Collingwood is yet to re-sign Malthouse beyond this season, with former club champion and captain Nathan Buckley also in the mix to assume a coaching role at the club in 2010.
Malthouse admitted he had chatted with Buckley recently in a meeting “orchestrated through the club” but the Magpies coach was not prepared to discuss what the pair spoke about.
Media reports in recent weeks have suggested Collingwood plans to implement a succession plan, with Malthouse continuing in the senior job for another season or two – with Buckley as a senior assistant – before the Brownlow Medallist would assume the senior role.
Malthouse said he was unsure how far off a resolution was regarding the coaching position at the Lexus Centre, but gave little away when asked whether he would be comfortable with a hand-over scenario to Buckley.
“That’s that part of it that the club need to look at, address with my management,” he said.
However Malthouse spoke as candidly and openly as he has all season about the ongoing speculation.
Asked whether he was among those “wearing thin”, he said: “I think things can be done when they need to be done.”
The 55-year-old seems most intent on ensuring the debate doesn’t distract anyone at Collingwood from their task this season – winning matches of football.
“The last thing I want to do is have any conjecture about the coaching thing disrupt the football club and, in particular, the football division,” he said.
“My job is secondary to any concern to my staff. I’ve got a wonderful group of people in my section or in our section and I’ll go to bat for them or with them and they are inclusive of the playing group.
“We mustn’t allow anything from outside to distract the player group or the staff in getting the best out of this group on a week-to-week basis.
“So the last thing I’m going to be concerned about … is the conjecture about coaching.”
Malthouse was staunch in his support of all his football staff, who he suggested might be feeling pressure. Reports this week suggested Buckley could replace Collingwood VFL coach Gavin Brown in the job next season, something Malthouse agreed would be “very unsettling”.
“That’s the reassurance that I have got to give to a staff member, a good friend, a person who I have the highest regard for who has bled for this football club, who has captained this football club, who has played in a premiership at this football club, who would do anything for this football club,” he said.
“So the most important thing is respect and Gavin’s got to get and should demand and is getting the full respect of our division.”
The current coach, however, despite battling a winter flu, says he is uncertain how long his reign might go on. Although he feels he is performing as well as ever.
“I coach on a year-to-year basis … but I’m not about to say whether it’s one year, two years or three years,” he said.
“Outside of having a cough … I feel very, very good. I feel very comfortable in my job. I know I’m getting the best out of the players and getting the best out of myself.
“Now, does that stay for one year, two years, three years, five years? I can’t say that but I’m not about to declare that it’s going to be one or two years, when it could be five or six years. It could be six months.”
