Buckley rumours etc

[London Dave]

I s'pose you guys see this in print, but
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/20001118/A60560-2000Nov18.html

Magpies move on captaincy complaints

CAROLINE WILSON
EXCLUSIVE
Saturday 18 November 2000

Magpies president Eddie McGuire has denied reports of a lead ership revolt at Collingwood but conceded that his club had moved to resolve problems associated with Nathan Buckley`s captaincy.

McGuire said that the club had spoken to Buckley regarding his occasionally poor on-field treatment of his teammates and had moved to take some of the pressure off the 28-year-old champion.

Buckley returned from a two-month holiday in Europe late last month to learn that a controversial e-mail had been circulating in the AFL network claiming that a group of Collingwood players had approached the club demanding it replace Buckley as captain with his deputy Scott Burns.

While the club has reassured its skipper the report was false, it has placed him and several teammates - including Anthony Rocca - in a leadership course next month. McGuire, coach Mick Malthouse and Buckley have agreed that he maintain a lower profile next season.

``We don't back away from anything at Collingwood,'' said McGuire. ``Maybe he (Buckley) has taken on too much and may be at times he is a bit hard on himself and others but I am sure he will grow as a captain. Sometimes it's daunting for young players to look up and see Superman next to them whereas with Wayne Carey, who I regard as a great cap tain, he has senior experienced players around him like Glenn Archer.

For some reason Nathan doesn't have the image of a James Hird but I believe he is as good a captain as Hird.'' The Magpies have retained Buckley's predecessor and 1990 premiership player Gavin Brown as a trainer and runner for the 2001 season to assist the captain. McGuire admitted Buckley had a tendency to try to coach his team mates during games.

``With Gavin Brown as one of the runners and training the players, Bucks can worry about playing this year and not coaching the younger players.

When a player is slacking off in weight training Brownie can have a go at them, not Bucks,'' he said. Buckley has refused to publicly discuss the leadership issue although it is believed he has spoken to the Collingwood football department and been assured there was no move from the players to unseat him.

He reportedly remains determined to maintain a lower profile during pre-season and believes that speaking publicly would only draw more attention to himself.

``The best thing for him to do is not talk about it,'' said McGuire.

``He is adamant he becomes part of the team again. It's not Buckley and Collingwood. It's Collingwood e first. ``If some people have their nose out of joint then I'll happily wear that. The `Bucks and Bownlows' obsession was for the marketing of the club and we had to place a lot of emphasis on the success of No.5. He should not be blamed for that.

I can relate to what he has been going through because I've been through it myself. ``When you're the star of the show and every one looks to you, you tend to really apply the screws on people.

Really what you should do is not worry about every one else and just sit back and go for it. Then people might see the real Nathan Buckley.

He has a wonderful sense of humor and I count him as a good friend.'' McGuire predicted that Buckley, who has been devastated by his club's lack of success in recent years and unashamedly disappointed in not winning the Brownlow Medal despite several close finishes, would flourish after his relatively long break from football.

``What he needed was a good holiday,'' said McGuire. ``After the 1999 season he captained Australia in Ireland. He needed to get his head away from football and do things that other 28-year-olds do like travel. These types of experiences do open your mind.''

I know there was an endless thread on this topic, but it seems like it may be coming to a head. Least they are saying Collingwood first!!!

[joffa#2001]

Hey london davo how are you mate,

Yeah well this subject has been well done
and its about time collingwood has come clean about this paticular problem.

It gives me more confidence now that we are all striving to
be united as a team.

Obviously these rumours were true and i congratulate collingwood,
this could of ripped the club apart.

And it gives me enormous pleasure in saying that i dont care who the player is or how good he is, THE CLUB IS, AND ALLWAYS WILL BE BIGGER THAN ANY INDIVIDUAL.
Lets go pies 4 ever!!!!

[This message has been edited by joffa#2001 (edited 19 November 2000).]

[Broadie]

Davo - Wilson wrote another article which appear in print but not on the website. It basically congratulates the club for taking quick and perfectly reasoned moves to head of a potential crisis, while not isolating the problem to Buckley himself.

Likie Joffa, I'm relieved to see the club finally addressing this problem. The transparency of Eddie's comments is commendable, as is the fact that they are sending a number of players on the leadership course, not just Bucks.

It's interesting to note that last year's membership recruiting drive focussed solely on Buckley, while this year's pamphlet evenly spreads the message around a top 15 players (although some of them are VERY fortunate to be in that group).

Kudos to the club.

An old Chinese proverb (which I'm going to completely hack here - so if you know its original form, POST IT HERE) refers to the fact that the Chinese character / symbol for "disaster" is the same as the one for "opportunity".

Glad to see the club finally running with this "opportunity".

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Broadie

[Spidergirl]

Well i just wanna say a massive TOLD YA SO and to all those fu@kers on big footy who laughed and said stupid little Spidergirl when i stated that i thought Bucks was focused on too much hahaha stuff youz all cause thats exactly what part of the article was about !!!

???

[London Dave]

Agree with your calls, gentlemen. I think the good thing about it is it's not being dealt with "in house" meaning heads are not placed in buckets of sand.

To continue with the eastern mystic theme Broadie, "Journey of 1,000 miles starts with one step" I'm still optimistic that were moving in the right direction, though I may be back in Oz before the job is done. (Meaning its a long way to go yet!).

[magpie24]

I hate to say it but Nathan Buckley has to realise he is not the only player at Pie land.Anybody that goes to the games would have to be BLIND FREDDY to miss him abuse the players.MY opinion is that last season he layed off them a little bit.He is a great player but I see alot of mistakes creeping into his game because he tries to do everything.I will finish off with doggies game last season third Q for ten minutes he was awesome,won us the game, and against swans he took the kick out from full back,the rest is history.

GO PIES

[Broadie]

Don't be so quick to either claim credit or admonish someone for not giving credit:

1. Wilson DID acknowledge the internet & email as the source of the rumour (even more so in the other article published on that day)
2. Just remember: this BB was NOT th origin of those rumours. The rumour was re-posted here, but I forget who did it. Was it Sly?

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Broadie

[Spidergirl]

yeh spot on BroAdster!
She kept crapping on in the article that it was from some e-mail that was goin round so i reckon someone official from the club sent it in an e-mail and it leaked out onto the BB's somehow???

Anyway who cares now, for many of us it was obvious already and for others well they need to wake up and realise Bucks aint god. Now the club is taking the right steps in helping Bucks change his attitude so the worst we can do is to keep bringing this up when the problem is finally being addressed!

???

[This message has been edited by Spidergirl (edited 26 November 2000).]

[Mike]

Broadie

It was first posted on Big Footy by Bender and then by Annabelle on Hotrod's board in more detail about a week later. I reposted Annabelle's post here.

The email they refer to was a separate issue. Somebody mass mailed players, supporters board members and media - the contents were apparently similar, but not the same, as what appeared on the bulletin boards.

[Sly]

Nope, wasn't me who reposted the Buckley rumor as Mike's attested above.

Come Collingwood re-elections, don't forget to pencil in:
"I would've voted for Sly if he were eligible."

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Sly LeKoupa.
The Last Remaining Bad Guy.
The Collingwood Rant.
Don't believe the Facts until you've read the Rants![/b]
The Unofficial AFL Ranting Board.
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