Matthew Lloyd has dismissed the notion that Collingwood wouldn’t find a suitable replacement if the club were to part ways with coach Nathan Buckley.
The Magpies are 1-6 – their worst start to a season since 2005 – after Saturday’s 24-point loss to Gold Coast at the MCG.
The dismal defeat to the Suns has heaped more pressure on Buckley, who is out of contract at season’s end and wants to continue as Collingwood coach next year.
“I don’t think you can say, ‘who else are they going to get?’ Where did (Damien) Hardwick start? Where did (Luke) Beveridge start? Where did (Alastair) Clarkson start?” Lloyd told Channel Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“West Coast is a huge club … they gave Adam Simpson the job. How good has he been for them? Justin Longmuir replaced Ross Lyon (at Fremantle), how is he travelling? He’s going so well. Open it up and see the best candidates out there.”
Lloyd says Buckley has been “cut a lot more grace” compared to other under pressure coaches like Carlton’s David Teague.
“I think what you’ve got to look at is who is improving at Collingwood? Name me one player that’s improved this year,” the Essendon great said.
“You’ve got to always ask if our players are developing, how’s our game style going, our ball use, all those sorts of things.
“I think Nathan was a wonderful player, he’s a big name … he’s getting cut a lot more grace in my opinion than a David Teague.
“David Teague doesn’t have the respect that Nathan Buckley has so we all say, ‘I’d give Nathan another chance’, but they have to ask serious and hard questions – they are 1-6 after seven rounds.
“Yes, their list doesn’t look that great, so there’s been some shocking errors with the Dayne Beams decision and the salary cap issues, so he’s had to deal with some of that.
“I would give him to until the end of the year, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they moved on (from Buckley).”
Next up for Collingwood is bottom placed North Melbourne – another loss could prove disastrous to Buckley's chances of coaching on at the Pies in 2022.
Stay up to date with all the latest news from SEN. Sign up HERE.