Dual premiership player Malcolm Blight has delivered a savaging assessment of Nathan Buckley’s tenure as Collingwood coach, saying the club’s downward trend has to be reversed.
The Magpies have struggled under Buckley’s lead, as they’ve missed the finals for four straight campaigns, with their ladder position going down from 4th in 2012 to 6th, 11th, 12th, 12th and 13th last season.
However, the Pies handed their coach a two-year contract last year, keeping him tied to the club until at least the end of 2019.
According to Blight, Buckley would be a fortunate man to keep his job if Collingwood keep dropping.
“If he continues this downward spiral, and say they win six-to-seven games this year, he will be the most luckiest bloke to keep a job in footy,” he told SEN Mornings.
“They’ve recruited a lot of players from other clubs, and that’s fine in most worlds, however most of them haven’t scrubbed up well at all.
“This is on Nathan Buckley’s watch, full stop.”
The Magpies had a quiet trade period last season, with unknown Sydney defender Sam Murray being the only inclusion.
It is a far cry from the heavy involvement Collingwood has had in the player movement market over the past few seasons, but Blight reckons bulk of the acquisitions from rival teams have underperformed.
The two-time Adelaide premiership coach rated some of the recruits, with majority floating around a B mark.
Blighty’s Collingwood recruit ratings
Daniel Wells: B-
Jeremy Howe: B+ or a A-
James Aish: C+
Taylor Adams: A-
Adam Treloar: A-
Levi Greenwood: B
Will Hoskin-Elliott: B
Travis Varcoe: B
Lynden Dunn: B
The Magpies’ 2018 season begins on Saturday March 24 against Hawthorn.
Listen to Malcolm Blight explain his ratings with Kane Cornes in the player below!