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Don't go: Hird's plea to Sheedy
28 April 2004 Herald Sun
James Hird
BEFORE I finish my career, be it in two or three years, I want to win at least a third premiership.
Round 5 injury list
Training track shots
Anzac match pics, Didak's mark
Round 5 photos
Plea: James Hird wants Kevin Sheedy to stick around.
Before Kevin Sheedy finishes his career, be it in five or 10 years, he wants to win at least a fifth premiership.
I hope we can accomplish it together.
The troublemakers, or the rumour mill, or whatever you call fanciful stories, have started once again on Richmond and Sheedy.
Of course, all this conjecture is an insult to Danny Frawley, but nevertheless, the question abounds: will Sheeds return to Punt Rd where it all began?
As the captain of Essendon, I say he needs to stay at Windy Hill for Essendon's sake.
As a person, I want Sheedy to stay. Period. I haven't asked him personally what his plans are beyond this year, because I believe it's not my position, certainly not in this forum.
Then again, I did have my chance when he dropped around at my place for a bottle of red after The Footy Show a couple of weeks back.
Just me and him chewing the fat. What's that they say about alcohol and the truth?
Without knowing what he'll do, however, I've no reason to believe he won't stay because everything he says is based on positiveness and improving.
Kevin Sheedy is the Essendon Football Club and has been for 20 years.
He has been the most significant person in the club, perhaps ever – the only other person challenging him is **** Reynolds – and his influence is huge in an era when football and football administration has changed more than any other.
Simply, before a ball is bounced he gives Essendon a head start.
For me, Sheeds has been there since day one.
I can only look at my career and at Richmond players' careers who started the same year, and count myself very fortunate to be coached by Kevin Sheedy, rather than be coached by so many different coaches at Richmond.
That's not to denigrate the Tigers, because each club has its own issues, including Essendon, but I'm trying to emphasise the uniqueness and solidarity of Sheeds.
I'm probably closer to Sheeds right now than at any time of our intertwined careers.
He has supported me through difficult times, past and present, and until you need to rely on someone in a situation, I believe you don't really get to know them.
Every time there's been a difficult situation, some public and others not so public, he has supported me as much as anyone.
His gruff exterior, his manic passion for the game, even television footage of him barking orders on the training track, sometimes paints him as a man insensitive to the needs and feelings of others, when really he is a man with a huge heart.
Also, he's a bloody good coach.
Tactically, he is as good as anyone, but what stands him out is his ability as a life coach. He understands how to treat people.
Now, I probably wouldn't have said that 12 months ago.
Sheeds would be the first to admit he makes mistakes, and that he annoys a lot of people at different times.
Just last year, he said in a media interview that I only had 12 months left in footy.
At first, I was bewildered by his comment, then confronted him about it, and then set out to prove him wrong. He said the same to Joe Misiti and Mark Mercuri.
He sets out to irritate people to play better. That's his tactic.
It's probably one of the reasons, among a host of many, why Richmond may pursue him as coach, if in fact they need one.
If I was at Richmond, and Sheedy was out of contract, I would go for him at all costs.
Two hundred and fifty-one games there, a terrific coach, a gatherer of people: the reasons are obvious.
But let's not get too excited.
Sheeds has worked hard to put together a list at Essendon that has a rounded combination of players. He has faith in the group and, importantly, they in him.
In the next couple of years, he is the coach who will get the best out of us.
Like me in 1992, the kids are learning about him.
It's fair to say he doesn't put the fear in them like he did us, but that's a society thing: young people don't fear older people like they used to.
They're still in awe of him, undoubtedly, but there's a difference between fear and awe.
Trust me, when I started, we were bloody frightened of him.
H
28 April 2004 Herald Sun
James Hird
BEFORE I finish my career, be it in two or three years, I want to win at least a third premiership.
Round 5 injury list
Training track shots
Anzac match pics, Didak's mark
Round 5 photos
Plea: James Hird wants Kevin Sheedy to stick around.
Before Kevin Sheedy finishes his career, be it in five or 10 years, he wants to win at least a fifth premiership.
I hope we can accomplish it together.
The troublemakers, or the rumour mill, or whatever you call fanciful stories, have started once again on Richmond and Sheedy.
Of course, all this conjecture is an insult to Danny Frawley, but nevertheless, the question abounds: will Sheeds return to Punt Rd where it all began?
As the captain of Essendon, I say he needs to stay at Windy Hill for Essendon's sake.
As a person, I want Sheedy to stay. Period. I haven't asked him personally what his plans are beyond this year, because I believe it's not my position, certainly not in this forum.
Then again, I did have my chance when he dropped around at my place for a bottle of red after The Footy Show a couple of weeks back.
Just me and him chewing the fat. What's that they say about alcohol and the truth?
Without knowing what he'll do, however, I've no reason to believe he won't stay because everything he says is based on positiveness and improving.
Kevin Sheedy is the Essendon Football Club and has been for 20 years.
He has been the most significant person in the club, perhaps ever – the only other person challenging him is **** Reynolds – and his influence is huge in an era when football and football administration has changed more than any other.
Simply, before a ball is bounced he gives Essendon a head start.
For me, Sheeds has been there since day one.
I can only look at my career and at Richmond players' careers who started the same year, and count myself very fortunate to be coached by Kevin Sheedy, rather than be coached by so many different coaches at Richmond.
That's not to denigrate the Tigers, because each club has its own issues, including Essendon, but I'm trying to emphasise the uniqueness and solidarity of Sheeds.
I'm probably closer to Sheeds right now than at any time of our intertwined careers.
He has supported me through difficult times, past and present, and until you need to rely on someone in a situation, I believe you don't really get to know them.
Every time there's been a difficult situation, some public and others not so public, he has supported me as much as anyone.
His gruff exterior, his manic passion for the game, even television footage of him barking orders on the training track, sometimes paints him as a man insensitive to the needs and feelings of others, when really he is a man with a huge heart.
Also, he's a bloody good coach.
Tactically, he is as good as anyone, but what stands him out is his ability as a life coach. He understands how to treat people.
Now, I probably wouldn't have said that 12 months ago.
Sheeds would be the first to admit he makes mistakes, and that he annoys a lot of people at different times.
Just last year, he said in a media interview that I only had 12 months left in footy.
At first, I was bewildered by his comment, then confronted him about it, and then set out to prove him wrong. He said the same to Joe Misiti and Mark Mercuri.
He sets out to irritate people to play better. That's his tactic.
It's probably one of the reasons, among a host of many, why Richmond may pursue him as coach, if in fact they need one.
If I was at Richmond, and Sheedy was out of contract, I would go for him at all costs.
Two hundred and fifty-one games there, a terrific coach, a gatherer of people: the reasons are obvious.
But let's not get too excited.
Sheeds has worked hard to put together a list at Essendon that has a rounded combination of players. He has faith in the group and, importantly, they in him.
In the next couple of years, he is the coach who will get the best out of us.
Like me in 1992, the kids are learning about him.
It's fair to say he doesn't put the fear in them like he did us, but that's a society thing: young people don't fear older people like they used to.
They're still in awe of him, undoubtedly, but there's a difference between fear and awe.
Trust me, when I started, we were bloody frightened of him.
H
