As Collingwood look for its next senior head coach, it appears that Alastair Clarkson has been ruled out of the list of potential candidates after talks with the current Hawthorn coach failed to pass preliminary discussions.
The Age have reported that Magpies football boss and former Hawthorn general manager Graham Wright reached out to Clarkson's management, with Wright told Clarkson would see out his current contract until the end of 2022 when Sam Mitchell will take the reigns from there.
Speaking withย The Herald Sun, James Henderson, Clarkson's manager, confirmed that Wright had opened talks in regards to Clarkson's future.
It is understood that the Magpies suspected that Clarkson would decline the offer to coach Collingwood, given his current situation at Hawthorn, but still reached out to him as a possibility.
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Recent reports revealed that current Port Adelaide assistant Michael Voss and Richmond assistant Adam Kingsley had been interviewed for the head coaching gig at Collingwood.
Speaking on Fox Footy, reporter Jon Ralph gave an update on how the job hunt is taking shape, and who is fading from contention, referring to former Adelaide Crows head coach and current Sydney Swans assistant coach Don Pyke as a "resounding favourite" for the job.
"Adam Kingsley has presented really well. So many of these coaches or coaches in waiting have had at least a couple of discussions with them," Ralph told Fox Footy.
"His (Pykeโs) referees at Sydney, absolutely off the charts there. Kingsley has been impressive, โVossyโ has probably faded from contention."
The other candidates who round out the list for the head coaching role include Craig McRae, Blake Caracella, Adam Yze, Brad Scott, Mark Williams and Justin Leppitsch.
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Graham Wright has had many conversations with each candidate and isn't concerned about what level of experience the next senior coach at Collingwood will have.
"In the end we want the best person to lead the Collingwood Football Club into the future," Wright explained toย 7 News.
"That person through this process should jump up for us but weโre really confident that weโll get a real high-quality person."
Current interim coach at Collingwood Robert Harvey will continue to coach the side for the rest of the season before Wright and the Pies make their decision.
Collingwood currently sit 16th on the ladder and host the West Coast Eagles on Saturday at the MCG.
