Nine journalist Sam McClure has revealed that he expects out-of-contract Magpies coach Nathan Buckley to receive a contract extension.
Pressure has been intense on Buckley amid Collingwood's dismal 2-7 start to the season, having lost six of their last seven games.
There has been wholesale changes at the Magpies over the last nine months - from the list, to the football boss and presidency.
And there could be more to come, with Jeff Browne expected to launch a challenge to be the Collingwood president in the coming weeks.
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However, speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Monday night, McClure said that he expects Buckley to remain at the helm given how many departures the club has endured and to not risk destabilising the playing group.
He added that the assistant coaching staff is expected to be turned over at season's end.
“The pressure clearly has been on Nathan Buckley and the team. I sit here tonight quite confident that he‘ll be coaching Collingwood in 2022,“ McClure said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.
“Graham Wright, who is the new football boss… has come into the club and seen quite a few problems, one of course being the list. We know that there‘s another challenge afoot with the presidency with Jeff Browne.
“The view internally at Collingwood is there is enough going on to destabilise the group, and that not much can be placed at the feet of Nathan Buckley.
“I think personally he will be extended. I think the assistant coaches currently under Nathan Buckley are unlikely to be there next year.”
"I sit here tonight quite confident that he'll be coaching Collingwood in 2022."@sam_mcclure believes Nathan Buckley will continue to coach the Magpies next season.#9FootyClassified | Watch @channel9 pic.twitter.com/dJPvMh18WP
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 17, 2021
Responding to McClure's report, Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes said he wasn't sure of the merit of signing Buckley on for another year, and if he does, expects the same speculation to mount around his future in 2022.
“I‘m not sure what we learn in one year,” he added.
“I see their list as not challenging next year, they need a mini-reset. What‘s going to change at Collingwood from where they are in one year?
“We‘re going to be sitting here this time next year possibly having the same discussion about Nathan Buckley."
Both the Magpies and Blues have been linked to Justin Leppitsch in a senior coaching assistant role for 2022, who has taken a year off from the game after helping guide Richmond to its last three premierships under Damien Hardwick.
Collingwood comes up against the fifth-placed Port Adelaide at the MCG this Sunday at 3.20pm AEST.
