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Adam Simpson understands why West Coast fans are calling for his head but says he’s prepared to take the “bumps and bruises” of what looms as a painful rebuild.
Head coach Simpson fronted the media on Tuesday for a tense press conference in which he stood firm in his belief he is the right man to take the club forward.
The premiership mentor also denied long-serving fitness boss Warren Kofoed had been the fall guy for Saturday night’s 171-point loss to Sydney.
The Eagles announced on Monday evening that Kofoed, who has been at the club for 15 years, would be leaving at the end of the season.
“Scapegoat? Don’t be silly,” Simpson said.
“He’s staying on for the rest of the season.
“Part of those reasons (that Kofoed’s departure was announced now) are we need to get out there and have a look around at who’s going to take the role next year.
“So not connecting it to the game on the weekend. Not at all.”
A large number of Eagles fans have called for Simpson to be moved on in the wake of Saturday’s bloodbath against Sydney.
Chief executive Trevor Nisbett is also under the pump.
The Swans loss was the equal-fourth largest defeat in VFL/AFL history and marked the fourth time in West Coast’s 12-match losing run that they had suffered a triple-figure defeat.
Simpson is contracted until the end of 2025, and the club is publicly supporting him to coach on beyond the current crisis.
The 47-year-old insisted he understands the fans’ calls for change.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
“That’s a fair comment. No one likes what happened on the weekend, and no one’s hurting more than me. So I understand the frustration,” Simpson said.
“I just know how big the journey is and how big the job is.
“It’s not an easy one. It’s not for everyone. So you’ve got to be up for some bumps and bruises along the way.
“I’m not in the depths of despair. I knew that the journey that we’re on is a big one.
“We didn’t want a game like that (against Sydney), or the game we had against Adelaide (a 122-point loss), but we have.
“So it’s about how resilient can you be and what can you do to get out of it. It’s not a quick fix.”
When asked about who he has been leaning on for support during the hardest part of his coaching career, Simpson cracked a rare joke.
“I wish I could say my wife but she’s not talking to me at the moment either,” he said.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. We need to get the players confident.
“We need to get them fit and available and get the best out of them. That’s my priority, not not how I’m travelling.
“Health wise – it’s coaching. I’m not curing cancer. This is a tough job. It’s not for everyone.
“But I’ve been in this industry since 1993 so not much can get through. I’m OK.”
Simpson said the group had done some “soul searching” in recent days, and he also conducted a “brutal” review after the Sydney debacle.
But he insisted there was no need for an external review into the club’s failings this year.
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