Nathan Buckley has spoken about his new appointment as assistant coach at Geelong and his potential future as the head coach of Tasmania.
Buckley was announced as an assistant coach at the Cats on Tuesday, his first coaching gig since departing Collingwood mid-way through the 2021 season.
He opened up about how the new coaching role came about, saying it all started with a text from Cats coach Chris Scott.
“Chris Scott is not your quintessential coach. He comes at things from a different direction,” Buckley told SEN Breakfast.
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“Scotty (Chris Scott) sent me a text last Tuesday out of the blue. He said if I had a chance, could we chat. We had that conversation; he planted the seed.
“I met with Steve Hocking, Andrew Mackie and Chris (last Thursday). We feel there’s a fit there for what I’m passionate about.
“I don’t think you’re ever half into something like this. If you’re committed to getting back into the cut and thrust of the game, that’s what I’ll be doing.”
Buckley's ambition is to be the inaugural coach of Tasmania in the future, and he asked Devils CEO Brendon Gale what the club thought about his new position at the Cats before accepting it.
“I said what would the Devils opinion be if this was to take place,” Buckley explained.
“The feedback was that this would only prepare me better and put my claim further ahead, and it would be supported... They still have some hurdles to cross with the license and stadium. The senior coach fits in there somewhere, that’s on their timeline.
“Do I tread water in between that? I have to be thinking, what am I doing with my life if I want to get back into coaching?
“My understanding is the Devils don’t feel they need their senior coach on deck immediately... Whoever gets employed by the Devils, invariably, they’re in the football system now anyway."