Collingwood great Tony Shaw has urged his former club to look at how Richmond responded when Damien Hardwick was under pressure as they look to appoint a new coach.
It was announced on Wednesday that Nathan Buckley and the club will part ways after their Queen’s Birthday game against Melbourne on Monday in a decision that shocked the football world.
Speaking for the first time since Buckley’s departure was announced, Shaw wants to see his former club aligned in all areas to make a decision he describes as one of the biggest they’ve had in recent years.
Shaw said he wanted to see the best person for the job appointed, not necessarily the biggest name.
“(Go after) everybody and I don’t fall into that trap of getting a big name just because they’re a big name,” he said on Sportsday.
“This is probably above the coaching, what’s happening with the board and the change in the football department, we need everything together.
“I would go back and look how (Richmond CEO) Brendon Gale, (President) Peggy O’Neal and what Richmond did what they did when their coach was under pressure – they said we were going to do this together and we’re going to be upfront with everyone.
“I don’t care who you put in (the position), every coach would know what the game is about. Sam Mitchell would know what the game is about, but he hasn’t been in the position of senior coach before and hasn't experienced the different pressures that come.
“I don’t think there would be any person on this earth who has the answer, we just need someone who has a plan and genuine knowledge of how the game is played.
“That is a massive decision for our footy club, it becomes more than just about the coach. The coach has to embrace the board; the board needs to embrace the coach and the football department.
“This is one of the biggest decisions Collingwood has had for a long period of time.”