Mark Robinson explores how James Hird remains Essendon coach after board meeting
THE question is why wasn't James Hird sacked? Last week, they virtually said he would be sacked if he appealed. He appealed. And he wasn't sacked.
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THE question is why wasn't James Hird sacked?
Essendon yesterday said the board “'recognises the rights of James to pursue his appeal of the recent Federal Court decision”.
Last week, they virtually said he would be sacked if he appealed. He appealed. And he wasn't sacked.
HIRD SURVIVES ANOTHER DAY OF DRAMA
The Bombers blinked. They'll say they had something in their eye, but it won't be true. They have a plan, be it a contingency one or a self-protective one.
Maybe they're trying to find a way for Hird to keep his job.
Maybe after almost two years shoulder-to-shoulder in the trenches, they recognised the current crisis has been blown out of proportion. He was said to be sacked last week and wasn't, so Essendon has had two chances and knocked at both.
It can't be a money issue.
Hird is owed $1.5 million, but that could be raised in an afternoon by the money men who want to get rid of him. No, it's not the money.
Clearly, there were players wanting Hird to stay and who knows how much that had an impact at yesterday's meeting. One senior club official said none whatsoever. Others at the club said it couldn't be ignored.
Maybe the board listened to the players after all. The players certainly hope so.
Fans and members have been furiously loud. The Herald Sun was told there were tens of thousands of emails and phone calls received at the club in the past five days, most supporting Hird and some desperately calling for him to be sacked.
Chief executive Xavier Campbell's email address was published online at the weekend and by 11.14pm last night he had gotten through email 4148. There must be 16,323 to go.
There's also an EGM ticking away consistently and ominously. There are legal issues surrounding contempt-of-court issues and Hird being in the Federal Court on Thursday to try to expedite his appeal is of massive consequence.
If ASADA allows the show cause notices to be answered by the players while Hird fights the legality of the ASADA-AFL investigation that produced the show cause notices — yes, it's complicated — then that would provide the clarity.
That's the meat behind yesterday's decision.
It would be perfect for all camps. The players could fight their fight and Hird could fight his fight and chairman Paul Little would be delighted because deep down, he's a fighter, too.
The Bombers yesterday said they would “retain its existing football structure in the immediate term”.
The immediate term might mean three days.
Still, it's a stay.
So, where does that leave Mark Thompson?
Did he spring a speech for the masses at last Wednesday's best and fairest count believing that Hird would be sacked?
His directness, be it honesty or not-too-subtle positioning, frayed the Hird-Thompson relationship and surprised some at Essendon. Others thought it brilliant and inspiring and when the chanting and clapping began, he came across as a leader in war times. “We'll fight them on the ... forward flanks.”
Of course, Thompson has a decision to make — Gold Coast or Essendon. He would be wondering whether in fact, he does have the Essendon senior job.
Or has he been promised it, despite yesterday's decision?
This extraordinary story never stops giving.
Even last night it was revealed the Bombers have a scenario where Hird is senior coach in 2015 and Bomber is senior whatever-he-wants-to-be. That's unbelievable.
Then again, maybe Thompson already has the Gold Coast job.
What can't happen under Little and his board is they sack Hird and lose Thompson.
That would be political suicide.
The only positive in that scenario would be Hird gets an opportunity to tell his side of the story — the whole lot — including where all the bodies were buried.
Maybe it's wiser to keep him in the camp than out of it.
Originally published as Mark Robinson explores how James Hird remains Essendon coach after board meeting
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