(Daniel Eade is a rabid Collingwood supporter and regular BPL contributor.)

Mick Malthouse enters his final season as coach of Collingwood on the back of the 2010 AFL premiership and an appearance in the upcoming NAB Cup Grand Final against a surprising Essendon outfit this Friday night.

The Magpies are the short priced favourite for the 2011 premiership, their dominance last year and strong pre-season form keeping them ahead of the pack.

In 2010, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire - as we know - put together a dream team in the coaches box, adding Nathan Buckley as an Magpies assistant coach, and then instituting a succession plan that would see Buckley promoted as the man in charge in 2012 season after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Malthouse.

The plan decreed that Malthouse would then become the director of coaching in a new role at the football club.

But now, with Malthouse possibly on the verge of winning consecutive premierships, regardless of what Friday night's result is, the waters have been muddied a bit. Hasn't Malthouse earned another year in the driver's seat for 2012? If Collingwood do win back-to-back premiership trophies, shouldn't Malthouse be rewarded with the chance to defend the crown as the club strives for a possible three-peat?

Buckley isn't going anywhere, so whether he begins his reign in 2012 or 2013 really wouldn't cause any harm to McGuire's succession plan. It would just delay it by one season.

I have total confidence in Buckley. In my opinion - and, yes, I am a Collingwood fan - he is the greatest footballer I have ever seen. His skills, desire, passion and obsession with his high standards were obvious to see when he played and will no doubt carry over when he is the head coach.

But putting Buckley in the spotlight as a team attempts to win three consecutive premierships (if indeed the Magpies are successful in 2012) might not be the ideal initiation for a new coach.

I believe the best option for the Magpies would be to extend Malthouse's contract for another year, and hold off on promoting Buckley for a season. Assuming, of course, Mick can go 'back to back' this year.

I believe this to be a fair trade off, and it will even give extra motivation for the Collingwood players, whom Malthouse refers to as "my boys", to play for the coach's career.

It's a great predicament for Collingwood and McGuire to be in, and a great problem to have, but with a chance of developing a dynasty now and in the immediate future, the Magpies are under pressure to deliver multiple premierships while that proverbial window is open.

And, as a proven premiership coach, Malthouse I believe should not be removed from the post of head coach while he is being successful. So let's put this succession plan on ice for a year - and sign Mick up now for 2012.