Written by The Magpie’s have had a horror time of it lately, The Do Better Report which was released in January this year, found the club guilty of ‘systemic racism’ while under Eddie McGuire as President and Nathan Buckley as Head Coach. Heated boardroom arguments and a less than sterling performance from the team have sent the club into a downward spiral.
Nathan Buckley is practical; he can see the bigger picture. “I think it needs to be fresh eyes, to help it pop again and help it regenerate. Potentially when you’ve been in the seat for 10 years the capacity to do that isn’t as great. When it came to the senior coaching role it became clear that a clean slate, for new energies and a new voice, was necessary.”
Buckley champions the club though, insisting that despite his leaving under a cloud, that its full of great people who are committed and well connected to each other. Following McGuire’s decision to stand down as President, Buckley sees his decision to agree with management and relinquish his position as well, as doing what’s best for the club moving forward. He goes on to celebrate the proactive regeneration taking place, and the transparency of the whole renewal process taking place.
Since the announcement of his resignation on Wednesday, social media has been flooded with well wishes from shocked past and present players. Twitter particularly was peppered liberally with posts all conveying similar sentiments.
Despite the usually ‘tall poppy’ attacks from the ‘peanut gallery’ that suggest that Buckley was a man consumed by his own awesomeness, who supposedly lived by the acronym FIGJAM (“F*ck I’m Good, Just Ask Me”), he has shown a maturity and responsiveness in this instance. Those who know him better will attest to his commitment and intense drive to succeed and cite jealousy as the underlying agent for this misrepresentation.
A good culture will not necessarily guarantee wins but a bad one can cost the team everything. Coaches need a special set of qualities that will contribute to a positive culture and one of these is selflessness. While the coach alone can’t singlehandedly swing a culture from good to bad, they can start the ball rolling by setting the example and encouraging the team to follow. Selflessness is acting in a way the benefits the team, sacrificing ego and making decisions that will contribute to the overall success of the organization. The model that includes this selflessness is one that serves the team. An alarming trend is apparent in sport, for younger athletes rising up through the ranks to develop a self-serving attitude whereby they expect the team to serve them and their career. This attitude can be checked by a strong wave of positivity within the culture of the club. Selfishness destroys, good teamwork is synonymous with sacrifice and selflessness.
“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” ― Dalai Lama XIV
The Nathan Buckley I know isn’t the one you think you know (indaily.com.au)