Did Essendon make a mistake by sacking Kevin Sheedy?

[WesternSydneyHawk]

It's now nearly 20 years since Essendon sacked Kevin Sheedy.

In 2007, just seven years after the Bombers won the 2000 flag in a nearly perfect season, the great coach was shown the door.

Since then, the Bombers haven't won a single final.

In fact, the last time the club won a final with someone other than Sheeds as coach since ghe '60s.

After the sacking, the club went through its infamous doping scandal, something Sheeds almost certainly would have avoided.

And 2025 looks to be another write off.

The counterargument is that footy at AFL level has evolved a huge amount tactically since 2000.

But that's arguably something a strong group of assistant coaches could've helped with.

He's the club's most successful coach in the past 50 years.

And with Brad Scott's tenure as coach now in question, it's worth asking:

In hindsight, did Essendon make a mistake by sacking Kevin Sheedy?

 

[bzparkes]

Sheedy's been one of the main reasons why the club's been shit since he returned from GWS.

 

[Tas]

They did make a mistake. They took too long and then they let him shiv people left right and center behind the scenes as Hird's fanboy.

 

[Clark G]

Both of the following can be true. Kevin Sheedy is the greatest figure in the history of the Essendon Football Club. Kevin Sheedy was allowed to stay on as coach too long and a lot of the decisions he made in his final years set the club back big time.

One issue since he left is that the club made internal appointments for coaches that for various did not turn the club back into premiership contenders. Knights was the VFL team coach, Hird the champion former player and Rutten an assistant coach.

 

[iameviljez]

Both of the following can be true. Kevin Sheedy is the greatest figure in the history of the Essendon Football Club. Kevin Sheedy was allowed to stay on as coach too long and a lot of the decisions he made in his final years set the club back big time.

Yes, exactly this. Reminds me of United trying to move on from Sir Matt Busby... while he stayed on in, basically, a Director of Football role (https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...blem-of-moving-on-from-an-all-powerful-leader)

 

[windyhill]

Four flags. Forever grateful, however floating around in the background, promoting ****ing hird, having his love child dodoro absolutely tarnished his legacy.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Kept him on as coach three years too long. Which was probably inevitable after such a long stint, so forgivable.

Bringing him back to the club in “marketing” - stupid.

Having him on the board - even more stupid.

But I’ve got a feeling they knew that - and they had to do it strategically to try and control him. Inside the tent pissing out, and all that. The reality is that he has a very strong following among powerful people and he was always going to use that to try and wield influence. That’s just who he is.

At the end of the day he ended up doing a fair bit of damage and it’s good that he’s finally out and seemingly not coming back.