'It's embarrassing': Eddie McGuire torched over 'indefensible' claim

Eddie McGuire has been called out over Collingwood's 'debacle' of a trade period last year after the former president defended the club in a fiery TV clash.

Last week, Footy Classified's Sam McLure took aim at Collingwood's list management and claimed it had been a 'debacle' in recent years.

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This prompted an angry response from McGuire, which sparked a back-and-forth with McLure as he defended Collingwood's trade period.

But on Monday, Footy Classified host Craig Hutchinson has taken aim at McGuire and slapped down claims the media "whipped things into a frenzy".

“Now, it’s wonderful that he wants to defend the indefensible. It’s been a great trait of his leadership at Collingwood, and no doubt it’s sorely missed at the moment with two largely silent co-presidents,” Hutchinson said on Footy Classified.

“But surely that reference from Eddie last week is the last time we see a clumsy attempt from anyone, current or former at Collingwood, to defend the absolutely indefensible trade period of Collingwood last year."

Hutchinson then went on to defend Trade Radio, which his business runs, after McGuire blamed it for the "frenzy".

“It was a debacle and no amount of spin can take away from it. It’s the fourth time that I’ve heard Eddie suggest it was Trade Radio or the media at fault and I know there’s admiration at the heart of that, but it needs to be the end of it," he added.

Hutchinson said both fans and the media had called the Pies out for a mess of a trade period of their own making.

McGuire defends Collingwood

Under then president McGuire, Collingwood 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.

Last week he defended the decisions when McLure questioned him.

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

"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."

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