But Buckley’s manager Craig Kelly said the just-departed Collingwood coach had ruled out a return to coaching for at least 12 months as he focused on his family.
“Nathan’s not coaching any club for at least 12 months,” said Kelly,when asked about his client’s interest in the Carlton job. “He’s spending some time re-setting and then he’ll assess his options.”
Kelly said Buckley could also continue to work in the media,which is his expected path for 2022. “It’s important he’s focusing on his family,” added Kelly. Buckley,who had a marriage separation late in his coaching stint at Collingwood,has two school-age sons.
Buckley’s unavailability,coupled with that of four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson,leaves Ross Lyon,the ex-St Kilda and Fremantle coach,as the clear favourite to replace David Teague,who was sacked on Thursday as the club released the key findings of a review of the football department.
The Carlton president has also been in contact with Lyon about the position in the wake of the club’s review of the football department that identified issues with his defensive game plan.
Sayers speaks regularly with Buckley and the former champion and Collingwood coach once even stayed at Sayers’ holiday villa in Tuscany while on an end-of-season break.
Teague was contracted for next year,but sources said his settlement would be for no more than six months of his salary - a standard practice for unproven coaches.