Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury has thrown his full support behind under-fire coach Nathan Buckley.
The Pies have struggled for long periods of the season and currently sit in 13th with a record of 5-8, and will face Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday, who have also won just five games in 2017.
Failure to make the finals this season could result in Buckley losing his job at Collingwood, following comments he made last year suggesting that it would be finals or bust in terms of him receiving a new contract.
Buckley's future has been a topic of conversation all season long, but Pendlebury told Melbourne radio station SEN on Thursday morning that he believes the former Collingwood champions is the right man for the position.
“Absolutely I would (be happy for Bucks to stay). I’m really keen for him to stay on,” Pendlebury 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."
Not only does Pendlebury believe in Buckley's ability, but he also said the coach has formed a playing group that's ready to launch an assault on the competition.
“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,” Pendlebury added.
