Is it time for Buckley to go?

[35forever]

Someone had to do it, so I'm doing it. I don't really want this to be about WHY he should or shouldn't go, there are other threads aplenty for that. I will say that it would sadden me greatly to see such a great Magpie legend go out on such a note, but the time has come for decisions, whether we like making them or not. Clearly there is a groundswell of opposition to his continuing as coach, and I'd like to see what the people here think.

PS: this is my first poll so forgive me if I f*ck it up

[AN_Inkling]

Not unless we're the Tigers or the Saints, no.

[Az]

I say not YET. He effectively promised today that we are going to be a much better team next year, and has our premiership window in 3-5 years. Kind of steps on what Pert said last year that we would win a flag in the next 3 years, but at least Bucks has finally come out and publicly put some responsibility on himself instead of the players or the entirety of the footy club for once. If we go backwards again next year and don't show signs of building again, then I think it's time to call it a day.

[melliot]

No. As I've said elsewhere if it was my call he gets the next half season. Then we need to see some footy improvement. We need this team going forward, not backwards.

Otherwise we need to at least explore who is available and if there is a better option.

[swoop42]

Pert said within 3 years starting this season all the while expecting to remain in serious contention within the top 4.

Buckley said within 3 to 5 years which simply isn't good enough from where he started from.

Geelong having won 3 flags, are second on the ladder and remain in flag contention once again, a position they've held since 2007.

Buckley has one more season to have us back playing finals, playing a far better brand of football, one which is capable of displaying the ability to knock over top 4 side like the hawks on our best day.

If we are playing the same awful football this time next season then it's time to go.

[Piesnchess]

Not until he sees out his contract, we are not basketcases like saint vomit, or tigerland, or any of the other rabble teams, eg doggies.

[RudeBoy]

I'd give him a 2 yr extension now, so everyone knows there's stability. This season has been ruined by injuries. I'm one who is in Bucks' corner.

[Az]

[TK]

Yeah lets sack him for making us lose five of our best six players - Seriously do you honestly think we were a chance this year - Top ten draft pick coming again, some trade bait. We are still in 2006. Just relax and enjoy the ride.

[swoop42]

He was already given an extension earlier in the year.

Sure as shit ain't getting another one again now.

[AN_Inkling]

[Medieval]

Here's my opinion on why we should keep him, whether you want it or not.

His first year he had brand new assistant coaches because the previous lot got jobs as senior coaches or left (Neeld - sacked by Melbourne, Watters - sacked by Saints and Brad Scott - not done much in 5 years at North). He started from scratch, in terms of coaching group material. We made top 4 in 2012, which is acceptable for him, given we lost the GF the previous year. Sydney, Hawthorn and Freo were on the up and Geelong still there. 2 of them ended up playing in the GF. All 4 have youngish lists with some older players with only a few years left. All of these players are 30 or over or turn 30 next season.

Hawks - Mitchell, Hodge, Sewell, Lake, Gibson, Burgoyne
Swans - Goodes, Richards, McVeigh, Malcelski, Shaw, McGlynn.
Freo - Sandilands, Pavlich, Mundy, McPharlin, Duffield, Crowley, Johnson.
Geelong - Bartel, Enright, Stevie J, Kelly, Mackie, Stokes, Rivers, McIntosh, Lonergan

FYI, Swanny is our oldest current (not inc. Maxy) player by 90 days at 30y 173d over Bally at 30y 83d.

We've lost players of that calibre in the last 3 years (Jolly, Didak, Krak, Leon, Daisy, Heater, LBrown - Ret., BJ - Ret., Tarrant - Ret., Presti - Ret.), some retired and some we "got rid of" (or traded). Getting rid of them was the right call because we needed to set up our future, rather than leave it too late (keep in mind that none of the players we "got rid of" got picked up by other clubs, so 17 clubs agreed we made the right call). Bucks has also had a shocking run of injuries during his first 3 years with Beams, Brown, Reid, Ball, Macaffer, Freeman, Scharenberg (although we knew he was injured when drafted) and Swan either missing a large amount of games, the whole season or playing with injury in the last 2 years, not to mention players missing a few weeks here & there, which can be managed. These are not excuses, these are reasons, partially. There are questions around us, no doubt. What is Bucks' gameplan? I don't know, but it's hard to implement a gameplan when you consistently have injuries.

I ask you this; Even if we won our last 2 or 3 games and finished 5-7, do any of you really think we could win the flag? Sydney, Hawks or Freo will win the flag this year. We are either in front of them or behind them, depending on how you look at it. We are behind in the sense that they are contending for a flag and we aren't but we are in front in that we are building for the future and will be prepared to contend for the next 3-6 years (2016-2020) when they have lost their core of superstars and rebuild. There is more to this game than coaching, so let's not just call for Bucks to be sacked. It's not that easy. Firstly, I'd like to see us go back to basics for the next 2 weeks. Man on man when defending and break and run and spread when attacking. No more zones. Pressure. Tackle. Shepherd. Play for each other. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and this is mine. If you agree, fine. If not, why? What solution do you have rather than "sack Buckley"? Sacking Bucks would only make us look stupid and short sighted as no one in the professional football world would consider that Bucks should be sacked because of all the reasons I mentioned earlier. Let's have a discussion and look for answers, rather than scapegoating the coach. And lastly, I'm not saying Bucks is perfect. He's made some mistakes on game day and in selection, but he's learning. He's also advised by assistants that (apart from Burns) are also inexperienced. Consider all of these things before jumping to conclusions.

And no matter what, GO PIES!

[swoop42]

Most rational people aren't questioning Buckley's ability to coach because we aren't going to win the flag this season it's because we have been so hopelessly inept for the second half of the season in implementing what you say you'd like to see over the next two weeks, the confusion over exactly what the hell our game plan is from week to week and deplorable skill level.

People were questioning some of these same aspects of our game last season as well so it's not exactly like some of the problems we see now are new.

This is why people naturally have concerns with the direction we seem to be heading and why we need to improve next year and see a cohesive game plan taking shape that is obvious to all, a much more balanced performance from one week to the next in terms of our level of effort, increased skill levels and an obvious attempt in improving our shocking rate of injuries for the past 3 seasons.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect vast improvement next season from a coach in his 4th season.

This is how it's meant to go.

Where not Richmond after all and ninth isn't our domain.

[rocketronnie]

I voted no because of the wording of the poll. If it had said "should he go at the end of the season" I would have voted Yes.

[woftam]

Must see out 2015. But there can be no excuses for another fall next year.
Since the first bye when we were 8-3, we have won 2 games of football & are last or near last in all the important stats. We are playing like a bottom 4 side not a top 4 side & if our coach wasn't Bucks, then the knives would be out in huge numbers. For instance - If our senior coach was Lappin (who some seem to blame for everything) there would not be one of you who would be saying he needs more time if the circumstances weren't exactly the same.

In 2015 we need to see a committed football team that are all pulling in the same direction.

We need to see a fix for the inept attempt to lock the football in our forward line when we score a behind. Because right now it is comedy hour & opposition coaches must laugh their arses off at how easy it is to slice through what we call our zone & score down the other end.

We need to see a fix for the amount of uncontested ball we allow the opposition. Basically teams go coast to coast without us touching the footy or laying a tackle with monotonous regularity week after week after week. Nothing is ever recognised as a weakness & acted upon. We do the same dumb shit week after week & get the same result.

After 2015 - NO MORE EXCUSES.