EDS: Changes keyword back to AFL Magpies from AFL Dockers

By Sam Lienert

MELBOURNE, Aug 27 AAP - Four-time AFL premiership coach Leigh Matthews believes there is still a chance Nathan Buckley will decide to let Mick Malthouse remain at the Collingwood helm next season.

While the Magpies deal struck two years ago has Buckley due to replace Malthouse, who is contracted to stay on as director of coaching, Matthews said it would be better for the AFL club if Malthouse remained head coach.

Matthews, who coached Collingwood to their 1990 flag, as well as guiding Brisbane to the 2001-03 premierships, said Buckley might also come to that realisation, if Malthouse took the Magpies to back-to-back flags this season.

"No one would have even thought about this, I'm talking deliberately not thought about it, Bucks might have in the recesses of his mind," Matthews said on Melbourne's 3AW.

"But if Collingwood win the grand final, they've won two in a row, Mick's coached the two in a row. I think there's every possibility, and it would have to be initiated by Bucks, to say 'I know I've got the right to take over, but I'm not sure whether this is the right thing given the circumstances that apply'.

"But it's only one of those things that would ever apply if the grand final was won.

"Even then, it might not happen, but I think there's some chance of that."

Matthews said while he held Buckley in high regard, it was remarkable that Collingwood were about to force aside a proven successful coach for one that had never done the job.

He said while it was a reasonable decision when it was made, it was no longer the best move for the Magpies.

"If we said what's best for the Collingwood Football Club in 2012, it's status quo," he said.

Matthews' comments come amid strong speculation Malthouse will not take up the director of coaching post and not be with the Magpies in any capacity next season.

Malthouse did nothing to dampen the speculation, when he refused to comment on the topic in his post-match media conference after Collingwood's win over Fremantle on Friday night.

"I'm not going to answer anything to do with rumours," Malthouse said.

Matthews said it had always seemed unsustainable to keep Malthouse at Collingwood, while Buckley took over his job.

"Human nature doesn't allow that to happen. It's too big an impost on people's emotions to think you could do that," he said.

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