James Hird in action during an Essendon Bombers training session to mark the anniversary of the 2000 Premiership at Windy Hill, Melbourne. Slattery Images
So after the blood was spilled and the mess cleaned up, it seems a fait accompli James Hird will coach Essendon in 2011, replacing the unloved Matthew Knights.
Everyone seems content to allow this to happen provided an experienced football coach is brought in as an assistant or “director of coaching” something not extended to Knights.
However, Essendon should be wary of putting all their faith in James Hird for three reasons:
1. The Essendon playing list
Essendon’s playing list is stuck in a rut at the moment. Despite all the promise of boundless talent and a 2009 finals appearance, the Bombers finished the season woefully. Hird’s lack of coaching experience, especially in development, could prove costly.
What Essendon need is a coach with strong development ethos. Hird may not have that experience to deal with this predicament. If the coaching selection committee is looking for a development coach, it should look at an Alan Richardson or a Mark Williams with a proven track record in development.
2. Media to coaching
It’s the femme fatale of the AFL world. A media commentator obviously driven by a lure to coach tries to shortcut his way through the apprenticeship.
Hird’s mate Tim Watson knows this too well. As does Hird’s rival Michael Voss who is now appreciating that crossing from Channel Ten to the coaches’ box is not as easy as it seems.
Hird is a very good analyst of football on Fox Sports and has a fantastic football brain. However, good commentary does not equal coaching success something both parties must be cautious of (a la Tim Watson and Michael Voss).
3. Favourite son syndrome
Both parties should be wary of this. A favourite son of a club returning to coach is not a proven winning formula (Tony Shaw especially). It may in the Bomber hierarchy feel like a romantic novel but it could turn into a Greek tragedy of Hird can’t provide the supporters with the goods.
Now I’m not saying the James Hird should or should not get the job. Hird has a brilliant football mind and he will make a good coach I feel. But before just giving him the job, he must go through due process and not just be given the job willy-nilly. Otherwise the Bombers in 24-36 months will be back in the same predicament.
bls
Guest
This is just doomsaying. Hird will bring a lot to the club. He demands success and will get it, albeit, perhaps not immediately. The great thing about Hird is the attraction that he holds to all aspects of running a modern day club. Disillusioned players will stay, sponsors will stay, membership will increase, etc etc. Anyone doubting the merit of appointing him coach is off their rocker. He may not bring finals success in his first year, but that will come. The list is not overrated, merely underperforming. Instead of having coaches in the midfied who were recievers and didn't win the hard ball, we'll have coaches who demand a more defensive aspect and a mindset to win the ball first rather than recieve. The list is not poor, it just needs a quality mid to top it up and the right sort of direction. This is now coming, thankfully.
Oracle
Guest
Poor list, thanks to Sheedy assembling a list for his own survival five years ago. Essendon will continue to pay the penalty for Sheedy's selfishness for a few years yet, and Hird won't make much difference. Their best player is 35 years old, says it all.
TomC
Guest
The Brisbane Lions are learning exactly how toxic the 'favourite son' thing can be. After years of being revered as a playing God, there's precious few people at the club willing to point out his limitations as a coach. It makes it harder a give a young coach honest feedback and if he fails (and he is failing right now) it makes it harder to replace him. I agree with both the other two points, but I would say that at least Hird has some management experience through his sports marketing company. That should at least give him some perspective on handling people that Watson and Voss didn't get in the media. All the same, Essendon have a critical few years ahead, and this decision should be based on qualifications rather than emotion.
Redb
Roar Guru
Yes this is the popular theory. Knights had 3 years, there is a very good reason he was not embraced. The EFC Board did not look far enough and overlooked both Damian Hardwick and Bomber Thompson at the time. Knights was the easy choice, post the Sheedy era, he knew most of the players from the Bendigo Bombers days and thus the Board felt the huge hole left by the influential Sheedy might be best filled by an insider. He had no defensive game plan! To your points: 1. Essendon’s playing list – Hird will be expected to clean out where necessary and easily be given a 3 year honeymoon window by fans to set the right course. There is a good spine to work with, the midfield, a position familiar to Hird needs the most work. 2. It is such an easy grab to draw parallels with other new coaches. Each coach brings their own talent to the job. Watson and Hird were very different players, Watson the exciting burst player, Hird the decision maker and general on the field. Hird played an old fashioned captain-coach at times. If a game was getting away from the Bombers he would put himself in the centre win the hard ball and then direct play with intelligent possession. Hird rarely wasted a possession. St Kilda bottomed out during Watson’s time, those draft picks are now in a grand final. Timing more than anything could have killed Watson’s coaching tenure or he simply was not good enough. The other often compared player is Voss. Voss the autocratic dominator versus the Hird the general who is smart enough to listen. I think Hird automatically comes with a mindset to listen to others around him, Voss appears to lack this. Hird is several IQ points higher than Voss or Tony Shaw and has a totally different management style. 3. Favourite son – yes for good reason, the captain-coach role was one of them. If he could size up a game on the field, imagine what he could do with his own game plan and the ability to direct on game day without having to concentrate on his own game. James Hird saved so many games for Essendon it’s not funny. Keen Bomber fans know this, it’s why he is revered. He will assemble what supporting cast he thinks he needs. Finally, look at John Worsfold at West Coast. He did the assistant coach thing, won a premiership and now a wooden spoon. What lessons can be learnt from that?