Inside THAT ‘messy’ Pies coaching handover as flag heroes reveal how ‘egos’ ruined it
Stuttering at the start of 2009 with a 3-5 record in Malthouse’s 10th season in charge, the Pies under then-president Eddie McGuire orchestrated a plan for club champion Buckley – who was drawing interest from rival teams at the time – to take over as coach in 2012 as part of a five-year deal that’d see Malthouse continue as director of coaching for three years.
In last week reflecting on his own experience and challenges throughout the period, Buckley posed how Collingwood players at the time would’ve managed through the unique set of events. As such, Ball was “optimistic” and even “bought into” the transition that was coming at the end of his second year at the club, holding significant admiration for both coaches.“I obviously had massive respect for Mick and he was the main reason in the end for making the tough call I did . He convinced me a fresh start would be beneficial, I’ll always be grateful to him for that.
“But I was a bit older and more battle scarred at that stage of my career. I’d come to Collingwood for a fresh start and was coming from a pretty low place personally, so I was on board with it and both men. “The only time I think a coaching handover has worked was Paul Roos to Simon Goodwin at Melbourne and Roos was the one who was driving it.
Though the on-baller, who played 92 of his 171 AFL games in black and white before moving to West Coast, does recall it being a “little bit messy” and questioning the rationale behind the abruptness of it given how well the team was travelling. Fellow premiership Magpies Heath Shaw and Dale Thomas, who were eventually traded to GWS and Carlton respectively by the end of 2013, have even said in recent years they believed the succession plan cost the team another flag.
“You’ve got to put your trust in the club and put your faith in what the club is doing that it’s going to be the best thing. Again, that would’ve been more challenging for some than others.”Buckley himself last week on SEN even admitted he tried to “pump the brakes” on the handover in 2011, but that other relationships had already been “broken.”“I can’t remember anyone being for or against it, I just remember it being a kind of awkward feeling,” Wellingham added.
“As Bucks said, personal egos and self interest started to take over from the subjugating of team egos that’s required to be a great team.”Meanwhile, Wellingham said Buckley, when he first took over, was put on a “hard trajectory” and that any incoming coach wouldn’t want their team to be “going too well” when they take the reins given the heightened expectations.
“Did the club make the right decision? Possibly, you never know, because there’s no alternative result. By that stage, the once polarising coach’s transformation and standing in such ranks was widely lauded as one of the most respected figures in his cohort.Fast forward even further to the present day and Ball holds a special current connection to the club, having been on the panel that selected Buckley’s successor, Craig McRae, at the end of 2021.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pies’ ‘biggest challenge’; fallen contender’s ‘disaster’ scenario amid finalist’s nervous waitPies’ ‘biggest challenge’; fallen contender’s ‘disaster’ scenario amid finalist’s nervous wait - Blowtorch
Read more »
Inside the take-down of a major Albanian mafia marijuana operationWhen police smashed through the door in Melbourne’s north-west, marijuana plants the size of Christmas trees were in almost every room of the house.
Read more »
Losing our religion: Inside the plan to future-proof Sydney’s faithBy 2056, Sydney’s Anglican Diocese will need to shift its resources from the city’s east to new suburbs in the west, and to churches such as Pastor Stuart Starr’s in Oran Park.
Read more »
Inside Andrews’ $380m compo deal for the GamesPremier Daniel Andrews announced th Victorian government would pay $380 million to Commonwealth Games organisers for abandoning the 2026 event. The organising body wanted much more, The Australian Financial Review can reveal.
Read more »
Inside the Wallabies training session with Steve HansenJust what can we make of a Wallabies training session in Paris with a World Cup-winning All Blacks coach, weeks out from the 2023 tournament?
Read more »
Inside the Wallabies training session with Steve HansenJust what can we make of a Wallabies training session in Paris with a World Cup-winning All Blacks coach, weeks out from the 2023 tournament?
Read more »