Is Buckley A Good Coach?

[jathanas]

The senior coach is an important club figure and a legitimate topic of discussion. It's fair to do so and everyone has a right to express their view.

The mod team observed that the thread was dominated by a few protagonists and their points were repeated i.e. 8 years of regression vs marked improvement in 17,18 etc Pretty much everyone with a strong opinion has already expressed it here.

What further degraded discussion was the simplistic "sack FIGJAM" or "he's a legend" type posts.

This thread will remain open. If your view has slightly shifted or you have new thoughts please share. In an effort to encourage quality discussion repetitive statements and circular arguments will from now on be deleted as will silly posts suggesting that we sack a coach on match-day.

FYI Gone Critical Anzacday Maggie5

 

[golazo]

I still have hope for Buckley, however this season is going to be make or break I feel.

Despite what’s said on here, I rate him as a man manager, but it’s the tactics that have had me questioning him throughout his tenure. I don’t think it’s entirely down to him, as he’s not the only member of the football department. However as senior coach it’s up to him to delegate and assess whether what’s happening under him is up to scratch or not and make appropriate decisions based on what he sees.

The trade period has given me a big wake up call in regards to how our club is run and has shown me it doesn’t stand for what I thought it did. Every fan needs to think with their head instead of heart next year. Any incompetence shown needs to be called out and we need to really put the heat on these guys who’ve been sitting in their cushy seats for far too long, or just being there on mates rates.

No more making injury excuses. The same kind of players are always getting injured - it gets to a point where it’s not bad luck and is either an incompetent medical department or bad list management for thinking injury prone players can suddenly become injury free. Evidently it’s both.

It’s going to be a big year for Buckley. A lot of people are going to be fed up if things don’t go our way next year and even if it’s not all his fault, this may be his last season for us.

 

[TradeDraft]

 

[manicpie]

I still have hope for Buckley, however this season is going to be make or break I feel.

Despite what’s said on here, I rate him as a man manager, but it’s the tactics that have had me questioning him throughout his tenure. I don’t think it’s entirely down to him, as he’s not the only member of the football department. However as senior coach it’s up to him to delegate and assess whether what’s happening under him is up to scratch or not and make appropriate decisions based on what he sees.

The trade period has given me a big wake up call in regards to how our club is run and has shown me it doesn’t stand for what I thought it did. Every fan needs to think with their head instead of heart next year. Any incompetence shown needs to be called out and we need to really put the heat on these guys who’ve been sitting in their cushy seats for far too long, or just being there on mates rates.

No more making injury excuses. The same kind of players are always getting injured - it gets to a point where it’s not bad luck and is either an incompetent medical department or bad list management for thinking injury prone players can suddenly become injury free. Evidently it’s both.

It’s going to be a big year for Buckley. A lot of people are going to be fed up if things don’t go our way next year and even if it’s not all his fault, this may be his last season for us.

Buckley isn't going anywhere. While Ed is in charge buckley will remain. Ed would have backed Bucks in the s**t show that we just witnessed over the last couple of weeks, so why would he not back him going forward? expect a contract extension to come next year.

 

[TKiL]

View attachment 1012646

not surprising that there is dispute over communication / phone calls from the club. Way too often top level club reps (football and admin) talk babble, jargon, 27 words when one or two would suffice, buzzwords, mumbo jumbo, patois, banalities, cant, drivel, gibberish etc

 

[Carringbush2010]

For those predicting that Bucks will get an extension you maybe right, however if the club is actually listening now then they'll concede that will only grow member and fan dissent. There is only so much the fan base will put up with before the noise grows too much to be ignored, if it has not reached that stage already.

The ONLY redemption he would have at ANY other club is a flag next year, in fact he'd be gone by now. So that will almost entirely rely on internal development. Given that game and player development has regressed over the last two seasons it would be a totally unignorable seismic shift in improvement in that internal development if a flag comes to pass.

As far as the question of the thread goes, I think he finds himself out of his depth yet other times like the EF he played the right chess pieces in the right positions at their optimum. The whole match committee has to take credit for those 'good' games though.

I've been on record saying this, I've also been on record claiming that he has the ability to create a game plan that is literally tactically brilliant. 2018 with near zero list change is testament to that. That game plan was almost impossible to defeat yet equally taxing to execute.

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Nathan stepping aside IF we miss finals next year, or at least put the proposal to the club like he (apparently did) with the previous succession plan. If I am correct he did propose a postponement to his acquisition to the role after the flag.

That tells me he has integrity, however the 'phone calls' do not paint him in a good light in that regard, mind you it looks he was painted into a corner on those.

 

[TradeDraft]

For those predicting that Bucks will get an extension you maybe right, however if the club is actually listening now then they'll concede that will only grow member and fan dissent. There is only so much the fan base will put up with before the noise grows too much to be ignored, if it has not reached that stage already.

The ONLY redemption he would have at ANY other club is a flag next year, in fact he'd be gone by now. So that will almost entirely rely on internal development. Given that game and player development has regressed over the last two seasons it would be a totally unignorable seismic shift in improvement in that internal development if a flag comes to pass.

As far as the question of the thread goes, I think he finds himself out of his depth yet other times like the EF he played the right chess pieces in the right positions at their optimum. The whole match committee has to take credit for those 'good' games though.

I've been on record saying this, I've also been on record claiming that he has the ability to create a game plan that is literally tactically brilliant. 2018 with near zero list change is testament to that. That game plan was almost impossible to defeat yet equally taxing to execute.

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Nathan stepping aside IF we miss finals next year, or at least put the proposal to the club like he (apparently did) with the previous succession plan. If I am correct he did propose a postponement to his acquisition to the role after the flag.

That tells me he has integrity, however the 'phone calls' do not paint him in a good light in that regard, mind you it looks he was painted into a corner on those.

Re-Signing Bucks now would be Spitting in Fans/Members Faces

 

[Carringbush2010]

Re-Signing Bucks now would be Spitting in Fans/Members Faces

Dave I feel ya mate, I really do. In saying that I don't think he is the worst coach in the comp and there certainly is not many that could replace him, not available anyway.

If I was Bucks and was able to walk up to luck I'd shoot that cnut in the face and s**t down it's neck. There is no doubt in my mind if luck were on his side he'd have a flag (or two) by now.

Never is at Collingwood though, at the end of the day as far as the thread goes - he's good sometimes and not sometimes.

My issues are much much more with the club than Nathan right at the minute, even given the 'phone calls'.

 

[manicpie]

Re-Signing Bucks now would be Spitting in Fans/Members Faces

That won't stop Eddie

 

[76woodenspooners]

Re-Signing Bucks now would be Spitting in Fans/Members Faces

Most AFL coaches will reasonably get re-signed after finishing Grand Final, Prelim Final, and Semi Final in the previous three seasons.

 

[HeadInTheSand]

Most AFL coaches will reasonably get re-signed after finishing Grand Final, Prelim Final, and Semi Final in the previous three seasons.

Most AFL coaches wouldn't have taken nine years to achieve that level of regression.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Lost a bit of respect for Buckley in his interviews yesterday ...

Was disappointed that he found it so difficult to have the tough conversations with players when they’re being put on the trade table.

Yeah, of course as senior coach you’d build a strong bond with your players ... but gee, they’re not dying.

Everybody within a club is on a journey together to build a collective that is greater than the sum of the parts. Everyone involved should cherish their time together, but it’s gotta end someday, somehow ...

... and if the collective needs you to leave to get better, then that’s cool, it’s time to celebrate your contribution towards getting the collective to where it is (You will always have that), and then go off to make another collective better.

Yes, that’s business, and business is business. But that’s also how you live a rich and fulfilling life.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Most AFL coaches wouldn't have taken nine years to achieve that level of regression.

What’s the point of grading Buckley on his 2014 results?

You’d expect somebody in his position to have continuous improvement and get better at his job. And he’s clearly done that, don’t you think?

 

[peter9789]

Whilst Ed remains in the chair Bucks is going to stay as coach - unless he has lost the playing group due to the clusterf**k of trade week. That will be the critical piece in my mind as to whether he gets an extension.

 

[TKiL]

Lost a bit of respect for Buckley in his interviews yesterday ...
Was disappointed that he found it so difficult to have the tough conversations with players when they’re being put on the trade table.
Yeah, of course as senior coach you’d build a strong bond with your players ... but gee, they’re not dying. Everybody within a club is on a journey together to build a collective that is greater than the sum of the parts. Everyone involved should cherish their time together, but it’s gotta end someday, somehow ...
... and if the collective needs you to leave to get better, then that’s cool, it’s time to celebrate your contribution towards getting the collective to where it is (You will always have that), and then go off to make another collective better. Yes, that’s business, and business is business.
But that’s also how you live a rich and fulfilling life.

Collingwood don't make it easy to lead a rich and fulfilling life... in the footy bit anyway

But..... we have a lovely blackbird here that sings all day and we're looking forward to going to Daylesford next week.

 

[TKiL]

Whilst Ed remains in the chair Bucks is going to stay as coach - unless he has lost the playing group due to the clusterf**k of trade week. That will be the critical piece in my mind as to whether he gets an extension.

Need a new chair, new Ed and new Bucks

 

[Matt_352]

Norf are sniffing around Clarko get ye feken pleb hands off

 

[jackcass]

Right here is the problem with this club! acceptance of failure from the fan and member base.

Going deep into finals is NOT A SUCCESS, there is no known universe where that is success.

Spinny only flags are a success, this is not up for debate. No ifs buts or maybes.

It's not on! this sh1t won't fly anymore and is reason for the fan base imploding. The club has brought itself to it's knees and the failures have come home to roost.

There is no coming back from this and the straw that has broken the camels back will not be forgotten.

Learn to read the room, the fan base has finally come to not accept being sh1t in the face by the club anymore. Nathans position is untenable, his only redemption is to flag next year. No ifs buts or maybes.

No, right here is your problem. You seem to be unable to grasp that there is no ultimate success without going deep into finals. It's not like they're mutually exclusive. Wanting 1 does not preclude wanting the other.

 

[BringouttheGimp]

Please..

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Let him go please!!!!!

 

[Scodog10]

How many actually buy it when coaches play the selfless card? Clarkson did the same only a few weeks ago and it makes no sense whatsoever to me. The two of them are probably the most competitive and driven personalities in the game so walking away from a challenge just doesn’t fit.

What career coaches in that scenario do is they get sacked and then go looking for the next gig. This commentary in the media is manoeuvring ahead of their departure so they can craft the narrative in their favour. No coach in the history of the game has truly left on their terms and both won’t do it when their time is up with their current clubs (both will coach elsewhere).

On a separate not I’m no longer a critic of Buckley’s coaching, but his flaws are obvious (our inability to move the ball) and that’s what defines us year to year. As a package he knows how to implement a competitive structure so we’ll rarely have worse than 50/50 record. That said I’m growing into a critic of his performance with the media. It’s been a poor 12 months from him on that front and brand Buckley has taken a hit, IMO.

 

[queensberryrules]

Now that his Uncle Fester has waddled off into the pastry shop, Bucks may freshen up in 2021, different environment, different influeners, new outlook on coaching. He's learnt too much to let go just yet, and the finals win over Eagles last year showed something special in the group, though, like a middle aged man, they couldn't follow up when the paramour wanted more. Maybe in 2021.

 

[BringouttheGimp]

How many actually buy it when coaches play the selfless card? Clarkson did the same only a few weeks ago and it makes no sense whatsoever to me. The two of them are probably the most competitive and driven personalities in the game so walking away from a challenge just doesn’t fit.

What career coaches in that scenario do is they get sacked and then go looking for the next gig. This commentary in the media is manoeuvring ahead of their departure so they can craft the narrative in their favour. No coach in the history of the game has truly left on their terms and both won’t do it when their time is up with their current clubs (both will coach elsewhere).

On a separate not I’m no longer a critic of Buckley’s coaching, but his flaws are obvious (our inability to move the ball) and that’s what defines us year to year. As a package he knows how to implement a competitive structure so we’ll rarely have worse than 50/50 record. That said I’m growing into a critic of his performance with the media. It’s been a poor 12 months from him on that front and brand Buckley has taken a hit, IMO.

Is it a competitive structure that will only ever see us become perennial finalists? If so well woopdidoo.. Surely to God hed know his strategy might see us snag one at best? So why does he persist with that game plan? Is it self preservation? Does he actually know what he's doing? Can he just drop everything and start again from scratch? Turn us into a multiple winning premiership side? I'd say no.. so why is he still there.

I tell you what.. if I was in charge of the decision making at the club.. he would have got a tap on the shoulder from me a long time ago.

 

[AgroMagro]

Does he need help packing?

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

He should go now. Him putting this statement out suggests to me he is no longer 100% committed to the club

 

[BringouttheGimp]

If I was in charge of employing a new senior coach.. one of the first questions I'd ask would be.. do you have crazy or wild streak in you?.. No.. No? I'll ask the question again.. now be honest.. it's ok.. No.. No?

Ok.. nice meeting you..

Get yourself a drink at the bar on your way out.. it's on us.