Opinion Coach: James Hird

[Bunk Moreland]

Supporters don't matter?

There’ll be vocal supporters throwing tanties with any decision the club makes.

I bet the same folk you speak of were blowing the front out of their pants when Hird was appointed on a whim.

The thing is, you can’t be dictated by them. We appoint boards, responding to every brain fart by some rabid punter in the stands just leads to chaos.

As for not showing up to games, personally I find it pathetic. It’s the one time of the week we get the players in front of us, and it’d like to think after all we’ve been through, we’d have a little more fortitude to risk seeing a heavy loss or two if it means rocking up and supporting the players. The rest of the week is for stone throwing imo, ring the club, ring SEN, post here, play with Hird voodoo dolls. The two hours on a weekend is when we see 22 blokes who’ve been to hell and back and it’d be good imo to show them some support rather than acres of empty seats because we can’t handle a loss.

 

[frenchfri12]

Sacking Hird now achieves nothing but costing us more money.

I'll coach the club for free.

Surely Essendon could void his contract for his conduct during this whole thing to avoid a payout?

 

[Pweter]

As for not showing up to games, personally I find it pathetic. It’s the one time of the week we get the players in front of us, and it’d like to think after all we’ve been through, we’d have a little more fortitude to risk seeing a heavy loss or two if it means rocking up and supporting the players. The rest of the week is for stone throwing imo, ring the club, ring SEN, post here, play with Hird voodoo dolls. The two hours on a weekend is when we see 22 blokes who’ve been to hell and back and it’d be good imo to show them some support rather than acres of empty seats because we can’t handle a loss.

Pretty sure they're still there mate.

 

[Jade]

I'll coach the club for free.

Surely Essendon could void his contract for his conduct during this whole thing to avoid a payout?

Dear god stop posting.

 

[Beerfish]

Supporters don't matter?

No fickle supporters like your family and friends don't matter.

 

[Phone]

Yeah WADA sucks.

You know what else sucks? On the 11th of July, 2010, we played a game against Melbourne and lost by 19 points. The average of the players that day was 23y and 152 days, our average games played was 66.2. We had 6 guys play with over 100 games played. 10 with over 50. As with yesterday, Fletch did not play. The coping mechanism used then, apart from sack Knights, was that in a couple of years time, we'd have more experienced players and that's what pushes team over the edge. Guys in that 22-28yo bracket and approaching 100 games of footy. That's we need, along with a new coach & game plan.

So yesterday, the 5th of July 2015, we played St Kilda and lost by 110 points. Our average was 25y and 115 days. Our average games played was 98.5. We had 11 guys with over 100 games played. 14 guys over 50 games played.

5 years have past, we have got older and experienced, in part because the guys in 2010 are still here, and also because we've recruited experienced guys like Goddard, Cooney and Chapman. What the * have we got to show for that time? 2 embarrassing finals loses, 1 if you only count Hird as coach & a shitty game-plan that is taking us down down down. It's like deja vu! Except this time the best years of Stanton and Watson have passed and our coping mechanism is now we have to get younger. ******* wonderful.

Hird has utterly failed as coach thus far. Yeah WADA sucks. We're into the 5th year of the Hird era, which came with a massive increase in spending and prestige, and we might actually be in a worse position now than when Knights was here (and that's disregarding WADA). That sucks too. It blows and sucks. And what? We're gonna give him another year out of pity or something? If Hird can't justify a contract at season's end, he should be let go. And that's not looking good for Jimmy. And if something happens between now and at the end of the season that all but ensures he won't be getting an extension, cut him loose. But the payout? Gimmie a ******* break. Get the ******* coterie to pay that s**t out too. Or do they only intervene and use great power when they personally like somebody/dislike somebody

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Stick Fat you bunch of soft utensils. We've been to hell and back the last few years.

Nows the time to bunker down and ride this out.

 

[Duckworth]

So the remainder of 2015 is a write off. People thought the same of Carlton and Malthouse. Carlton should have kept him until the end of the year?

Short term fix, Sacking Malthouse doesn't suddenly mean they don't have a s**t list. Same with us.

 

[frenchfri12]

Disappointed that Hird is still coach. Will have to wait one more week it seems.

 

[frenchfri12]

Dear god stop posting.

What, you think he deserves free money for taking us 5 years backwards?

 

[bombers21]

Sacking Hird would be another disastrous decision made

 

[MarkG]

No fickle supporters like your family and friends don't matter.

You mean the ones that purchase the most expensive membership and donate as well as sponsor the club?

 

[ManWithNoName]

What, you think he deserves free money for taking us 5 years backwards?

Because you don't understand how contracts work.

 

[MarkG]

No fickle supporters like your family and friends don't matter.

Do you mind if I ask how much you gave to the club over the last couple of seasons?

 

[vast]

Robbo just said the AFL would be secretly happy with the situation we are in and would be hoping that we sack Hird. Said he has no way to back it up though. Wonder if he will be clipped for that comment

 

[Jade]

You mean the ones that purchase the most expensive membership and donate as well as sponsor the club?

Oh what bad asses.

 

[Beerfish]

You mean the ones that purchase the most expensive membership and donate as well as sponsor the club?

No I mean the one's that base their attendance on whether they agree with what the club is or isn't doing this week.

Do you mind if I ask how much you gave to the club over the last couple of seasons?

Yeah I do actually because it's ******* irrelevant.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Robbo just said the AFL would be secretly happy with the situation we are in and would be hoping that we sack Hird. Said he has no way to back it up though. Wonder if he will be clipped for that comment

That’s a big factor to be aware of.

Hird is public enemy no.1 as far was McLachlan and Fitzpatrick are concerned.

Little is acutely aware of this and Essendon’s need to get on well with the AFL.

The AFL do not want him in the job. Bomber hinted at this last week too – “It’ll be hard. There’s a lot of important people who don’t want him in the job”

 

[Tomjas00]

Does Kevin Sheedy have anything to do with the football department or was his return more of a PR exercise to reassure members?

Surely it couldn't do any harm to have him involved in some capacity

 

[frenchfri12]

Because you don't understand how contracts work.

One way they can be violated is by breaching the rules of the competition, which he has done.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

You mean the ones that purchase the most expensive membership and donate as well as sponsor the club?

In that case who gives a s**t. they can boycott the next two months all they like, they've already paid their money.

 

[ManWithNoName]

One way they can be violated is by breaching the rules of the competition, which he has done.

Which would be great if we hadn't re-signed him AFTER he pled guilty to doing so. So no, we can't do that.

 

[Jade]

One way they can be violated is by breaching the rules of the competition, which he has done.

I don't even.....

 

[Thebisc]

Yeah WADA sucks.

And if something happens between now and at the end of the season that all but ensures he won't be getting an extension, cut him loose. But the payout? Gimmie a ******* break. Get the ******* coterie to pay that s**t out too. Or do they only intervene and use great power when they personally like somebody/dislike somebody

Yeah, or maybe Little could chip seeing it was him who signed off on the ridiculous decision to give him the 2 year extension.

 

[vast]

That’s a big factor to be aware of.

Hird is public enemy no.1 as far was McLachlan and Fitzpatrick are concerned.

Little is acutely aware of this and Essendon’s need to get on well with the AFL.

The AFL do not want him in the job. Bomber hinted at this last week too – “It’ll be hard. There’s a lot of important people who don’t want him in the job”

I must admit that causes a spite in me that makes me want him to stay, though that obviously not how to makedecisions. I imagine Hird feels the same sometimes. He wouldnt want those campaigners to win.