COLLINGWOOD has officially announced Rodney Eade will stay on as its director of football.

The 55-year-old former Sydney Swan and Western Bulldogs coach has all but called time on pursuing another senior coaching role, turning his back on Melbourne and its vacant coaching position.


Eade took charge of the Magpies' football department following the sudden departure of Geoff Walsh in July, and his appointment was confirmed on Sunday morning.

After two years as the Magpies coaching strategist, he said he considered other options, including a return to senior coaching, before taking the director of football role.

"I suppose you ask yourself how you want to make a contribution," Eade said.

"Coaching again was certainly something I seriously thought about.

"A part of me will always see the game through the eyes of a coach but the longer I thought about it, the idea of being able to offer assistance to ‘Bucks’ (coach Nathan Buckley) in that way, but in so many other ways as well, became appealing."

Eade coached a total of 314 senior games at the Bulldogs and Swans.

Before that, he played a total of 259 games for Hawthorn and the Brisbane Bears, playing in four premierships with the Hawks.