Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has spoken publicly for the first time since he stood down from the role last month.
His decision was tied to the leaking of the club’s ‘Do Better’ report into racism, which claimed the club had a problem with systemic racism.
McGuire raised eyebrows at a press conference following the leaking of the report, labelling it a “proud day” for the football club.
Speaking on Footy Classified, the 56-year-old laid out what was ahead for him now that he was no longer tied to Collingwood in an official capacity.
“The last thing I’m ever going to be is a rat on people at the Collingwood Football Club,” McGuire said.
“I’m done with it now, I’m finished. I’m no longer at the Collingwood Football Club. I’m a supporter. If I could be the fifth bloke on the bench on Friday night I would be.
“If I could sit in the crowd, I’ll do that. I’ll go quietly to the game and I’ll move out and let the Collingwood Football Club go on.
“It’s had greater people at the football club than me and it’s survived and prospered. I’d like to think people looked back and say there are things that didn’t go right, but in 23 years, I’ve seen out a few prime ministers and premiers through that time, people make mistakes. We are in good health.”
When asked about his press conference comments and the ‘Do Better’ report in general, McGuire said “people took what I said the wrong way”.
“I suppose this is the thing, I’ve thought long and hard about this. How did I miss this? How did I muck this up? How did people take it the wrong way?
“Clearly what I was saying was for 12 months we had been working on this report, it is something that is a big part of my life, everyone in football’s life. We hate racism. We are working so hard on equality.
“Whether you get done for a misstep in a press conference, that’s neither here nor there. The point of the situation was I was very proud that we had taken the step, a step that no one else has done.
“There has been issues and mistakes made over the journey.”
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And on his decision to step aside from the club, despite earlier revealing he would retire at the end of 2021, McGuire said he wanted to take the spotlight off of Collingwood.
“I thought it is going to be better if I get out of here and resign, give the club fresh and clear air to do things and that’s why I resigned. Simple as that,” he said.
“I looked at it and I thought it is too much of a lightning rod. I want to do the right thing. My whole life has been dedicated to promulgating the great things of AFL football and the Collingwood Football Club.”
