COLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGuire has maintained his position that Mick Malthouse will not be coaching against the Magpies in 2012.

But he has stopped short of declaring that Malthouse would remain at Collingwood next year and beyond amid speculation that the Magpies coach would leave the club after this season's finals campaign.

Senior Herald Sun football writer Mike Sheahan wrote on Friday that "Michael Malthouse won't be at the club next year - in any capacity."

"It's a decision that's understood to have been fixed in his mind for several weeks.

"It remains private to avoid any potential disruption to the club's 2011 premiership campaign."

McGuire attempted to hose down speculation of Malthouse's departure and the controversy that would cause on his Triple M radio program.

"Good story and it's good story to talk about, but it's not relevant until the end of the season," McGuire said.

"Mick's the coach, Bucks (Nathan Buckley) will be the coach next year. I'm anticipating that Mick will be there in the position of director of coaching. If, at the end of this campaign, Mick needs a break, then we'll consider that as we go. But he has a three-year contract with the football club and that's as much as I can say in a nutshell."

When pressed on whether Malthouse would be at Collingwood next season, McGuire said "I can guarantee he's got a contract. I'm confident about things."

"Nothing has changed. Mick Malthouse has a three-year contract with the Collingwood Football Club post this year. He knows very much at the moment what's in front of him and what the agreement is. He knows what the role is ... and as far as I'm concerned it's business as usual as regarded in the contract we announced two years ago.

"Always in life you've just got to let people settle and react on moments in time. This is a highly, highly emotional time. Mick will be close to exhausted. They all take their time, you don't make rash calls and people change their mind."