Collingwood have told Heritier Lumumba to either commit or leave the club as another flare-up threatens his AFL career.

Neither club president Eddie McGuire or Lumumba’s manager Ben Niall could guarantee his place at the Magpies after a Fairfax media report of a clash with coach Nathan Buckley.

Lumumba, known for his pro-active stance on social issues, was reportedly unhappy with a graffitied poster in the Collingwood rooms.

Scrawled on a picture of Collingwood players were the words “Off to the Mardi Gras boys?” which Lumumba saw as homophobia and offensive to gay members of Magpies staff.

McGuire said he didn’t know whether Lumumba, previously known as Harry O’Brien, had played his last game for the Magpies.

“We’ll see,” he said.

“We know that Harry blows up at times … people are sensitive to some things that others aren’t.”

“We’ll work out whether there’s a better option for everybody or whether or not we can come together.”

The 27-year-old is contracted for next season with the Magpies but was spotted at a Melbourne cafe with Demons coach Paul Roos on Friday, upping the chances he will leave.

Lumumba’s manager Ben Niall said the graffiti was one of several issues the 2010 premiership defender had shared with the club.

In response, Niall said Collingwood had told Lumumba to “go away and think about whether you want to stay and commit”.

“Heritier and the club have had some issues and yes a bit of history there and now it is coming to the point where he is contracted for next year but both parties will decide whether it is best for Heritier to be there next year,” he told Fairfax media.

“Do they both decide they can work through this or is it time to go their own way and maybe he has to move to a new club?”

Niall said his 199-game client had admitted fault in the drama.

“Heritier loves Collingwood and respects Nathan Buckley and he acknowledges that the way he expresses himself at times can be problematic and he needs to modify how he expresses himself going forward whether that is at Collingwood or at another club,” he said.

Lumumba also had several weeks away from the club last season because of personal issues.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said the situation showed the varied characters that make up a club’s changeroom.

“The world has changed and people have changed, particularly the youth … and their attitudes have changed,” he said.

“Knowing your players really well is more important than it’s ever been.”