing games with him," Pert told Triple M.

"I know what's going on and by the end of the interview, I was confused, it was going around in circles.

"They're all playing games with each other."

Asked if Malthouse could have cleared up the issue during the interview, Pert replied: "that's the disappointing thing from my perspective."

McGuire was more diplomatic on Saturday, saying the Friday meeting had started as a "frank" discussion and had gone well.

"Bucks desperately wants him to stay at the club, told him so yesterday," McGuire told SEN.

"Just as equally important, Mick had to say to Nathan Buckley that he was prepared to support him.

"It was a big meeting and it's an ongoing one."

Commenting on the Thursday night interview, McGuire added: "my reaction was it was one of the most honest and revealing interviews I've seen Mick (do) - it was a stream of consciousness.

"I learnt some things from it."

Friday was a tumultuous day for the reigning premiers, with defender Heath Shaw suspended for eight games and fined $20,000 after being caught gambling on the AFL.

Captain Nick Maxwell was also fined $5000 for a minor betting offence.

Three years ago, Shaw was on his last chance when the club suspended him for lying about a drink-driving incident.

But Collingwood have made it clear that Shaw has regained credibility since that controversy.

"His last two years, he has grown as a person, he has shown character, he has shown integrity," McGuire said.

"He copped his whack yesterday - had he lied, had he bet against the club, had he been involved in leaking to a bookmaker, there wouldn't have been any fines, it would have been all over.

"The AFL did it beautifully - they got the information, they investigated ... we support the AFL totally."

But McGuire said Shaw had to learn his lesson.

"He knew he shouldn't have done it," McGuire said.

"He must learn, as do so many people in life, that you must stand by your own actions and don't tumble in.

"This wasn't Lex Luthor at work, no."

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