Banished Essendon coach James Hird agrees to truce to help Bombers, not surrender to AFL

JAMES Hird was never going to be sacked by Essendon because those who matter understand the pain he is suffering.

ONCE again, it’s all about the optics.

It was for the AFL in August last year, when they convinced Essendon to convince James Hird to take the suspension, and it was for Essendon on Tuesday, when they convinced Hird to end the war with the AFL.

James Hird was never going to be sacked by Essendon because those who matter at Essendon understand completely the pain and anguish he is suffering, and how shambolic the handling of the scandal was by the AFL.

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Bombers chairman Paul Little acknowledged as much at his press conference.

“It think it is time for James to get over his anger,” Little said. “I think it is understandable that he is frustrated but I don’t think that emotion will help him become a better coach of the Essendon Football Club.”

Mind you, Hird and Mrs Hird and anyone else under the umbrella of the Hirds won’t be paying for full-page ads criticising the AFL any time soon.

The Hirds were the final domino to fall and they fell fighting the fight.

There was robust discussion at Little’s South Yarra office, where Tania Hird passionately reminded the gathering of the difficulties confronted by her family last year.

They understood, of course.

Essendon chairman Paul Little fronts the media. Picture: Getty

You see, Little remains frustrated with the AFL and the events of last year, but he’s parked his frustration

Coach Mark Thompson remains angry with the AFL and what happened to him last year, but he’s parked anger.

The Hirds, meanwhile, had been burnouts outside AFL House and the rocking the joint, such was their fury.

But it’s come to an end.

Hird will carry a grudge for the rest of his life, but he’s been asked to park his fury. In other words, just take your medicine and remember it’s for the good of the footy club.

It’s fake in a way, but fakeness abounds in the AFL.

The hysteria about Hird’s future, created by media types with various agendas, was swatted away by Little.

The board of directors unanimously endorsed Hird to coach next year and the year after.

Clearly, with it came a final warning based around agreed-to “parameters” and “protocols”, which effectively means, “James, please swim between the flags because if you don’t, and you find yourself drowning, we won’t be throwing you a lifebuoy.”

Muzzling the Hirds might be in Essendon’s control, but muzzling others might be difficult.

The food chain runs deep, Little said.

But so does the fury.