Coaching Staff Former Coach James Hird

[Call Me Cake]

My heart says yes, but my head says no.

Not because of him - but because of the past and the hell we had to endure of that time. Most supporter bases do not go through that, and we had to.

And it deserves to stay in the past, as the risk of it being brought up - especially if we're crap on the field - would probably be too much to deal with.

 

[citizen-erased]

What is the issue with Hird:

- that it's embarrassing that we'd go back to that well because of the history (and don't bother answering if you fell for the propaganda and believe Hird had any responsibility for the supplements program); or

- that we don't think he was or would be a good coach that can get buy in from his players?

It would be embarrassing, I suppose, but are we just proposing going through a process for the sake of going through a process?

Have you fallen for the spin to think that North has gone through a process? They've spent a month with the guy they head hunted for the same reason we did. How do they know he's the best fit when they haven't spoken to anyone else?

Do we need a process to tell is that Lyon, who has indicated he doesn't want to coach, is the only guy left with the gravitas to move the team forward? If it doesn't tell us that it was the wrong process.

This is not a football knowledge issue. This is about putting someone in place whose influence can quell the factions and who the football department will listen to.

The only actual negative I care about when it comes to Hird is that he is a fan of Dodoro.

it failed the first time
We're in no shape to try again.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

For Hird to coach again a few things need to happen.

Firstly he needs to become an assistant for 2 years and get immersed back in the game.

Secondly he needs to come out and make it clear he's a career coach and that's where he wants to be.

See you Hirdy in 2 years when we are in a new 5 year plan.

 

[jmoo wan]

Could things actually get any worse?

 

[Atavistic]

Could things actually get any worse?

Probably.

 

[Arctic fox]

it failed the first time
We're in no shape to try again.

Hirdy's coaching didn't fail, what failed was the fact the club let in 2 pricks without checking their credentials.

 

[fishardansin]

What is the issue with Hird:

- that it's embarrassing that we'd go back to that well because of the history (and don't bother answering if you fell for the propaganda and believe Hird had any responsibility for the supplements program); or

- that we don't think he was or would be a good coach that can get buy in from his players?

It would be embarrassing, I suppose, but are we just proposing going through a process for the sake of going through a process?

Have you fallen for the spin to think that North has gone through a process? They've spent a month with the guy they head hunted for the same reason we did. How do they know he's the best fit when they haven't spoken to anyone else?

Do we need a process to tell is that Lyon, who has indicated he doesn't want to coach, is the only guy left with the gravitas to move the team forward? If it doesn't tell us that it was the wrong process.

This is not a football knowledge issue. This is about putting someone in place whose influence can quell the factions and who the football department will listen to.

The only actual negative I care about when it comes to Hird is that he is a fan of Dodoro.

I agree with this. I don't hold Hird that responsible for what happened other than "under his watch". Re his ability to coach, he certainly had an OKish list running through brick walls for him, but that could have been the roid rage! lol.

My concern with Hird is that his game plan was too defensive and relied upon around big-bodied mids (which we have none of now).

For Hird to coach again a few things need to happen.

Firstly he needs to become an assistant for 2 years and get immersed back in the game.

Secondly he needs to come out and make it clear he's a career coach and that's where he wants to be.

See you Hirdy in 2 years when we are in a new 5 year plan.

I also agree with this. In fact, I think Essendon could be the place where Hird thrives as the assistant and then heads off elsewhere to become a head coach.

I think most fans would accept him coming on as an assistant. I also think the overly defensive nature of his coaching could work as a team-defense coach. Being an assistant would have him involved enough to quell the fanboys. It would also allow him to avoid the scrutiny that a head coach has.

Perhaps having him coach the VFL side will instill that hunger and courage he played with into our developing players. Also, giving him the opportunity to coach his son could be the payback the club gives him for what they put him through.

 

[jmoo wan]

Perhaps having him coach the VFL side…

Wow, you’re doing a Barham to Stants now?

 

[RearNaked]

Dw changed my mind again want rutten to get an extension

 

[JT_the_Man]

So putting aside whether we are genuinely going to pursue him or not - Would he really want to coach us again?

 

[jmoo wan]

So putting aside whether we are genuinely going to pursue him or not - Would he really want to coach us again?

I'd love to know this too! How much of it is just Slobbo's drunken fantasy and Sheedy' Alzheimer's and why Hird hasn't given them a call (or several) telling them to cut it out.

 

[Doss]

* it, we're not better than this.

If Ross Lyon isn't available who else is there?

There was a time Truck was the next big thing too.

Who else is there?

I mean, there are assistants at 17 other clubs, some of them highly regarded, we could possibly consider. Just maybe.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Yes, Just not with us.
I have nothing against him at all but I think it’s best for all parties.

 

[Mootsy]

Yes, Just not with us.
I have nothing against him at all but I think it’s best for all parties.

I sort of understand it, as in, if he wants to have a go at coaching EFC on a clean slate, but i think the better tactic for Hird would be to come in as an assistant coach at some point, when a position is available and then just quietly wait until a chance comes up. I mean, at the end of the day the guy didn't cause the supplements saga, let's be honest. The system failed and he was there when it occurred, he even wrote up some rules that anything given must comply with ASADA. There was a lot of moving parts.
Aside from that, he is a highly skilled football player and premiership player with a great football history, and so I think as EFC supporters you can rationally take all of that into account. We've all seen the footage of Hird kicking a footy into a recycling bin at training. He's clearly not silly.

It might actually be better to be an assistant and support Rutten as Rutten is 3 years into a game plan anyway and then Hird can sort of stay out of the spotlight and have an impact at the club at the same time.

 

[Old Campaigner]

I sort of understand it, as in, if he wants to have a go at coaching EFC on a clean slate, but i think the better tactic for Hird would be to come in as an assistant coach at some point, when a position is available and then just quietly wait until a chance comes up. I mean, at the end of the day the guy didn't cause the supplements saga, let's be honest. The system failed and he was there when it occurred, he even wrote up some rules that anything given must comply with ASADA. There was a lot of moving parts.
Aside from that, he is a highly skilled football player and premiership player with a great football history, and so I think as EFC supporters you can rationally take all of that into account. We've all seen the footage of Hird kicking a footy into a recycling bin at training. He's clearly not silly.

He's achieved precisely nothing as a coach.

If he wasn't from Essendon the idea of bringing in a former premiership player and brownlow medalist with a similar coaching CV would be met with derision (and rightly so).

 

[Duckworth]

He's achieved precisely nothing as a coach.

If he wasn't from Essendon the idea of bringing in a former premiership player and brownlow medalist with a similar coaching CV would be met with derision (and rightly so).

Got the team to 2nd on the ladder...

 

[Mootsy]

He's achieved precisely nothing as a coach.

If he wasn't from Essendon the idea of bringing in a former premiership player and brownlow medalist with a similar coaching CV would be met with derision (and rightly so).

He only really coached four seasons and two of those were under extreme stress and pressure and had an *...
2013 he went 13-3 before they found out they'd be banned from finals .
So in that third season he had them playing very well.

 

[jmoo wan]

If we get rid of Rutten, I'd be keen on getting Hird in just for the entertainment factor off field. It would be like WWE - sports entertainment.

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

He only really coached four seasons and two of those were under extreme stress and pressure...
2013 he went 13-3 before they found out they'd be banned from finals .
So in that third season he had them playing very well.

So is this Trucks second or third season?

 

[Mootsy]

So is this Trucks second or third season?

Second in my opinion, Worsfold was mentoring for the first, but still Woosh was head coach.

 

[Arctic fox]

He's achieved precisely nothing as a coach.

If he wasn't from Essendon the idea of bringing in a former premiership player and brownlow medalist with a similar coaching CV would be met with derision (and rightly so).

Making the 8 3 times in 4 years is nothing?

 

[Jobe Watson]

lol if Hird ever coaches at Essendon again, in any capacity, I think my support of this club will be over.

 

[Yoda_]

If they want to release the pressure, just do a ****ing legitimate external review, conduct a proper process and we can wear the result.

To many hands in the pie that know there positions will be in the gun to do that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NAB777]

I've kind of stole this from the main board but I thought it'd be interesting to get this from a purely Essendon point of view (plus the oppo trolls who decide to vote for reason known only to them).

I want to emphasis I am not for a second suggesting that he should come back and replace Truck.

But for those who are unaware Hirdy currently has a role with the Giants and there's been a little smoke about him maybe taking the Head Coaches job there. That smoke has intensified lately with Cameron resigning, Gil saying Hird would be welcomed back as a senior coach if he wants and (to me) there's almost like a "conditioning" type vibe from the media with David King for one saying he'd like to see Hirdy returned.

Personally I would like to see Hird return as a coach of the Giants. I think he's got one of the best football brains going around and I still believe he has a lot to offer a club as a Head Coach. There will be plenty of heat if he did return from mouth breathers but I strongly suspect the media would play it as a redemption story, the AFL would 100% control the narrative and amusingly would make sure its a positive spin.

I'm aware that there's concerns over his mental health if things went sideways and the vultures came circling but from all reports Hirdy is much happier with his life now, I can't imagine he'd ever be subjected to the media harassment he was towards the end of his tenure with us so I don't see any problems occurring there. (I'm of course not a mental health professional so I might be miles off)


But Essendon fans, I ask you. What do you think of the potential of Hirdy coming back as a coach somewhere else?

Absolutely not, if we are talking about in the next 2-3 years.

 

[katana]

The only actual negative I care about when it comes to Hird is that he is a fan of Dodoro.

isn't this actually a big negative? even disregarding everything else, hird is just one of the boys, why would we want him back when we have a perfect opportunity to clean house?

also there's the whole issue of how shite we were in 2015 under hird to consider. i don't actually think he ever got the team performing that well.