Bombers boss says performance clauses in new Knights deal

Essendon chairman David Evans has revealed there are performance clauses in Matthew Knights’ contract extension, but says speculation about the coach’s AFL future is ridiculous.

Knights is coming under increased pressure after the Bombers’ poor start to the season and they were woeful on Anzac Day, suffering a 65-point loss to Collingwood.

Essendon gave Knights a contract extension that takes him through to 2012.

“There are parts of it that have performance KPIs in it, yes,” Evans told Channel Nine’s The Footy Show.

Evans was then asked if that meant there was a chance Knights would not see out the contract if Essendon continued to struggle.

“That’s hypothetical, I’m not going to deal in those,” he said.

“You’re asking me to give an ironclad guarantee that he’s there – I’m saying to you he has a contract, we support Matthew Knights as coach of Essendon to do his job.

“It’s important to note that the club has had a couple of bad losses, but all this speculation around coaching is ridiculous given it’s round five.

“He coached the team last year to a finals appearance.”

Evans has also blasted growing calls for clubs other than Essendon and Collingwood to play at the MCG on Anzac Day.

The Bombers and Magpies made the fixture their own in 1995 and they have made the clash the second-biggest AFL game of the season.

“If we lose Anzac Day … it will be theft, because we have built, developed, fostered that with the RSL,” Evans said.

“You have to incentivise (sic) creativity and we provided that.

“That’s something we will fight very hard for.”