Collingwood coach Craig McRae played a straight bat when quizzed about the future of chief executive Craig Kelly amid reports he is planning his exit.
Kelly joined the Pies, the club he won a premiership with in 1990, ahead of the 2023 season.
Kelly wasn't in attendance of Monday's King's Birthday, travelling overseas to celebrate his 60th birthday.
“The reports are the reports … at some stage, we've all got to choose to leave if we get that chance. Senior coaches don't often get a choice,” McRae said.
“The senior leaders in that department have done it before … (former CEO) Graham Wright had an intention to leave and at some stage, Ned (Kelly) will have an intention to leave.
“Do you leave abruptly and open the door and exit? That's not his style.
“At some stage, I don't know what his contract status is, but at some stage he'll choose to do that and we'll have other people in place for his exit. We're very aligned at the moment, our whole leadership department … in where we're going and what we're doing. He's doing a great job.”
McRae denied further comments, saying Kelly can speak on his own behalf about his future.
The Pies have already been linked to Fremantle's CEO Simon Garlick.
Garlick has led the Dockers since October 2019 after a four-year stint at the Western Bulldogs in the same role.
