Essendon board wrong to prevent James Hird from resuming coaching duties after 12-month ban expires, writes Mark Robinson

PAUL Little and his band of Bombers board members have effectively extended James Hird’s suspension and, for the first time, you have to wonder if he will be cast aside for good.

Essendon Football Club. Essendon chairman Paul Little press conference. Picture: Mark Stewart

PAUL Little and his band of Bombers board members — some of whom escaped penalties over governance when it was their role to govern — have effectively extended James Hird’s suspension.

Hird’s own club has cast him aside and, for the first time, you have to wonder if he will be cast aside for good.

BOMBERS TELL HIRD TO STAY AWAY

This is a kneejerk decision and Little has given an appalling explanation of why.

Coach Mark Thompson wants Hird back to help win matches, the players want Hird back to help them win matches, yet Little and the board, and you suspect the head of football Neil Craig, have allowed paranoia and distraction to hijack the very essence of football clubs: loyalty and support.

Hird is an Essendon man. Yet Little yesterday told Hird he wasn’t welcome and, remarkably, said it was Hird’s decision.

Please, Paul.

Paul Little outside the court.

On Wednesday morning, Hird said he couldn’t wait to get back to the club. Asked if he was looking forward to it, he said: “Definitely.”

Now, two days later, Little says it was Hird’s idea to not be involved.

The problem with this whole sorry saga, from the very beginning, is that the truth has always been sacrificed for whatever agenda.

If Little expects fans to believe that Hird did not want to be involved in Round 23 and potentially finals, then Little must think the fans are boneheads.

Clearly, there are issues between Hird and several board members and who knows if those issues will bubble to something substantial that would threaten Hird’s position in 2015.

Those same board members are of the belief the Hird circus is not good for the AFL, and because Essendon is part of the AFL, that it’s not good for Essendon.

This obsession of being concerned about what others think has all been played out before.

Little was convinced by the AFL and the other 17 club presidents in August last year that continuing the war against the league was not good for the AFL brand.

Once again, with the Hird decision yesterday, Essendon concerned itself with the AFL brand ahead concerning itself with standing beside one of its own.

Whether you think Hird is guilty or not, or the punishment was sufficient or not, he served a 12-month suspension after Little — and the AFL — begged and pleaded with him to accept the penalty.

Little even gave Hird a sweetener, a $1.5 million contract over two years to ensure he returned to Essendon.

Bombers coach James Hird celebrates the win with Michael Hibberd and Ben Howlett in Round 3, 2013. Photo by Michael Dodge

He can return, but not right now.

In February this year, Little insisted Hird would return to the coaches’ box. Yesterday, Hird we learn, can’t even get on training track.

It’s weak by Essendon. Quite pathetic. They are frightened of the backlash and have kowtowed to it.

Little said yesterday the decision was made in the best interests of the players. Truth be known, the players didn’t have an issue with Hird returning to a coaching role. Neither did Thompson.

Indeed, a strong football club would welcome back Hird with open arms. You know, loyalty and support and all those wonderful virtues that not only can be found in football clubs, but define football clubs.

Imagine if this was Collingwood. Eddie McGuire can be over the top, but there’s one aspect of McGuire that is unconditional and honourable. If you’re Collingwood player or person, the club is always there for you. It’s called culture. Collingwood looks after its people no matter their mistakes. Think Didak and Shaw. In other words, he might be a fool, but he’s our fool.

Kevin Sheedy is like that. His philosophies in life centre around people, about being empathetic to them, about not giving up on them, about the glass being always half full with them.

Bombers chairman Paul Little. Picture: Wayne Ludbey.

The Bombers looked at this current situation and couldn’t see past a glass half empty.

Little said yesterday he didn’t want any distractions for the players and because it’s only one home-and-away game, and potentially at least one final, he believes the distraction would not be worth it.

It’s a reasonable argument and with which one many fans, especially non-Essendon fans, would agree.

But when have football clubs worried about what opposition fans think?

This whole situation continues to haunt Essendon and its decision-making. They have made mistakes — all of them, the coaches, staff and the board — and this is another mistake.

Hird wouldn’t hurt the players’ performance. In fact, he might even improve it.

But as of yesterday, he was shunted by his own club.

One of the most enduring moments of 2103 was Hird singing with the Essendon players after a remarkable win over Fremantle. Arm and arm, they belted out the theme song, and Thompson was involved, and it’s difficult to think if the club could be any stronger united.

Today, Hird is not even allowed to talk the players about footy

And it’s Essendon’s decision. Amazing. And farcical.

Originally published as Essendon board wrong to prevent James Hird from resuming coaching duties after 12-month ban expires, writes Mark Robinson