The seeds of discontent at Essendon were sewn as long ago as the sacking of Kevin Sheedy.
While I don’t want to revisit that issue, it showed that the Essendon Football Club has a penchant for drama in its business practices, and they have repeated that method of dismissal again in the case of James Hird.
Hird came out of the Michael Voss mould. Both won the Brownlow Medal the same year, both coached their team where they were star players, and both were revered by their fans.
But star players don’t always make successful coaches, and both fell on their swords after poor team performances.
The problem with Brisbane is that they replaced Voss with a player of the same mould and era in Justin Leppitsch. Let’s hope Essendon avoid that pitfall.
But is it Hird’s fault that Essendon finds itself toward the bottom end of the AFL ladder? It’s difficult to imagine that any coach could have navigated through the drugs saga any better than Hird. The supplements case was ultimately Hird’s downfall, but it is difficult to believe he was the only one to blame.
Now the coach’s position is available at Essendon. Mark Thompson seems to be the obvious choice to take over – he has a proven track record of success, he knows the club, he is a genuine icon of the club, and the fans love him.
Unfortunately, Essendon has burned its bridges with Thompson. If they are going to get his services, it will probably be with a turnover of the faceless men that run the club. They’re a bob a dozen. Great coaches are harder to find.
Only then will this once great club move on.
Aransan
Guest
Paul, note that Bomber's name never seems to come up when new coaching positions become available. I am sure he can still coach but remember that all coaches have to start their careers somewhere and the trick is to identify the next Clarkson, Lyon, Thompson ahead of the market. I am sure Simon Goodwin will be a good coach, I think Matthew Egan will be too but he might need another couple of years in a more senior role (and perhaps he is ready now). Coaches have a use by date at a particular club, and also have a use by date in their careers as well. The game keeps changing and Sheedy in particular was successful over 20 years due to continually reinventing himself. Coaches tend to be blamed for all the ills that befall a club and the three or more years lost in the wilderness are more often due to failures at a number of levels in a club and the coach is just a convenient scapegoat.
Paul Schlanger
Roar Rookie
I can't disagree with what you say except that coaches that have a proven track record would not be ignored by clubs. If not at Essendon, then at another club. The alternative is a Michael Vos, Justin Leppitch, Nathan Buckley and any other coach that is flying under the radar of adequate team performances. For clubs that make a mistake with their coaching selection, it means up to three or more years lost in the wilderness.
Aransan
Guest
Paul, Mark Thompson was a successful coach and he did a very good job at Essendon in 2014 but he knows that if he returned to Essendon now then this supplements saga would start up again. To some extent he has burnt his bridges too. There is no reason why he couldn't have a very successful role at another club but I think clubs are starting to look for the next generation of coaches as far as the main job is concerned.
Paul Schlanger
Roar Rookie
One does not need to be an expert to see that Mark Thompson is a successful AFL coach, Those achievements are on the board. The question is could he be lured back to Essendon. The fact is that if Mark Thompson would make himself available, there would be a number of clubs that woul snap him up in a heartbeat.
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
If we are going to play the blame game then we need to listen to the all knowing, all seeing experts....The fans. According to them its all Caroline Wilson's fault. There could actually be some serious truth in this. The last time Caroline Wilson had a change of hairstyle was when John Coleman was playing in 1949 just after she broke up with Dick Reynolds and was looking for a change. Its obvious that this is when her love affair with Essendon began
Bobbo7
Guest
Hird played a big part in his own downfall. Arguing anything different is simply lurking into the la la land 'golden boy' world. He was involved in bringing Dank to the club, he clearly knew what was going on, failed to fall on his sword like any other coach in any other sport would have done whether they were really to blame or not (see the last Wallabies coach for an example), and he went on with the defiant stance, dragging the matter out much longer than it should. EFC also made some awful decisions, one being not to sack Hird two years ago. Supporters also to blame for putting their love for Hird over the reality of what had been done to the players. Amazes me to read EFC fans say that EFC should look after it's own (in relation to sacking Hird) but are silent on the fact the club failed to "look after it's own" in drugging the young men who play for the club with the mystery juice. Anyway, hopefully for all concerned the club can move on now and a lesson has been learned.
BigAl
Guest
I see you are a Rookie Paul, so you are excused for not seeing that Mark Thompson's coaching career is done !
Reccymech
Roar Rookie
As an aside. I reckon all clubs will steer clear of 'favourite son's coaching clubs without doing an 'apprentiship' as an assistant coach at the least, and preferably away at another club. Sorta like a sabbatical away. Only have to see the carnage, ie Hird, Voss, Tim Watson...dare I say 'Bucks'.
Aransan
Guest
Thompson understands that he doesn't have a future coaching at Essendon, all those present during the saga were tainted. He may have been late in realising that but he understands it now. The comment about Kevin Sheedy is a bit rich, he was coach for 27 years and he admits that he stayed on too long but he would not have willingly gone at the finish.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
Not sure why Hawthorn identity would ever consider being involved with the EFC. Why on earth would Bolton consider leaving a successful club for a club that makes Fawlty Towers look like a paradigm of profesionalism!! The whole club from the top down is a joke so no successful football professional would consider that eroneous task, ask Matthew Knights, Mark Thompson. Takes more than a coach to build a sucessful team.
Josh
Expert
Reckon it's time to get away from the boys club at Essendon myself. Club needs a fresh perspective, not yet-another-former-Essendon-player coming in - which as much as I love him rules Bomber out. Otherwise thinking around the club gets too incestuous, everyone's more concerned with slapping eachother on the back and reliving the 1993 premiership than they are about bring this club into the modern day. If I was the Bombers, I'd be going hammer and tongs at Brendon Bolton before he puts pen to paper with Carlton. Two Clarkson assistants in Beveridge and Simpson are doing great things this year, follow the winning trend.