A letter to the Prez

[RudeBoy]

Dear Eddie,

as a member of our club for over 4 decades, I've seen a lot of trials and tribulations with our club. However, in all my time supporting the Pies I have never before seen, heard or witnessed such mindless and ill informed vitriol directed at one of the greatest servants of our club, as has been thrown at our coach Nathan Buckley.

Obviously our football team has failed to deliver on our expectations and it is incumbent on you, as our President, to ascertain the reasons for our team's poor performances. However, acknowledging the sub par on-field performances of our team, does not represent evidence that the coach must go. The media might see it that way, they might report it that way, and they might join in the chorus calling for Bucks' head. However, as our President, it is your task to ignore the external noise and to establish the facts. We all know the win/loss record, but what is not known (to those external to the inner sanctum of our club) are the reasons for our poor win/loss record.

If, at the end of the day, you are confident that Bucks' coaching methods/style is the main reason for our poor form on the field, then without doubt, he cannot be granted a contract extension.

However, if, the instability in the football department, particularly the revolving Director of Football position, has been a major factor, then this needs to be addressed. As well, our whole recruiting and list management department needs to be put under the microscope.

As a mere supporter, but long time Legends Member, I have been dismayed by the wasted use of high prized draft picks on players like Scharenberg, Freeman and Aish. Use of these picks should have set us up for a decade, much like the drafting of Pendles and Daisy did back in 2006. Furthermore, the recruitment of Mayne and Wells, on big salaries for multiple years, seemed crazy at the time, and seem disastrous now.

Obviously, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and there will always be good and bad luck associated with recruiting decisions, but as a supporter, I have been rather disappointed for the past 5-6 years with the recruiting undertaken by our club.

Clearly, some or all of these matters are being analysed by Peter Murphy, but as a non football person, I doubt he has the background to equip himself properly with these matters.

Basically, I think you, as our President, should investigate these matters yourself, with or without the assistance of other well regarded (and hopefully external) football people. Part of your investigation should involve private and confidential discussions with senior players at our club. Conducted properly, I am sure that players like Pendles, Adams, Howe and others would quickly alert you to problems with the coach, if indeed he is the source of our problems.

Finally, you will have guessed by now that I am a firm supporter of Bucks as our coach. I think he is a masterful coach and brilliant communicator and developer of young talent. He is also held in enormous esteem by those who know him. However, if the evidence presents itself that our team's problems are due to Bucks' coaching, then we need to part with Nathan and proceed to arrange a handover to someone else.

However, if our poor performances are largely due to poor recruiting, list management, instability in our Football Department, or any other factor, then it would be a crime to blame these on our coach. It may be that numerous other heads need to roll at our club, while Bucks is backed by our board and given a 2-3 yr extension to end all the speculation surrounding his position.

Clearly, I am hoping the latter course of action is taken as a matter of urgency, but if it is the former, then as long as the decision is based on hard evidence, then I, and most members and fans, will support your decision.

The decision is yours Ed. As our President, I trust you will exercise it wisely.

Go Pies!
Floreat Pica!

[thompsoc]

What the hell are you on about rudeboy.
Ed is not the Pope...he is a naughty little boy!
Mate it is all over except the fat lady hasn't started singing yet.

[piedys]

Rudey, as I said in another thread you posted in last month... make a tilt at the presidency yourself in the next AGM.
You have the pedigree, and will most likely secure more numbers than you'd expect at board level.
De-Trump him!

[Redlight]

A lot of good point Rudeboy. I'm hopeful that the independent review will lead to the right corrections being made. I'm sure no-one wants that more than Ed

[CarringbushCigar]

[think positive]

[Johnno75]

Look I don't fully blame Bucks for the way we are playing/played over the past couple of years but clearly he is not playing with a plan that complements the list at his disposal.

On Saturday we actually constructed a couple of really good goals going down the line and using the flanks and of course it's a bit easier to defend the turnover if the ball and your players are on 1 side of the ground but some of those turnovers trying to go back in board or switch were a joke. 6 of their first 9 goals came directly from us giving them the ball back with shit kicks or decisions.

A lot of the recruiting hasn't helped our current predicament but I can't imagine the senior coach wouldn't have a decent say in the players coming into the club given he would have had a specific vision.

At the end of the day like Trump says in the boardroom he is the project manager and it all comes down to him. Nathan Buckley YOUR FIRED.

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

When MM was coach and things went wrong it was seen to be "MM's fault"

Now after six years of Bucks having "his team" its everyone else's fault , that things are going wrong ?

Bucks is the coach , he had a plan , he wanted the job.

I personally think that upon returning to Melbourne from holiday , Eddie should immediately contract Buckley as Collingwood coach for the next 3 seasons , 2018 -2020

Then we all wil absolutely know once and for all

[WarrenerraW]

[Member 7167]

The first thing is that we are all outside of the club and we do not know what is happening within the club. Without that knowledge blaming one or several individuals is ill informed and ignorant. Rudey has addressed this well in his letter

We all know by now that something is not right at the club as disctated by the results. What we do not know is the root cause.

I agree with everything you have written Rudey and unlike some I do not want to see Buckley or others thrown to the wolves if they are not responsible.

There is no need for thompsoc, Carrinbush Cigar or the Boy Who Cried Wolf to respond as you have ensured that we are all well informed of your anti viewpoints.

[CarringbushCigar]

[thompsoc]

[RudeBoy]

[thompsoc]

The problem was Rudeboy, they relied on false info from the intelligence community.
They had an enquiry on the weapons of mass destruction!
They got it wrong!

[RudeBoy]