New details emerge in Nathan Buckley's split with wife Tania
Nathan Buckley has reportedly been staying at the Melbourne apartment of good friend and sports executive Paul Roberts after he separated from wife Tania back in January.
Nathan and Tania Buckley released a joint statement on Friday confirming their split, admitting they haven’t been together for most of this year.
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Tania said it was in the best interests of sons Jett, 14, and Ayce, 12, that the AFL glamour couple end their 18-year marriage.
“It has been a tough and challenging year for every family and for ours included,” the joint statement said.
“It is with the utmost love and respect for each other and a true commitment to our sons, that we have made a decision to separate in January.”
The Buckleys said they remained focused on co-parenting their two boys.
“We remain dedicated parents and in the interests of our boys, we ask for our family to be given the privacy that is needed,” they said.
“We thank everyone in advance for understanding our request and for the unconditional love and support we have received throughout our marriage.”
According to the Herald Sun, Collingwood coach and former player Buckley has reportedly been staying at the South Yarra apartment owned by Roberts, who works for sports agency TLA.
The publication reported on Sunday that a number of other AFL identities have stayed there when they were going through personal struggles of their own.
Nathan and Tania married on New Year’s Eve in 2002, becoming a glamour couple of the AFL.
Buckley played 260 games for Collingwood before retiring in 2007, before becoming the Magpies’ senior coach in 2012.
Nathan Buckley’s tumultuous year
The announcement capped a tumultuous year for Buckley after he came under fire at various stages throughout 2020.
Collingwood’s thrashing at the hands of Geelong in the AFL finals came after Buckley copped a $50,000 fine for breaching virus protocols when he played tennis with Aussie great Alicia Molik in August.
Buckley once again copped heat from fans when Collingwood offloaded four players in a controversial trade period that saw the club cut $2 million in talent to ease salary cap issues.
The most notable player traded - Adam Treloar - later confirmed Buckley told him senior Magpies players no longer wanted him at the club.
In a meeting with Buckley, the coach expressed concern some players had with Treloar and they believed it was in his best interests to leave.
“That was told to me in no uncertain way,” Treloar told reporters after being traded to the Western Bulldogs, suggesting none of the players had ever expressed concerns about him.
“That did hurt because I know how close I am with the players; to be told that when I don't think that's the truth (hurts).
“To be told there's some players who don't want you there when I know that the majority of players love and care for me.
“They were adamant on moving me on so no matter how they were going to go about it, it was going to happen.
“It was a fight up until the end because that’s where I wanted to be at Collingwood.
“I guess anything was going to be said to move me on.
“There's not been one player that has come to me and said ‘yeah, I was apart of moving you on’.”
with AAP
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