COLLINGWOOD'S board has told embattled coach Nathan Buckley that no decision will be made on his position until the end of the season.
Club CEO Gary Pert passed that information onto the players in a pre-training meeting on Tuesday morning while Buckley was present.
With Buckley out of contract at the end of the season and the Magpies 15th on the ladder, speculation on his future reached fever pitch after the coach said post-match after the loss to Essendon that the club's season had reached a tipping point.
It forced the board to reassure those within the football department and the players that no decision would be made until after a review of the club had been completed.
Buckley said it was helpful to have the board's stance reinforced.
"It just helps us maintain our focus week-by-week over the next seven-week period," Buckley said.
"It was my intention and understanding all along so I suppose it is good to be validated by the board."
Buckley said the team and coaches were focused on emerging from the form slump that has seen the Magpies lose their past four games.
He said they had had strong conversations on what needed to happen for a turnaround to occur.
"It's mainly going to be around our intensity and defensive focus," Buckley said.
He said the opposition were scoring too heavily and sweating on the Magpies' turnovers.
Buckley said the impact of speculation around his future had been addressed internally well before the loss to Essendon, and that disappointment at recent performances would drive any response against Gold Coast rather than players airing that impact publicly.
"We would like to think we can flick a switch but we are going to need a solid effort from all players," Buckley said.
Buckley said he was under no illusions about the Magpies' performance this season and conceded finals were basically out of the question.
"In the end, you're either playing winning footy or you're not," he said.
The coach said he was receiving great support during this period and was clear on what he was trying to achieve in the next seven weeks.
"I'm playing my role and trying to fulfil my responsibilities to the best of my abilities. That hasn't wavered. Personally, I have been well supported and felt like I have been keen and ready to work and do whatever has to be done every day," Buckley said.
He said hearing support from the players was great but performance was what mattered.
"Performance is king. We need to back up our words, whether it is players or coaches or the club in general," Buckley said.
"You don't get any pats on the back for talking about things. You get pats on the back for actually doing it."
