| Collingwood v Footscray Sunday, June 16 4.40pm Etihad Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 8 Max 14 Chance of rain 50%: 1-5mm Wind: SSE 22kph Betting: Collingwood $1.12 Footscray $6.00 |
He said that not enough credit was given to the willingness of premiership players such as Dane Swan, Ben Johnson, Alan Didak and Heath Shaw to operate within a team environment.
"They have been successful performers over a long period of time. They are great footballers. They are great team men. They want to be part of a successful environment," Buckley said.
"I think the supposition that they are on one road and the rest of the club is on another is just totally false and it's not fair on them."
Buckley said Collingwood had employed leadership consultants Leading Teams to empower the players to perform at their best on game-day.
He said there were many misconceptions about the leadership program, also used by Sydney and Fremantle this season, which embraces individual differences among the players.
"There seems to be the perception that it creates and constructs robots; that you need 47 blokes who are exactly the same. It could not be further from the truth. There are non-negotiables that you need to have in a team environment," Buckley said.
"We don't play tennis, it's not golf, these blokes need to exist together. They need to understand and have a common goal play to a gameplan and have an expectation of each other within the four walls of the football club and within the confines of the MCG. It's a team sport."
The coach said the club knew it had ground to make up on the competition's leaders and the program it was adopting would allow it to perform at its best more consistently.
"It makes it a black and white blue-print," Buckley said. "It's simply a plan."
He said the program gave the young players a clear road map as to what was required of them to make the most of their opportunity.
Collingwood has used 36 players this season, with seven making their debut for the club in the first 11 games.
One player who was missing last week was 30-year-old Andrew Krakouer, who was given time off to deal with personal issues.
Buckley confirmed he would return via the VFL this week.
Buckley said reports the small forward had walked out on the club were untrue.
He compared Krakouer's absence to a person in a regular job needing a break.
"He's fully focused on getting his training back up to speed this week, and he will play in the VFL this week and then work over the next two weeks over the bye and get himself back up to speed ready to contend for senior selection," Buckley said.
Joining Krakouer in the VFL will be Clinton Young. Young, who arrived at Collingwood, after 116 games and a premiership at Hawthorn, is yet to play for the Magpies.
He had a post-season operation on his foot and joined the club already needing rehabilitation. After a setback mid-season he has been training in preparation for the past four to five weeks.
"He (Young) looks in great knick," said Buckley.
"He's done a lot of running, a lot of match specific work so he is ready to take the step into games and then we will pick the right time to insert him into the senior side depending on performances."
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