Nathan Buckley possesses all the qualities you’d want of an AFL coach, bar one – an ability to win.
He’s driven, determined and an outstanding student of the game. Further, he’s articulate, passionate and extremely loyal to his players and supporter base.
The Collingwood coach can usually explain all occurrences on a football field with clarity (Tom Mitchell performances aside), but unfortunately he can’t seem to change them.
Even allowing for his obvious smarts and apparent decency, Buckley possesses some of the same attributes as a politician.
No, he’s not a fan of banal lip service like Bill Shorten, nor does he need to pretend to be nice like Kevin Rudd did.
He’s not an unhinged try-hard like Tony Abbott, smarmy like Derryn Hinch or of questionable intelligence like Pauline Hanson.
Even in failure he’s more dignified than Donald Trump’s tiny hands. But, like the majority of politicians, and also his club President Eddie McGuire, a stoic resoluteness and undying self-belief might actually be his Achilles heel.
Also, though Buckley, McGuire and plenty of others in public office usually sound convincing and believable, more often than not their rhetoric simply doesn’t match the accompanying performances, that for which they are ultimately responsible.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Collingwood might be the ‘biggest’ football club in Australia, but it’s not even close to being the best. Adjectives don’t always count for a lot in footy. Jamie Elliott might as well have the ‘coolest’ haircut in the AFL or Tomas Bugg the ‘best’ fist.
A lot of what comes out of the Holden Centre is like that which come out of Parliament House, words that don’t stack up to scrutiny.
Clint Eastwood’s character Dirty Harry said it best, ‘A man’s gotta know his limitations.’ Politicians usually don’t.
I hope Nathan Buckley does, as it would be a tragedy to see him go on next year and make a fool of himself. He should leave that to the truly deluded and those without self-awareness like Tony Abbott to do.
The evidence is in, Buckley can’t coach. Beyond Leigh Matthews and Malcolm Blight, great players rarely can. Buckley’s fellow Brownlow Medalists and favourite sons, James Hird and Michael Voss couldn’t either.
Nor could the wondrous Kevin Bartlett. Blight is the last Brownlow Medalist to win an AFL premiership as a coach, which is undoubtedly part of the reason he’s now an AFL Legend.
The task of coaching is historically best-suited to the dourly diligent, not the tremendously talented. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. The names Kevin Sheedy, Mick Malthouse and Alastair Clarkson alone take care of that argument.
Buckley’s had his chance. In six years he’s built his post-Malthouse side. Lesser names would be lucky to have got three.
Brett Ratten and Matthew Knights would have loved the opportunity Buckley’s had. Under his tutelage, Collingwood’s form has gone in the same direction as a Ross Lyon press conference – uncomfortably downhill.
Buckley knows that there’s no excuses in football. Although every coach says that, most then go on to proffer injuries, umpires and scheduling as just that, excuses. Buckley doesn’t and that’s a credit to him.
If anyone is to blame, it’s the Collingwood hierarchy, led by Eddie McGuire and his Peta Credlin-like blind devotion to Buckley.
As Paul Roos (a very good player to coach a premiership) highlighted on the weekend the list management and recruitment at Collingwood during Buckley’s reign has made little sense.
Magpie Greg
Guest
This didnt age well
Cat
Roar Guru
Buckley brought in all those players with poor skills. He got rid of the ones with good skills.
slugger
Guest
It truly astounds me that there are pies fans wanting Buckley to go on. He is a basket case as a coach, if coaching a club was running a business it would have been broke a long time ago. Either expectations are so low or their is truly an IQ problem. Also judging Malthouse's ability by his tenure at Carlton is unfair, as is the performance of Beams, Thomas, Lalumba, Dawes etc after Collingwood. The formulae for a successful team is simple, a number of good players that know each others game, an irresistible chemistry, and of course there is a resonance with the coach. All of this was Collingwood in 2010 and 11, and if it were allowed to continue it would of spawned more success. Collingwood does not need a TV personality at the front, with a red nose, juggling balls and honking his siren, they need sound strategic management which is not there at the moment. Life is too short for ego maniacs like Buckley and Macquire. PLEASE GO NOW!
Bravohorse
Guest
When Collingwood win the players get all the plaudits, when they lose Buckley gets crucified. Surely the players should cop the blame as well. It is not always the coaches fault he is not kicking the ball and turning it over. No coach can prevent losses from poor skills and that is killing Collingwood. AFL is a game of momentum and Collingwood cannot hold on to momentum due to poor skills, not all Buckley's fault.
shirtfront
Guest
It's footy nouse and lack of skills that is killing us not the game plan and not having a target in the forward line our kicking is also atrocious missing goals from directly in front.
shirtfront
Guest
Love your loyalty, passion and side by side efforts in defending our great club and coach. We can't all be winners so patience is paramount
shirtfront
Guest
Agree on most but Brayden Maynard is going to be a player I love his grunt and although he does have some clangers he has a beautiful left foot. I would like to see him as a forward. I also see a disconnect with Fasolo and Elliott they are both confidence players but don't like to share the ball
shirtfront
Guest
we wouldn't have won a flag if Mick stayed his days were numbered
Cat
Roar Guru
Difference is Malthouse took over a team that finished 4-18 the year before. Buckley took over a side that finished 20-2 the year before. Slightly different wouldn't you say?
shirtfront
Guest
Good call I agree
shirtfront
Guest
Hope not - isn't there a review happening at the moment? I think you will find some of the inner sanctum will be moved on along with some players to lure forward talent. Bucks will be coach next year and if he isn't I will not renew my Membership.
shirtfront
Guest
It took Mick Malthouse 10 years to win a GF. and before you say he had us close in his time it was disheartening for all supporters to go to those Grand finals and not get a win. I attended the 2002 GF and the 2003 GF, Mick himself butchered 2003 GF with his poor coaching. I was excited with the succession plan as I thought Malthouse was getting too set in his way and being found out by the opposition. The best thing we did was hand him over to the enemy and look what he did there!!!!! Ha Ha. Don't forget when Geelong put Bomber Thompson in as coach he was there for 7/8 years before he was successful. I remember the Cats faithful were baying for his blood in those lean years. The competition has never been so even as it is today - you should be able to see that with footy tipping. We need to land some big fish - Bontempelli comes to mind. We need to be brutal at the trade table and maybe we need to get more talented recruiters as they seem to be letting us down. Have patience
bobburra
Guest
I am at a loss here, first you say that Buckley is not the problem, then you say it's the game plan, well hello !! WHO CREATES the game plan, the coach, the coach is Buckley, so why isn't Buckley to blame?. You can't have both ways.
shirtfront
Guest
Well if that is the case we should be able to have a few quality picks at the draft. Bucks is not the problem.
shirtfront
Guest
Couldn't agree more
shirtfront
Guest
I watched the game and saw the same thing we have been seeing on a weekly basis – Too many skill errors. I think the panel of selectors who choose the players for each week need to take a long hard look at themselves. We need consistency within the team. Bucks is not the problem, I see the game plan and I also see the nervousness of the players when they try to instigate it. I agree with the media in there assessment of poor recruiting, it seems that every time we land a forward, they constantly let us down. I also don’t think Mason Cox is the answer, nor Ben Reed and God forbid we go for his brother “Sam”. Our tackling which was our forte is woeful, too sloppy and too easy for the opposition to escape our grip, handball and kicking skills have gone. I know that every team we play brings their A grade game because beating “Collingwood” seems to be a great motivator for them. There is no easy game for us. Please don’t write Bucks off, we need to be patient as the competition is so even at the moment, it is going to be a lot harder for us to get into the eight without the cattle.
Tricky
Guest
word “rebuild” would have only been said behind closed doors post 2013" However you want to word it, immediately after a GF we changed coach because of a previous decision over 2 years earlier - that is taking a link out of the chain. Some are of the view that the "succession plan" should have been reviewed; I for one agree List rebuild yeah agree that was after the port loss. On Geelong; to be taking pot shots at another club because of our basket case situation reeks of desperation. I'd rather be in their shoes with some hope than no forseeable light at the end of the tunnel
Tricky
Guest
What way of thinking? The fact that the club will make the decision? That you can't bring in a new coach and flick the switch immediately? The same thought if we hold onto Nathan? It's just gonna turn around over night? Sure it happens but that is the exception to the rule. The fact that we need to look at list development and management and fix that up? The possibility; given time a new coach could be the way forward? Grundy - do you have any sources or proof or is what you state just hear say? Please explain how any of what I think will keep the club in the dark and what I'm kidding about.
Col in paradise
Guest
Spot on
Jack
Guest
couldnt agree more with that headline!!! and the football world could move on.. they could take sam newman and the footy show with them!? a new era....((;