‘Low standards’ could drive Essendon legend to return
Matthew Lloyd has said he is keen to return to Essendon and help the club in a football department role – but it won’t be next year.
One of the club’s all-time greats, Lloyd has worked in the media since retiring, but has also become of the top Victorian school-level coaches with Haileybury College.
Andrew Welsh, James Hird and Matthew Lloyd in their playing days at Essendon in 2004. Getty Images
He has been asked many times whether he would return to the Bombers or consider joining them as a coach over the years, but has generally stated he is comfortable with his current balance across media and school coaching.
Essendon is currently attempting to decide who will be its next senior coach, with fellow club champion James Hird and Sydney assistant coach Mark McVeigh seen as the favourites. They also must replace a number of key roles around the coach, after a heavy turnover of staff following the sacking of Brad Scott.
Asked on Friday whether he would consider joining the Bombers and helping them out of this tailspin, Lloyd said he now was keen to get back at some point.
“If I wasn’t doing what I was doing, I’d love to get back involved,” he told 3AW.
“I would like [to return] at some stage in my lifetime, I’d love to get back into a club. I’m not sure what the role would be. I’ve done so much coaching that I’m not sure assistant coaching is what I would like to do, because I’ve done so much of it.
“Culture, leadership, standards, those types of things within a club.”
Asked if that would be in 2027 as part of the new regime, Lloyd added: “Not next year, no.”
Expanding on those thoughts on Sunday, Lloyd said he would want to join the Bombers in a culture and leadership role, not in a coaching capacity.
“What I love about coaching Haileybury is win-loss and obviously the development of people and seeing them get better and trying to help them develop,” Lloyd told Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“A caller did ring and ask if I would go back to Essendon, and at some point in my life I would like to be involved at clubland.
“Not as a senior coach, some role within a football department. Standards have been pretty low. You see what Collingwood has. There’s something within their club that is so special that allows them to keep performing.
“I’d love to be involved with players’ standards, driving culture, sticking to game-plan, supporting the coaches … I’m not sure exactly (what the role would be) I haven’t put any more thought into it.”
Lloyd played 270 games for Essendon between 1995 and 2009, kicking 926 goals and winning three Coleman Medals. He and Hird played the majority of their careers together, including the 2000 premiership.
He returned to the Dons in 2014 in a part-time capacity as a forwards coach.
