After crushing Carlton on Friday night I didn’t think it could get any better; nor did I expect any more good news, I was completely content. Then, when I walked in the door after arriving home from work, there was Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley – side by side – on my television as my partner had uncannily left the television on Sky News before she left for work.
Last night, the strong word was that a Malthouse/Buckley partnership was on the cards, but like many others I refrained from getting my hopes up. There has never been any reason for us to doubt Buckley’s affection for Collingwood, but anyone who has had the pleasure of reading his book would understand how driven and ambitious he is. I had my money on him taking up a senior position elsewhere, with the hopeful possibility of him returning home sometime down the track.
The coaching situation at Collingwood has been a hot topic since the beginning of the season. Pressure was placed on Malthouse, who was entering his 10th year at the club without delivering a premiership, whilst Nathan Buckley was always going to signal his intentions to re-enter the world of football in a more involved capacity. Collingwood has been steadfast throughout the entire ordeal, remaining patient and refusing to pander or cave to external pressure in regards to our coaching situation heading forward – and for good reason.
Nathan Buckley is a favourite son and was destined to become available, whilst despite his detractors Michael Malthouse is a respected and admired figure amongst most of the Collingwood faithful and most certainly everyone at the Lexus Centre. It was always going to be a delicate situation, one that appeared to have only two solutions; either Malthouse or Buckley.
Instead, we have pulled off what so many thought was the impossible; extending Malthouse’s contract for another two years as senior coach, whilst also securing the services of Buckley.
It gets even better, as in an innovative move Collingwood have signed both men up for five years and created a succession plan that will instil stability within our coaching ranks and the club at large. Malthouse has agreed to a contract that will see him fulfil the role of senior coach until the conclusion of 2011, at which point he will be succeeded by Buckley whilst stepping into the role of Director of Coaching from 2012 to 2014. Nathan Buckley will be an assistant coach for the 2010 and 2011 seasons prior to taking over the top job from 2012 onwards.
It seems we’ve covered all bases with this ground breaking arrangement. Those who felt that having Buckley as assistant would lead to Malthouse feeling vulnerable in the event the side didn’t perform, as well as causing a general sense of unease within the coaching box, can now put that theory to rest with the succession arrangement in place and agreed upon by both parties. The fact that the contract extends for five years and has Malthouse remaining with the club after handing over the reins further debunks this theory. In the event that the side does struggle in 2010 or 2011, Collingwood will stick to its guns and honour the agreement – this year is a good example of how little influence the media or anything emanating from outside the Magpie nest has on the decisions we make.
Buckley has long been considered a prime coaching candidate, with his well-respected knowledge and insight into the modern game being on show throughout his post-football media career. Despite his lack of experience in an AFL coaching capacity, he has been the most talked about prospect since hanging up the boots. Whether Buckley succeeds in a coaching position is yet to be seen, but nobody could question the value that someone of his experience and character will bring to the table.
Outside of what we are gaining off-field, the professionalism and stability that such an arrangement shall bring to the club for the next five years at least, it is the uplifting nature of today’s news that has warmed the hearts of many Collingwood supporters.
Full credit has to be given to both Malthouse and Buckley for what they have achieved and what they have given to the club by seeking each other out and making this possible. Nathan Buckley – who realistically could have had his pick of any of the lucrative coaching roles available – has displayed his love and loyalty for the black and white by returning to the place he calls home.
Michael Malthouse has also made it clear where his loyalties reside, deciding to remain a Collingwood man for a further five years despite not being in the position that has immortalized him within the football world for over half of that duration. With the speculation about the possibility of a romantic return to Richmond, Malthouse is now almost certain to be remembered as a Collingwood man – much to the chagrin of some I’m sure, names need not be mentioned.
I think there is no better way to end this article than by quoting the men themselves.
“I’ve been able to come back to a club that I have enormous emotional ties to, I believe I owe this club so much… I feel very fortunate to come back.” - Nathan Buckley
““One of the things that we pride ourselves on here … is the word side-by-side.” – Michael Malthouse
It’s a good day to be a Collingwood supporter.
All well and good 10th letter its easy to be happy and optimistic but as is my way I like to take a step back and assess decisions like this on their merits.
Happy Bucks comes back to collingwoood BUT …
Somewhat concerned with the rest of it though …
Political play by Ed to shore up his presidency with the masses rather than a football decision …
Too many years …
Also Potentially:
To many potential complications …
Too much risk byt the club and club faces all the downside …
2 more years of MM as senior coach and 3 more after that as director of coaching ….
No process or due dilligunce done on NB …
Bucks appointed for 2012 to 2014 before hes even done apprenticeship and we know what we are getting …
Golden handshakes for MM and NB …
We’ve having our cake and eating it, now lets just hope we dont choke on it …
We can pick holes in it until the cows come home. And the media will. A plan is a plan is a plan. There can be no guarantee of success. Time will tell. As far as plans go – I do not believe it could be much better. We are 11 and 6 – Malthouse deserves to coach next year and probably 2011. McGuire should be given some credit for pulling this off. If Buckley had gone to North – the faithful would have called for his head. I too have been exasperated with our President in recent times (particularly his public criticism of the umpires), but he has secured the services of one of the best coaches in the AFL for 2 and a bit years. Thereafter, he has secured the services of an untested but very shrewd football brain in Buckley. Buckley shows the rare ability to focus only on matters relevant to success. That is not at all easy. Other commentators including Michael Voss (last year) and Robert Walls cannot do it. It takes discipline. But the flip side is Buckley has shown loyalty and that he is black and white to the core by foregoing a senior position until 2012. That has to be a good sign. Dosen’t it? The club says it has undertaken due diligence. Captaincy of the club for however many years would be part of that process. Recent PR would be another. It is also important that the media and the AFL like Buckley. He may be able to reduce our image as the ‘Dark Side’ of the AFL which would help. Is there anyone out there that we would prefer to see at the helm after 2011? Ratten, Voss, Laidley? Someone may emerge in the short term as a better prospect beyond Malthouse – someone whose record is more impressive than Buckley’s long-term captaincy, stand-out media performance and two year apprenticeship under Malthouse. Me thinks Buckley’s chance.
We do seem to have a decent track record in terms of coaching staff, or at least it seems like our off-field staff are constantly getting poached by other clubs. Brad Scott has developed a reputation in the media as being a potential coach, and a couple of other assistants are also being interviewed for head coach positions at the Kangaroos/Tigers, I think. So I’d have faith in the club’s ability to select and develop the right person.
Presumably we know more about Nathan’s prospects as a coach than any other untried coach, given his experience in a leadership role at the Pies. And presumably we think he is a better prospect than any of our current assistant coaches. We would only have indirect knowledge of any other potential coach’s ability, so in that sense it isn’t a risky choice.