MICK Malthouse has reaffirmed his commitment to serve his full three-year term as Collingwood's director of coaching from 2012.

Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, Malthouse said although it was a 'funny feeling' knowing he won't be coaching the club after this season, he is determined to make good on the contract he signed with Collingwood in 2009.

"The contract says, and I will be honouring the contract, two (years as senior coach) and three (years of director of coaching)," Malthouse said.

Part of that agreement will see him continuing his development of coach-in-waiting Nathan Buckley, a role he has already fulfilled with past and present senior AFL coaches Dean Laidley, Guy McKenna and Brad Scott.

The program mapped out for Buckley will see him become the assistant coach responsible for opposition analysis and planning, after spending 2010 as forward coach.

This role requires significant input into match committee, addressing the players at least once a week, match day analysis within the coaches box and consultation with the assistant coaches on a daily basis.

The role will complement Buckley's previous experience. As Malthouse said on Friday, there is not much he could teach Buckley - a Brownlow medallist and six times best and fairest winner - about the midfield.

On Saturday night Buckley will coach Collingwood in round one of the NAB Cup as part of a policy of allowing its assistants to coach a game in their own right during the pre-season series.

Malthouse did not hold back on his assessment of Buckley's capacity to move into the senior role.

"He's ready, don't worry - he's attacking the coaching like he attacked the playing. It wasn't a fluke that he was a great player," he said. "If it was you'd have reservations. It wasn't a fluke. His preparations as a player were first class."

All Malthouse's energies are directed towards the next eight months as Collingwood attempts to go back to back for the first time since 1935-1936. His main concern in relation to speculation surrounding his position as of next year is to ensure the issue does not affect the team's performance.

"We have got to minimise the distractions. We thought there might have been a few last year but we knew it would intensify this year because it is coming to the last year of the senior coaching contract.

"We can't control the press but what we have got to do is make sure our players don't let my situation interfere with trying to get themselves right for the year."

Despite the speculation and cynicism, history show that from the moment the decision was made in 2009, the Collingwood coach, his coach-in-waiting and the football club's leaders have shown they do as they say.

It's why the detail of the new position can be worked out according to the club's timetable. This will be done in consultation with the CEO, Gary Pert, when the time is right.

"We have got some broad ideas as to where it is going. I don't want to be a nuisance. I don't want to be in the way.

"I certainly want to be treated with enough respect for the position I have held in the football community and also the job that is at the football club. I don’t want to be put into something just for the sake of filling up time."

Malthouse believes all those requirements can be fulfilled in a new role that will represent the continuing evolution of coaching structures within AFL clubs. His comments show why the coach has been at the vanguard of those developments through a 27-year-coaching career.

"I don't coach. I think I manage…you have got to have people around you who you trust and who are on board."

And that is the basis for Malthouse's continued faith and insistence that his contract will be honoured, despite the cynics.

He expressed confidence in himself and the people around him, both personally and professionally. They are the same people that were alongside him when the negotiations took place in 2009.

He takes pride from the fact he was a key part of rebuilding the Collingwood culture to success both on and off the field. And he will take pride from moving on from the senior coaching position with the club and its list in much better shape then when he began with the Magpies.

Still the question keeps coming and the answer remains the same.

In case you were wondering below is a list of coaches who coached a flag but were not senior coach at the club the following season:
1988 Alan Joyce (Hawthorn) stepped down for Allan Jeans to return in 1989.

1979 Alex Jesaulenko (Carlton) crossed to St Kilda in 1980.

1976 John Kennedy (Hawthorn) stepped down at the end of the season and David Parkin took over in 1977.

1939-1941 "Checker" Hughes (Melbourne) coached 1939-41 flags, stepped down end of 1941. Returned to coach Melbourne in 1945.

1932 "Checker" Hughes (Richmond) crossed to Melbourne and coached them in 1933.

1931 Charlie Clymo (Geelong) never coached again.

1924 Syd Barker (Essendon) didn't coach Essendon again.

1909 Charlie Ricketts (Sth Melb) replaced by Bill Thomas in 1910.