The future of Essendon coach James Hird will reportedly be decided at an emergency board meeting the AFL club has called for Thursday.
Fairfax Media is reporting Hird will proceed with an appeal against last month’s devastating Federal Court ruling.
The Bombers are said to have decided against pursuing any further court action.
Fairfax says Bombers chairman Paul Little and chief executive Xavier Campbell were unable to convince Hird he should follow the club’s path.
Fairfax added that Hird is not expected to attend the club’s best and fairest function on Wednesday night.
Caretaker coach Mark Thompson, who guided the side this season in the absence of suspended Hird, is understood to be attending the function.
Thompson had been tipped to take over as Gold Coast coach, with the Suns sacking Guy McKenna on Wednesday.
But the two-time premiership coach is yet to commit to the Suns.
Recent legal action was the latest chapter in the Bombers’ sordid supplements saga.
The club and Hird took ASADA to court, arguing the anti-doping body’s joint investigation into the 2012 supplements program at Essendon was unlawful.
But Justice John Middleton ruled decisively against them, despite their confidence that they had strong cases.
The Bombers and Hird officially have until October 10 to confirm whether they will appeal.
ASADA announced last week that if Essendon and Hird decided not to appeal, the national anti-doping body would proceed with revised show-cause notices against 34 current and former Bombers players.
The show-cause notices are the first step in the anti-doping disciplinary process.
Bobbo7
Guest
The texts show he knew what was going on. If he had EFC at heart he would have stepped down by now
Bobbo7
Guest
I would hope not many.
joe b
Guest
Just been announced that Hird has been sacked. Thompson will no doubt be head coach, much prefer to see Bomber playing role in the Essendon redemption process than leading the Suns.
micka
Guest
On SEN this morning, Tim Watson said he couldn't see Hird having a coaching future with Essendon.
Axle an the guru
Guest
I think the possibility of Thompson going to Gold Coast has forced Essendon to ask themselves,are we doing the right thing here with the coaching situation.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
Agree with Slane, Ironic situation where a player takes a lifetime to build a reputation and becomes an icon, only to be outed by his own hubris and join the annals of history and mentioned in the same sentence as Lance Armstrong.
Axle an the guru
Guest
The decision to extend Hirds contract would have been a committee decision. Little cannot just make any decision on his own.
slane
Guest
James Hird was one of the best midfielders of my generation. Admired and respected by all and sundry. It has now come to light that he was being seen to by 'Dr. Ageless' during his playing career. A man known for advocating testosterone injections and many other drugs that reside in the gray areas of legality in sport. We didn't have sophisticated doping tests in the 90's and earlier. To my mind the greats of this generation have been tarnished.
david
Guest
Tim Watson confirmed that hird will be coaching on anzac day.
slane
Guest
If he is innocent then he should stop trying to impede the investigation with these court battles and let everything air in the light of day.
Don Freo
Guest
Agreed.
Don Freo
Guest
I love Conrad's literary protagonists...they have such integrity. Prediction; James Hird will stand as a champion of the rights of individuals to stand above the lynching mentality of feral press and the predatory jackals of public opinion. He will become a guru of player and coach advocacy.
Don Freo
Guest
And you don't think the director of coaching would have been complicit too? Or is it that you like Bomber but don't like Hird. The only way Bomber did not know what was happening is if he was negligent in his duty. To know these things was his job...not Hird's. Bomber was overseeing football operations. If Hird can't coach, neither can Thompson. Bring back Matthew Knights.
Don Freo
Guest
Is anyone having trouble accessing the Roar on their computers? I can only get it on my phone. Is it this new format stuff?
Martin
Guest
I believe James Hird is innocent and this is what drives him to continue with the litigation. And why the media is so against Hird I don't understand.
H.E. Pennypacker
Guest
Chairman Little needs to go also, he had made this saga drag on needlessly. Bring back Evans who wanted to clean this mess up from the get go.
Greg Clough
Guest
I am sure this has been noted before, but it is worth repeating. The author who wrote "Heart of Darkness", Joseph Conrad, also wrote another famous novel. In this novel, Conrad tells the story of how a sterling young sailor, along with his ship's officers, abandon a ship in distress, causing the deaths of scores of innocent people. The young seaman is publicly censured for this action and the novel follows his later attempts at coming to terms with his past. The title of the novel? "Lord Jim". Ironic, aint it? I sincerely hope Lord James' future turns out better than Conrad's Lord Jim's.
joe b
Guest
It is interesting the payout scenario.... is there any type of breach of contract they can terminate on? I guess tomorrow's emergency meeting at Essendon will shed some light.
Penster
Guest
What proportion of Essendon supporters do the "Stand by Hird" crowd represent? Some seem to support him, he represents the club's innocence etc, other's would see him drawn and quartered.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Well now he should finally be gone. Emergency board meetings don't happen for nothing, players told him not to appeal and apparently the chant 'Bomber, Bomber, Bomber' before the stand in coach's speech today.