Greats torn over one man’s involvement in Essendon coach hunt
Essendon are beginning to narrow down their criteria for what they want in a new coach, but there are calls for one member of that selection panel to step aside.
Brad Scott’s replacement has yet to be identified despite several candidates being floated, including former coach and club legend James Hird.
Essendon president Andrew Welsh. Getty Images
Hird has made clear he hopes the club does what is best for the playing group and commits to a comprehensive interviewing process to find a new coach.
That view is not uncommon, with Essendon great Tim Watson saying he would “be horrified” if his former club did not run an extensive process to replace Scott.
But for that to happen, Watson believes club president Andrew Welsh should not be on the selection panel.
“It should be a panel that is arm’s length from the football club,” he told SEN.
“As independent as you can possibly make it, so there are no leanings or connections to any of the people who go there and get interviewed - that’s in fairness to them.”
Watson’s view was presented to Nine’s Footy Classified panel on Tuesday evening.
Nine’s Eddie McGuire disagreed with Watson’s plea to remove Welsh from the panel, recognising that the president should be the person in charge of that call.
“The president has got to be there to make the call,” he said on Nine’s Footy Classified.
“He knows his stuff and is putting his life on the line and his reputation.”
But footy legend Dermott Brereton did not feel Watson’s call was too unjust.
“He is going to be there in the end anyway,” Brereton said.
“(I think) you should appoint your subcommittee, appoint all these wise football heads to make a selection and then get them to present it to the board that is headed by the president,”
“Then they can ratify it or say, ‘go back and try again’.”
At VFL club Port Melbourne Hird has teamed up with his son, Tom. Getty Images
Hird admitted that he feels regardless of what league greats have to say about the process that Welsh will inevitably be at the centre of all talks about the new coach.
Still, he insisted that it will not be a “boat race” for any rumoured candidate to win.
“I don’t think it is a boat race, I think it will be a legitimate process,” Hird said.
“I haven’t spoken to the club ... but from what I understand, it will be a proper process. And like I said three weeks ago, I want to put up my hand and go through the process if that is possible.
“I might look silly in hindsight, but I am sitting here today saying I believe that there will be a comprehensive process that goes through all the different coaches.
“I think that is what the fans want, what the club deserves and what the footy club will do.
“Andrew Welsh will be right in the middle of all this. He won’t be letting people ratify something.”
