Interim coach Robert Harvey has played down talk of a dramatic attacking shift to Collingwood's game style under his watch after taking the reins from Nathan Buckley.
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A long-time assistant to Buckley, who departed after an emotional Queen's Birthday win over Melbourne, Harvey will use the next nine weeks as an audition for the top job.
The 49-year-old could even find himself in the running for coaching roles at rival clubs, should they arise.
But Harvey insisted his focus ahead of Saturday's clash with Fremantle at Marvel Stadium is solely on developing a regenerating Magpies side for the remainder of the season.
"I just see it as a great opportunity for me and I see my role as trying to get the best out of these players," Harvey said on Thursday in his first press conference as interim coach.
"To be honest, I haven't thought too much about it (the full-time job).
"I see it as a nine-week block to do my best to hopefully get some good footy played by our boys, that they enjoy it and our fans like what they see.
"That's the way I see it. The rest sort of, in time, looks after itself."
Harvey described Buckley as a "great mentor of mine" and said the pair had exchanged several messages since the latter's departure.
He said Buckley wished him well upon bowing out this month after almost a decade as coach.
The Magpies (4-9) were heavily criticised for a perceived overly defensive game style under Buckley this season and vice-captain Taylor Adams this week suggested a more attack-minded plan may be implemented.
But Harvey indicated any changes will be subtle.
"(Buckley and I) have worked together for a long time and we've worked closely with game-plan stuff together, but I clearly have my own views on some things," Harvey said.
"I'll sort of bleed those into our game as we go, but largely I've been giving my thoughts for a long time on how it should be played as part of our coaching panel.
"There's respect there and I'll just keep working on those things."
A former St Kilda champion and dual Brownlow Medal winner, Harvey has missed out on "a few" senior coaching jobs in the past but still has an appetite to test his wares.
"It's disappointing when you miss jobs, obviously," Harvey said.
"You want to get a job when it comes up but I've learnt to roll with that a bit better and be a bit more relaxed about it."
Australian Associated Press
