Coaching Staff Mark "Bomber" Thompson - Will present the Jock McHale Medal for 2023 - 4/9

[Burzum]

MARK Thompson is expected to be announced interim coach of Essendon after talks with chairman Paul Little on Wednesday.

Thompson, who considered walking away from the game at the end of last year, will coach for 12 months before returning to his role as an assistant to James Hird.

An announcement is expected in coming weeks as the club revamps the football department.

Hird and Thompson have spoken several times in the past 48 hours and though it's not Hird's decision, his support for Thompson - and vice versa - has convinced the two-time premiership coach to fill the void.

"We'd all like Mark Thompson to do it - he's the obvious choice," Hird said.

"But that's a decision for the club and for Mark."

It's believed Thompson has told his wife, Jana, of his desire to coach the Bombers and she is fully supportive. Thompson repeatedly said he would never coach again after Geelong.

Essendon coach James Hird with assistant Mark Thompson. Source: Getty Images
But the crisis at Essendon, and Thompson's strong relationship with Hird and the players, forced a re-think in the past 24 hours.

On Tuesday Thompson was fined $30,000 for his role in the 2102 supplements program. Hird was suspended for 12 months, but it was revealed he recently signed a contract extension until the end of the 2016 season.

Initially furious with the outcome, Thompson soon realised the club needed help.

He spent two days with Little at AFL House and spoke to Little via the telephone on Wednesday. He is understood to have told Little he wants the job.

Despite Thompson's enthusiasm for the role, the club would be mindful of the extra responsibilities required of the senior coach - those same responsibilities that contributed to Thompson burning out at Geelong.

Others linked to the job are Simon Goodwin, who is coaching the Bombers this week, former premiership player Mark Harvey, who could also return as an assistant to Thompson, and former player and Melbourne coach Neale Daniher.

Little said at his press conference on Tuesday night three people separate to Goodwin had told the club they would stand in for Hird.

One wasn't legendary coach Kevin Sheedy.

Sheedy said he had been contacted by Little about a possible return, but it wouldn't be as coach.

Little confirmed in a letter to members on Wednesday that the club and Hird had agreed to two-year extension.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...ce-of-james-hird/story-fni5f6kv-1226706037924

 

[ManWithNoName]

Best make sure we do a background check.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Oh man, I seriously want Bomber to turn and talk directly to a totally separate camera on 360 next Monday, Francis Urquhart style.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

lol at Robbo

Was sending hints to Whately that Bomber will in coach next year on AFL 360

 

[mad_monkey_j]

I wonder who the other three interested in the job are. Mark Harvey would be one, seeing he said something the other day, but can't think of who else.

 

[BomberFletch31]

One of the others was Neale Daniher, I believe.

It's a shame Sheeds has ruled out coaching again. I'd like to see Bomber take the role, but I'd also like to see Sheeds do it if he's available. If not, then I think he should at least be on the coaching panel to help out Bomber ...

 

[Synth]

This whole article is music to my ears after the last few days.

• 3 people + Goodwin raise hands to take the position despite many on BF suggesting the position is poison and nobody would take it.
• Sheeds back in the Red+Black AND not in a coaching role. We all agree his coaching days are done but he is an absolute football asset and everyclub would love him around just to be able to pick his brains accross many different areas.
• Hird has two year extension to continue coaching, win number 17 and give the big * you to the AFL when it's done.

 

[longdaveyjetta]

Please let it be Bomber for a year...that would be icing on the cake, then we win the flag, get a compo pick (how the hell did we get that) which is the very next pick.....Need a free agent like Dal Santo.....

 

[BrunoV]

We don't really have a choice and neither does Bomber. If we want to bring Hird back the message needs to be the same, or at least as similar as possible, for the next 12 months. Bomber is best placed to do that.

 

[A. N. Onymous]

Do you reckon Mark Williams may have been the third interested party? Don't think Hardwick will be going anywhere for a while and Chok would be still wanting a senior job somewhere.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Don't think Hardwick will be going anywhere for a while and Chok would be still wanting a senior job somewhere.

Not unless Dimma goes all Brett Ratten on us.

 

[Eleven 38]

If Hird is going to come back it's gotta be Goodwin or Bomber,

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I hope that Laidley is one of the people interested. The Hans Moleman of the coaching fraternity.

 

[bomberforlife]

Hopefully bomber accepts the job, keep the coaching seat warm until jim comes back in 2015!

 

[daffo]

It'll be hard to give the job back to Hirdy if we are sitting on top of the table.

 

[BomberFletch31]

It'll be hard to give the job back to Hirdy if we are sitting on top of the table.

If that were the case then I think Hird might come back to be Bomber's assistant for the rest of 2014 so that Bomber can coach us to a flag, then Hird returns to the top job in 2015.

 

[Coldacre]

what about Paul Van Der Haar as a coach? someone out of left field!

 

[hurlygurdy]

There will be a lot of keen applicants from the clubs past because the job is gold. Most coaches take on the job knowing that sooner or later they will be sacked. How many coaches get to retire? On this occasion you get to moonlight in, have some fun, enjoy the year of successful football, and go on your merry way. Nice.

 

[The Goon]

Best make sure we do a background check.

Best not, he's got links to shady characters don't you know.

> Just a joke, not a dig. <

 

[DonsRule]

Best not, he's got links to shady characters don't you know.

> Just a joke, not a dig. <

Did Richmond do a background check on Dimma, who has links to Hird, who has links to Charters, who has links to Dank who has links to....

 

[The Goon]

Did Richmond do a background check on Dimma, who has links to Hird, who has links to Charters, who has links to Dank who has links to....

Shhhhhh. Don't tell the AFL.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Did Richmond do a background check on Dimma, who has links to Hird, who has links to Charters, who has links to Dank who has links to....

Every club is implicated.

Adelaide: Camporeale, former teammate of Hird.
Brisbane Lions: Harvey and O'Donnell, former teammate of Hird.
Carlton: Malthouse former teammate of Sheedy, Hird's dark master.
Collingwood: Buckley, childhood teammate of Hird.
Fremantle: The Kep. And The Conviction.
Geelong: CAN'T THINK OF ANY CONNECTION AT ALL
Gold Coast: Solomon, former teammate of Hird.
Greater Western Sydney: Sheedy, Hird's dark master.
Hawthorn: Only just got rid of David Flood, IIRC.
Melbourne: Dank
North Melbourne: B. Scott spent a lot of time with Hird during the '01 GF. Hird may or may not have been wearing a tourniquet at the time.
Port Adelaide: Gus.
Richmond: Dimma.
St Kilda: Clean as a whistle.
Sydney: Teddy.
West Coast: Daniher related to current player.
Western Bulldogs: McCartney a former pupil of Hird, surely.

The whole thing stinks, except for the cleanskin StKFC.

 

[Doss]

LN Degenerate, St Kilda are not clean! Steven Milne once trained with Essendon. They be darned just like everyone else!

 

[BrunoV]

Haven't they also listed one of Jobe's cousins?

 

[carnthedons]

LN Degenerate, St Kilda are not clean! Steven Milne once trained with Essendon. They be darned just like everyone else!

I appreciated the ironing of St Kilda being "clean" when it comes to dodgy characters