Polarising Hird says he wants to coach Bombers again
Roger Vaughan |
James Hird wants to return as Essendon coach, apologising again for his role in their decline and promising he has learned from the debacle that nearly killed him.
And former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley believes other potential candidates won’t even bother applying if it is Hird’s job to lose.
Once news of Brad Scott’s sacking broke on Tuesday morning, speculation immediately started about whether Hird would return.
President Andrew Welsh said he had not contacted Hird, but added no one had been ruled in or out to be the senior coach next season, including interim Dean Solomon.
Hird then confirmed on Tuesday night he was keen to coach the Bombers again.
“The most important thing for me as an Essendon person and what I want to see the football club to do … is for them to go through the most exhaustive process possible for them to find the best person to coach Essendon,” he told the Nine Network.
“If the club came to me and said would you be part of that process I would definitely say yes. That is something I would love to be part of, pit my wares against the other coaches and see if I am the best man for the job.
“If I am the best man for the job, yes I would love to do that job.”
Hird applied for the role in 2022, with Kevin Sheedy the one board member to vote for him over Scott.
Sheedy told SEN on Wednesday he was confident if Hird got another chance “he wouldn’t muck this one up”.
Hird said a year ago that he was not interested in coaching again, but made it clear on Tuesday night his passion for the job is back.
Hird’s interest alone will divide Essendon fans, let alone if he returned, given the ongoing trauma from the club’s drugs debacle.
The 1996 Brownlow Medal winner coached the club from 2011-13.
The AFL banned him for 2014 over his role in the drugs regime. Eventually, 34 players served anti-doping suspensions.
“I will put my hand up and say I was part of the mistakes that were made at Essendon in 2011 and 2012. They were partly my fault and I put my hand up,” Hird said.
“But a lot of time has gone … I’ve suffered a lot, the football club has suffered a lot and the supporters – mostly – have suffered a lot.
“And I think it’s time for everyone to kick in and make this club great again.”
Hird said he’d learned from “not having enough oversight on a couple of people” and had better attention to detail now.
Hinkley believed Essendon were eyeing Hird first, then other options.
“Essendon now have to decide before anything else, before they ask any other person, they have to decide whether James Hird is going to be their coach,” Hinkley told SEN radio.
“If they decide that, that’s what they should go with and they should do that.
“But I can’t imagine anyone entering the race for the Essendon coaching job, with James now looking like he’s one-out, one-back in the pole position with all the things that have gone on in the past.
“It looks like this is somewhat James Hird’s job.”
Hird returned to coach in 2015, but left before the end of the season. The stress from the saga took a massive toll on his health and Hird was admitted to hospital in early 2017 after an overdose of sleeping pills.
He has been coaching director at VFL team Port Melbourne since last year.
Hird called Essendon one of the “key staples” in his life.
“Let’s go forward with this club and make it the best club in the AFL again,” he said.
AAP