"[It was] a bit more low key than I guess it would be come round one," Burns told AFL.com.au.

 

The return of Burns, 39, to Collingwood in October as an assistant coach brought a smile to the dials of Magpie romantics who remember him fondly from his 264 game, 14-season career as a player in the black and white.

 

But Burns, the assistant coach, is in a different business now – professional coaching – and in an environment virtually unrecognisable from his playing days.

 

Any romance that might have existed for others has long been replaced with a cool headed approach that suits Burns.

 

"I haven't come back as an ex-player. I've come back as a coach who is coaching at this football club," Burns said.

 

A different football manager, fitness manager, set of assistant coaches and playing list makes it a new football program.

 

Even Buckley, the senior coach, has inevitably changed during the five years Burns spent at the Eagles after retiring as a Collingwood player at the end of 2008.  

 

"He's [Buckley] formed certain philosophies that were probably different from when we played alongside each other. I'm still learning a lot of things in that regard," Burns said.

 

The two have a good relationship and think similarly – when Burns took over from Buckley as captain he joked that the only difference between him and the former skipper was that he might wear his socks down and not pull his shorts up to his ribcage – but it was more the depth of experience and talent within the football department than any friendship that convinced Burns to return.  

 

He guessed before he took the job that working alongside football manager Rodney Eade, senior assistant Robert Harvey and the other assistants, Matthew Lappin and Ben Hart, as well as the club's development coaches was going to add to his understanding of the game. Now he knows it will.

 

"There are lot of similar ideas and philosophies on how the game should be played but we've got some subtle differences as well," Burns said. "I'm not saying that we challenge each other but certainly points are brought up at times and we discuss things."

 

As midfield coach, Burns knew he would take over managing a core of elite players but he has also been impressed with the depth and variety of player in the midfield.

 

"I've been impressed with their ground level football, their contested football and their hands in close and when they have got a little bit of time and space with their kicks they have generally hit most of the targets too in the pre-season," Burns said.

 

In 2013, Collingwood averaged 54.9 inside 50s per game (fourth in the AFL) but only averaged 13.9 goals per game (seventh in the AFL) suggesting the forward line did not make the most of their opportunities.

 

However Burns said 29 scoring shots in the first NAB Challenge game against Geelong was encouraging in that regard. The Magpies also won the inside 50 count (55 to 51), clearances (45 to 35) and stoppages (26 to 22).

 

"There could be a whole host of reasons why things didn't work out as they would have liked offensively [in 2013]," Burns said. "If you just go by the first NAB round one … that side of it was pretty good [however] you want perfection. [There are] still areas we have to work on defensively."

 

The Magpies midfield runs deep and is constantly evolving.

 

Jamie Elliott added a new dimension at times at Simonds Stadium. Alex Fasolo returns on Saturday against Richmond and could get some time in the midfield once he has some match fitness. Taylor Adams is an obvious addition while Steele Sidebottom is ready to roll in that area. Ben Kennedy looked good in the first NAB Challenge match. The core remains Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Luke Ball and Dayne Beams.

 

"One of the strengths of Collingwood is that the outside [players] can go inside and the inside can go outside," Burns said.

 

It was Burns' strength as a player too.

 

But that time is behind him now, as is the valuable experience he gained at the Eagles. Any initial trepidation he had about returning to Collingwood was behind him too once he consulted some experienced football people he trusted who told him how much the place had changed.

 

This Saturday the Magpies take on Richmond at Wangaratta before heading to the Gold Coast for a training camp.

 

It will be another good test for the Magpies midfield against a team that finished higher than them in 2013 but has not beaten the Magpies since round 19, 2007.

 

During the week ahead the players will hear from a man whose basic philosophies on football have changed about as much as his haircut.

 

"[You've] got to win your own ball, retain it, and if you don't have it, win it back," Burns said.

 

He is a modern coach with a brain that ticks about football often but experience is teaching him what is necessary to impart and what is not:

 

"You can overcomplicate things at times. I'm not saying you dismiss the basics but you can certainly get caught up with trying to look for that one or two gold nuggets where the majority of time should be spent on the fundamentals of the game."