Essendon is a football club in turmoil – it has been that way for the best part of three years.
It is now also a football club searching for a new senior coach in the wake of the mutual termination of golden boy James Hird’s inglorious coaching tenure.
The first and most obvious question is, who would actually want to coach Essendon? Any young and ambitious assistant coach would surely look at the club with something of a cautious gaze.
Just five wins from twenty starts this term amid a cloud of negativity and uncertainty. Rumours of player unrest and a potential mass exodus at season’s end. And, of course, the seemingly eternal possibility that a large chunk of the playing group may be banned for up to two years for doping violations, pending the yet to be heard appeal of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
But for all of the problems at Essendon, the club itself remains one of the largest and most financially sound in the league. Every resource an aspiring senior coach could ever dream of would be at their fingertips at the Bombers. There would also be a significant period where expectations would be low given all that has transpired over the past three years.
A lot has been written about Essendon’s so-called ‘messiah culture’. Kevin Sheedy coached the club for 27 years, yielding four premierships in the process. James Hird was lured back to the club despite not serving a coaching apprenticeship of any kind.
In between, the club’s brief dalliance with an outsider in Matthew Knights ended in calamity. Essendon must not be tempted to back a favourite son again and should look to the outside to break the shackles of the past.
Two other clubs – Carlton and Adelaide – have also been going through the process of appointing a new senior coach. Carlton have settled on Brendon Bolton while Adelaide appear to be waiting for their season to conclude before ramping up their own selection process. Essendon should aim to be ahead of the Crows in this process.
John Worsfold has already ruled himself out of re-joining the coaching ranks. He would have been perfect for Essendon. There are, however, a number of other potential senior coaches who may appeal to Essendon as they commence their search in the coming weeks.
Scott Burns
Highly rated assistant who has served an impressive apprenticeship, first at the West Coast Eagles under Worsfold and now back at Collingwood where he played 265 games. Tough and uncompromising, he would be a great fit for Essendon as they look to build from the ground up.
Stuart Dew
An assistant coach at Sydney since his retirement, Dew has been seen as a senior coach in waiting for a number of years. His experience in successful teams at Port Adelaide and Hawthorn, as well as the Swans in a coaching capacity, is hard to ignore.
Peter Sumich
A potential dark horse for the Essendon job. Sumich is a longtime assistant coach, first at the Eagles under Worsfold and now at Fremantle under Ross Lyon. Seemingly only a whisker away from several senior coaching positions in the past, this could be just the opportunity a man of his experience has been waiting for.
Essendon must choose its next senior coach wisely. Indeed, its next senior coach must choose Essendon wisely, given the unique circumstances the club finds itself in.
However, the chance to coach one of the biggest sporting clubs in Australia is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and should be grasped with enthusiasm by whoever is lucky enough to be chosen.
Aransan
Guest
I believe the only player you have mentioned that Essendon would like to keep is Jake Carlisle, and he may well stay. There are a couple of players who would like to leave who will simply be delisted as no other club will take them. There have been several players in this category over the last two years.
Redb
Roar Guru
Again clueless. Bassett has no chance, may even get the flick. Not up to it.
Redb
Roar Guru
Unlikely. Even then penalty could be 2-3 weeks due to delays and then consumed in preseason games.
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
Pretty sure I wrote an article on it http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/08/18/essendon-set-massive-turnover/
Aransan
Guest
You can't even name one player, this is just hot air.
clinchz
Guest
Edgar, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't any new senior coach appointed to an AFL club have to have completed certificate four of senior coaching (or whatever the highest coaching qualification is called) to be elegible? Currently there are only 10 people who have the qualifications. very small field at the moment...
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
cheap shots or truth? I dont mince words. Essendon would like to keep all of their players but its not going to happen. These players are shot to pieces and have been used and abused by an egotistical coach and a board who have no desire to do anything except cover their own tracks.
Frank R
Roar Rookie
don't forget the negatives - prime among'st them is there could be a swath of players banned and thus unavailable next year.
bart
Guest
I think Worsfold is a good fit for either Adelaide or Essendon, would not surprise if he picked Essendon and tests himself in Melbourne.
Aransan
Guest
Can you name a few that Essendon would like to keep? You are very good on the cheap shots.
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
Lots of prospects who will leave you mean?
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
the standbyhird crowd didnt standby for too long now have they If Woosha wants to coach he would choose Adelaide. No offense, Essendon are a basket case
Anthony Maguire
Guest
Couldn't resist one last dig at Hird could you? These articles make me laugh.
Aransan
Guest
Don, good points. There are no further draft sanctions, Essendon did pretty well to pick up Zac Merrett with pick 26 (from Footscray for Crameri) in 2013 and picks 17 and 37? (from Port for Ryder) for Langford and Co oney in 2014 although the latter still has to prove himself. Laverde was picked up with Essendon's first pick ar 20. They have done as well as could have been expected but there is still a long term disadvantage from the penalties.
Don
Roar Rookie
The best type of business to come into as an exec is one that is underperforming, still holds strong market share, has a large and loyal customer base, has a relatively fresh executive and board membership and is absolutely financially sound. Same applies to coaching footy clubs. What an opportunity Essendon presents for someone! You come in to a pretty good list already albeit are somewhat restricted in recruitment by the draft sanctions. You will not be in any way aligned with any of the previous regime. It seems the board is going to see a clean out. You will have every one in the club making sure comliance is in order so you won't need to spend alot of time on it. Performance expectations are moderate rather than high in the first year. The facilities are among the best in the league. The list of positives goes on... For me, if you don't go a fresh and respected guy like Robert Harvey then you make an approach to an existing top line coach with an offer that he can't refuse and, if required, negotiate and pay compensation to his club to break contract. Remember, Essendon can afford it and a great coach can get those free agents looking closer at Essendon too, which is important given Essendon's draft penalties.
Aransan
Guest
I largely agree with you Dean, but I think Essendon have a few players to move on -- too much patience has been shown with several players and no doubt that is a hangover from the supplements saga. Even if McKernan, Steinberg and McKenna are elevated from the rookies list they will have more spots to fill than can be obtained from the draft. Essendon will need to look at secondary competitions such as the VFL but it is hard to pick up A-graders in that way although they have done well with Hibberd and Baguley just to name two.
Dean
Guest
It's an exciting list with a lot of prospects. A strong, up and coming spine and some promising youngsters as well as a couple of low draft picks this year. Plenty of coin in the bank. Probably quite low expectations for next year. So a new coach will have lots of financial support, lots of potential and low expectations for at least a year at the pinnacle of the profession. It's any manager's dream in any industry.
Wilson
Roar Guru
true and He could be just biding his time till the Swans or GWS jobs come up
Wilson
Roar Guru
he may have ruled himself out but as we have seen with Paul Roos you may say you are out but does not stop a club for trying to go after him
Redb
Roar Guru
Bitter much lol