Former Collingwood captain comments on suitability for head coaching role

Former Collingwood captain and current Adelaide assistant coach Scott Burns says he’s as happy as he’s ever been in his current role amid speculation, he could potentially be a candidate to become the Pies’ next senior coach.

Collingwood is currently searching for Nathan Buckley’s replacement after his coaching tenure came to an end following the club’s win over Melbourne on Queen’s Birthday.

Burns, who played 265 games for Collingwood, has gone on to work at several clubs – including the Pies – as an assistant coach since retiring at the end of 2008.

When asked whether he’d consider himself a candidate for the highly-coveted role, Burns said he was intent on seeing things through at Adelaide after holding similar regrets he left West Coast just prior to their premiership in 2018.

“I made the decision to come back (to Adelaide) 12 months ago and I’m loving it,” he said on SEN SA Drive.

“I’m really enjoying working the young group and the coaching group here, I’ve been around a bit and worked under some great coaches and seen different things.

“Where I’m at right now, I’m as content as I’ve ever been.

“One of the regrets I have in my coaching journey is I probably didn't see (things) out at West Coast, we had some family reasons to get back to Melbourne at that point.

“West Coast landed up getting some success a few years later (after I left), I look back at that and think I’d love that here at Adelaide and to see it out with (Matthew Nicks) and the (other) coaches.

“The younger players are coming through and maybe get a few of those older players to hold on, I know they’ll be some bumps ahead and questions asked about where we’re tracking but we will get there.”

Burns has worked at West Coast, Hawthorn and Collingwood – under Nathan Buckley – as a senior assistant before joining Adelaide in time for the 2021 campaign.