The Malthouse Solution | Thebigtip

Is there a solution to the whole Mick Malthouse debacle? I believe I have a win-win-win solution, but will the powers to be agree with me?

There are three parties to be considered here. The first is Mick Malthouse, the second is Collingwood and the third is Melbourne. How can all three parties benefit?

What does Mick Malthouse want for next year? He wants to be a senior coach. He is resigned to the fact that he will not be coaching Collingwood so the only possibility is for him to be coaching a different football club. My solution will have him in a senior coaching position.

What does Collingwood want? They want Malthouse in a role above Buckley, however they also realise that this probably won’t work as Buckley wants to take the club in his own direction. Malthouse is under contract, they don’t want him coaching at another club at their own detriment. My solution will see Collingwood compensated for losing Malthouse before his contract ends.

What does Melbourne want? They want the best coach available to take over and lead them to glory within the next five years. Who is the best person available? Malthouse of course. Could it be possible that this could happen, in my solution it does.

So what is this solution that could possibly benefit all three parties? It’s quite simple really; Collingwood need to 'trade' Malthouse. Trade a coach, are you serious? Have you lost your mind? Has this happened before? It hasn’t happened in the AFL but in the land of the NFL, where the AFL borrowed the draft and soon to be free agency, it has happened. The highest profile example was in 2002 when Tampa Bay gave two first round & two second round draft picks plus $8 million in cash to Oakland for Jon Gruden. In that same year Gruden lead the Tampa Bay franchise to a Super Bowl victory (defeating his old team, Oakland!).

Is this completely above board in the AFL? I don’t know. If it is, it should be pretty straight forward - Melbourne give up a draft pick  say their second round pick for Malthouse. Malthouse gets to coach, Melbourne gets the coach they want and Collingwood get a young player to help stretch open their premiership window.  Collingwood also have a happy Buckley who not only doesn’t have the old coach looking over his shoulder, but a better draft to help mould his team.

If it isn’t totally above board there must be a way around it. Melbourne could offer a second round pick for Leigh Brown on the proviso Malthouse can coach in 2012 and not be forced to sit out a year, as reported in most main stream newspapers.

It’s simple, it’s possible, but could it happen? Malthouse may feel insulted with ‘only’ being worth a second round pick, but it may inspire him to follow in Gruden’s footsteps and take Melbourne to a premiership victory, defeating Collingwood in the Grand Final.