Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has taken a shot at the media for continuing to inflame and drag out the Adam Goodes booing saga.
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As tributes flowed for the retiring Sydney star over the weekend, Buckley lamented the "disappointing" response from some fans towards Goodes over the last two years of his career, but insisted that it would not taint his "magnificent" story.
The Pies coach blamed the media for its handling of the "booing" controversy, which attracted lots of coverage and interest when Goodes was forced to sit out a match in August. The story reignited upon Goodes' return despite the crowd's reaction being less obvious.
"I'm not listening for it [the booing], I'm just watching the bloke play," Buckley said on Fox Footy's AFL360.
"Why give it any air? We've given it too much air. It's the first thing you read about in the paper or hear about on the radio because you guys [the media] are listening for it intently," he said.
"You're listening for it intently because it's a story that continues. It happens but you don't have to focus on it heavily.
"Let's talk about something else, let's talk about what a great player he is because he's been a great player and a fantastic role model and I think we need to celebrate that.
"It [the booing] can't be the story. His story is so much bigger and longer and deeper and wider than that is."
Buckley then continued to make his point via social media on Tuesday, following with a tweet that read: "Fine line between addressing issues and turning a blind eye [is that PC?]".
"Point was I didn't hear the boos on Sat, wasn't listening for them," he added, referring to the crowd reaction from Saturday night's semi-final against North Melbourne at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
"The issue was and is significant but it is being fed externally now. Pay respect to the man by acknowledging his fine career."
Buckley, who shared a Brownlow Medal with Goodes as part of the three-way tie with Mark Ricciuto back in 2003, said the 35-year-old had maintained a high level of performance right to the end.
"He's got the obvious class … the only way Sydney were going to get back into the game [against the Kangaroos] was through him," Buckley said.
"He's been a phenomenal player for a long period of time.
"The goings-on in the last 12-24 months have been disappointing but it's not going to taint what's been a magnificent footy career."
