Jon Ralph: Players, staff begin to question Nathan Buckley’s future with Magpies

Once so elite in so many departments, Collingwood now has a misfiring board, list management issues and a game plan that at times looks like a dog’s breakfast.

Terry Wallace described it as the drift.

It is the drift away from a senior coach by key figures around him when they realise he is more likely to leave than stay.

It is happening at Collingwood, where senior players and key football staffers are increasingly feeling fresh ideas and a new coach are the best way forward for the Pies.

Senior players love Nathan Buckley, universally admire him as a good bloke.

But now, many who have put unwavering faith in his direction have expressed to friends and confidantes that there is little spark, little energy at the club.

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Has Nathan Buckley lost his players and staff? Picture: Getty Images

They wonder what a new coach would do to enliven a team and club that has become mediocre in many ways.

Collingwood, once so elite in so many departments, now has a misfiring board, list management issues, a lack of effort from its team and a game plan that at times looks like a dog’s breakfast.

Football department staff wonder out loud why such a good coach has made so many confusing decisions on strategy and selection.

Collingwood should have re-signed Buckley over summer, boldly declared it was in for a mini-rebuild over 24 months and absorbed a tough year on-field.

That surely would have been the best course of action given the lack of an obvious replacement.

But what is apparent is that with each week becoming a referendum on Buckley’s coaching, his brand has been irreparably damaged.

Each flat performance has changed the equation, each befuddling loss has undermined the chance to extend his deal, each passing round allowed players to further consider the coach’s fate.

Instead of a decision on his 10-year body of work, the Pies fans are judging his output by the week, and are very aware this is a two-year rebuild until the club can even hope to play finals.

What is now apparent is that the Pies board would ideally like to sign Buckley.

As the Herald Sun reported two weeks ago, football boss Graham Wright said before the Gold Coast loss all signs pointed to Buckley being re-extended in the last third of the season.

Since then, the loss to the Suns and another deflating defeat against Sydney have laid bare a team unable to muster the energy to put together four quarters, even with the bevy of kids playing in the side.

Former Tiger assistant coach Justin Leppitsch’s name has been linked to a role at Collingwood. Picture: Sarah Reed

When Collingwood last considered Buckley’s future, player power saved him as part of Geoff Walsh’s football review.

As part of that review Buckley got a mostly new coaching department with Justin Longmuir and Brad Gotch, and then Garry Hocking joined the team a year later.

The club’s coaching panel is now under intense review.

Justin Leppitsch is one contender for a leading assistant role.

What Wright will need to decide is whether it is more appropriate to replace the senior coach himself than replenish all those around him for the second time in five seasons.

He also needs to decide whether the grumbles from the playing group are gripes that they can overcome if Buckley does end up remaining.

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Whatever the case, it is impossible to think Wright and Collingwood can make a decision on Buckley without assessing the entire season.

It is unfathomable to think the board would make any decision on his future to court favour over the political power play that sees Jeff Browne hovering as a possible new president.

Not with members of the integrity of Christine Holgate, Mark Korda, Jodie Sizer, Peter Murphy, Paul Licuria and CEO Mark Anderson.

No, having made a timeline Collingwood must stick to it.

A one-year extension would be pointless given Collingwood could very well be in this situation yet again next year.

Wright’s decision will have seismic implications for Collingwood, and must surely involve the canvassing of players, coaches and staff.

Whether they are just sniffing the wind or truly believe a fresh start is critical to Collingwood’s ongoing success is the nub of the issue Wright must figure out.

Originally published as Jon Ralph: Players, staff begin to question Nathan Buckley’s future with Magpies