Nathan Buckley’s shock mid-season departure has sparked speculation on
whether he lost the support of Collingwood’s playing roster.
The second chapter of Buckley’s stellar career with the Collingwood
Football Club will draw to a close on Monday, with the Queen’s
Birthday clash against Melbourne set to be his last as Magpies
coach.
On Wednesday morning,
Collingwood officially announced Magpies assistant Robert Harvey would take over as interim coach
for the remainder of the 2021 season.
However, several reports suggested Buckley had fallen out of favour
with sections of the playing squad, potentially contributing to his
departure.
According to
The Age,
Collingwood’s players still liked and respected Buckley, but some
felt worn out by his defence-first strategies.
Fox Sports reporter Tom Morris told AFL Tonight there was a
disconnect between Buckley and some of his players.
“He certainly lost sections of the playing group throughout this
year,” Morris said. “I don’t think he was really able to harness the
playing group as he would have liked.
“Some players will be relieved, some others will miss him. But
broadly, I think the sentiment inside the club is that time was
right, and clearly Nathan Buckley agrees with that as well.”
Morris wrote for
foxsports.com.au: “Did he lose some players? Yes, weeks ago. But that’s not
abnormal for a team down the foot of the ladder. Nor should it
detract from his legacy.”
However, the 48-year-old said he “would have been happy to coach the
year out” if the club needed him to.
“I’ve had a part in this. I’m not being smart about this, but I have
had a part in the conversations,” Buckley said. “Nothing lasts
forever. I was going to be tapped at some stage, but there’s no
doubt that this is the best thing for the football club.
“I believe this is the best move for the club as well and I look
forward to seeing where it goes from here.”
AFL reporter Caroline Wilson, who had foreshadowed Buckley’s
departure last month, suggested the 48-year-old was pushed out
rather than stepping aside.
“I think it was a sense of inevitability when the message was subtly
delivered on Monday when he met with Collingwood bosses,” Wilson
told Footy Classified.
“Mid-season coaching departures are always messy. They always
portray to me the picture of a club in a bit of a crisis, and I
don’t like that it happened for Nathan Buckley mid-season.”
Former Fremantle coach Ross Lyon agreed: “Clearly I think (head of
football Graham Wright) has tapped him out. There’s an appetite for
change.”
Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury conceded Buckley’s resignation
came as a surprise, revealing how he broke the news to the playing
roster.
“It’s definitely a shock, and the first time in my career that I’ve
ever been through something like this before. I feel almost a little
bit numb,” Pendlebury told reporters on Wednesday.
“(He) planned to have a bit of a chat with the leaders and then the
timeline sped up and so (he told us) just as a full group. He spoke
about (how he thinks) it is the best thing for the club, no person
is bigger than the club and that it’s the right time for him to step
away.
“He spoke about his gratitude for the place — he spent half his life
here — and how excited he is by the future. And excited for the
opportunity that he’s had as a player, as assistant coach, as a coach
and everything that he’s contributed to our club.”.
