The Prodigal Son Returns | Thebigtip

Yesterday’s 'shock' appointment of prodigal son James Hird as coach signals the dawn of a new era for the Essendon Football Club, a club who in recent times has struggled with it’s identity with poor performances on the field and board-room incompetence off it.  Although Hird comes to the club with no prior coaching experience, yesterday’s announcement brings much needed stability to the once great club. Hird’s appointment as coach comes almost exactly a month after the Bombers hierarchy sacked embattled coach Matthew Knights. So have they made the right decision?

The answer is yes, for the short-term anyway. It’s no doubt that the appointment of Hird as coach will appease the disgruntled members and fans who threatened to rip up their membership cards only last month. The man ranked 3rd amongst Essendon’s greatest ever players will inherit an underperforming list and it is hoped the dual premiership player will have the bottle to make the tough choices come trade week.

Bomber fans will welcome the fact that by accepting the position Hird emulates another club legend and dual premiership coach in John Coleman who also took the Essendon coaching job without having coaching experience. It’s an appointment that has been met with some scepticism however, with it only being natural that Hird’s appointment be compared to Michael Voss’ troubled tenure at the Brisbane Lions. Whilst the comparisons are welcomed, given both were club legends with no prior coaching expertise, it has to be said that Hird will have a better support unit in place to ensure that he will have no trouble making the transition into coaching.

Many will question the rationale behind Hird’s appointment, with many calling it a marketing exercise. The fact of the matter is that James Hird is the right man to lead the Essendon Football Club back to glory. A third generation Bombers superstar, Hird bleeds black and red. Premiership captain, Brownlow winner, All-Australian, Essendon Team of the Century, numerous club Best and Fairest awards, Hird has done it all as a player and has the credentials to become a great coach.

So where to now for Hird and his baby Bombers? Well firstly Hird needs to surround himself with the right assistant coaches and the mail is that Simon Goodwin has already agreed to join the Bombers, he could soon be followed by Hird’s 2000 Premiership teammates Dean Wallis and Sean Wellman which should excite the Essendon faithful.  Secondly, Hird needs to run a fine comb over the Essendon list and decide who stays and who goes. Does he put Stanton or Welsh up for trade? Or does he persist with his underperforming former teammates? Only Hird knows.

Essendon is also understood to be searching for an experienced director of coaching to mentor Hird through his early stages of coaching. Mark Thompson would be their first preference but given the events of the past 24 hours the prospect of Thompson returning to Windy Hill is highly unlikely. The Bombers may look to either Premiership winning coach Mark Williams, strategic mastermind Dean Laidley or they may offer the job to Alan Richardson who knows the list after having been Matthew Knights assistant.

There is no doubt that for this to be a success, the Bombers need to learn from Brisbane’s mistakes with Voss. They need to help Hird and surround him with the right people. Hird, a club legend, will undoubtedly be given time to get it right before the knives come out. The fans will be patient with their champion at the helm, they have to be. Yesterday’s appointment shapes to be the Bombers most significant signing for the last 30 years and surely it won’t be long until the Bombers reap the rewards.