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'Stupid things': Eddie McGuire's heated clash over 'debacle' claim

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·3-min read
Eddie McGuire (pictured right) pointing and arguing with Footy Classified host Sam McLure (pictured left) on TV.
Eddie McGuire (pictured right) fired up and defended Collingwood over the list management after Footy Classified host Sam McLure (pictured left) called it a 'debacle'. (Images: Footy Classified)

Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has blasted his critics over claims his former club's pre-season was a 'debacle'.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has been under pressure to start the 2021 season with a hard-hitting report from Fox Footy's Tom Morris on Tuesday, which suggested he was struggling to maintain authority among the playing group.

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Under then president McGuire, Collingwood also came under fire in pre-season after decisions to move on Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs), Jaidyn Stephenson (North Melbourne) and Tom Phillips (Hawthorn) to alleviate pressure on the salary cap.

McGuire also stood down as long-time president following the 'Do Better' report, which revealed systemic racism within the club.

This prompted Footy Classified host Sam McLure to claim there were many other issues, outside of Buckley's control, which added up to Collingwood's issues.

McLure pointed to the list management and claimed it had been a 'debacle' in recent years.

Eddie McGuire fires up over 'debacle' claim

This prompted an angry response from McGuire after a back-and-forth with McLure.

"But, “debacle”? How can you say it’s a debacle?" McGuire said.

McLure said: "Eddie, you had to trade Adam Treloar, one of your best players."

Before McGuire hit back: "That’s now. But it wasn’t a debacle to get to a Grand Final and get within a kick of winning it."

McLure said things had changed since the 2018 Grand Final, when McGuire fired up/

"That’s that list. Now it’s a new one. Now you can have decisions going forward. It’s not a “debacle”, that’s a throwaway line," McGuire said.

"I get sick of people just making things up and just saying stupid things. They were things that were done."

Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd then told McGuire the 2020 trade period was 'embarrassing" for Collingwood, which was under McGuire's watch.

This prompted one last shot from McGuire.

Magpies head coach Nathan Buckley talks to his players during the round four AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 10, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia.
Magpies head coach Nathan Buckley talks to his players during the round four AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 10, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“I will cop that it’s untidy and at the moment, they need to win a game this weekend. But I’m jack of people saying ‘it’s a debacle’ and carrying on.”

Collingwood will draw on last year's elimination final triumph against West Coast as they attempt to deliver another backs-to-the-wall performance in Perth to reinvigorate their stuttering AFL season.

The Magpies sit 1-3 after they slumped to an upset loss to Greater Western Sydney in round four, while vice-captain Taylor Adams (knee) and forward Jamie Elliott (fibula) are both on the sidelines for an extended period.

Coach Nathan Buckley conceded there was a question mark over Collingwood's "winning intent" and "edge" in the opening month while they needed to quickly address "ebbs and flows" in their contested-ball work.

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