Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury has pledged his support behind under pressure coach Nathan Buckley.
The Magpies’ 2017 season is currently at the crossroads, with a loss this weekend against Hawthorn to send the club to 5-9 and likely extinguishing any chance of the club playing finals football for the first time since 2013.
With the out-of-contract Buckley having told SEN’s The Coaches’ Box last year that a failure to make the top eight this season would likely spell the end of his tenure at the helm of the Pies, their crucial clash against the Hawks could also prove to be pivotal in determining his future as an AFL coach.
Despite these growing concerns, Pendlebury has staunchly defended his coach, saying that despite a host of disappointing results, Buckley has the full support of the playing group.
“Absolutely I would (be happy for Bucks to stay). I’m really keen for him to stay on,” the Pies skipper told SEN Breakfast.
“He’s got the whole group behind him. We’ve been doing a lot right but just haven’t been getting the right result.
“I’m a big fan of the way he coaches.
“If he was to leave at the end of the year, he’ll be leaving right as he has got this group ready to make a real crack at it.”
Buckley took over as Collingwood coach at the end of the 2012 season from 2010 premiership winner Mick Malthouse, and currently holds a 52 per cent win record as coach from a total of 127 games.