Adam Simpson turns down invite to coach West Coast in a farewell game after being sacked

Adam Simpson said he knew the end was coming at the end of last year when the club decided to “stagger” departures of CEO Trevor Nisbett and himself. MARK DUFFIELD has the details.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – MAY 19: Adam Simpson, Senior Coach of the Eagles addresses the players at the break during the 2024 AFL Round 10 match between Waalitj Marawar (West Coast Eagles) and Narrm (Melbourne Demons) at Optus Stadium on May 19, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Outgoing West Coast coach Adam Simpson has revealed that the decision for him to coach on in 2024 was a mutual one taken between he and the club to “stagger” the departures of he and previous CEO Trevor Nisbett over two seasons.

Speaking on Channel 7’s Talking Footy, Simpson said it had become clear in recent weeks that he and the club should part company.

“It has been a real challenge the last couple of years. The changing of the CEO last year with Trevor and he is such a powerful influence on the club,” Simpson said.

“I sort of understood and agreed that we should continue to go on together with myself and really try and stagger things. I was up for the fight and I was up for the long haul but it was pretty clear by halfway through this season and the back end, the last few weeks in particular – the conversations I had with Don who has been terrific for the club really, really honest and we came to the mutual agreement that we would wind it up now and get someone new in.”

“It gives you the ability to recruit, recruit staff, recruit players and a bit of space for the back half of the year and the club can move forward and I can move in a different direction.”

PAdam Simpson addresses the media on Tuesday. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

Simpson also sought to clarify an awkward moment from his press conference on Tuesday when CEO Don Pyke revealed he had been offered a farewell game and Simpson corrected him saying he hadn’t agreed to do it at that point.

He has since turned down the offer but told Talking Footy: “I buggered that one up. Pykey and I had spoken beforehand and he sort of asked if it t was on the table and I wasn’t quite sure at the time and I think I might have projected the wrong message there because I wasn’t really keen at the time and I wasn’t as clear as I should have been.”

“By the time I got to the press conference I think it was on me, that one. After your press conference you go home and you just slip straight into a different mode. While I could have done it I just don’t think I really needed to.”

Simpson confirmed he would take up a club offer to be farewelled by fans at the ground against Brisbane on Sunday.

“Really keen to get to the ground mainly for the fans. I really appreciate what the members have done for our club and for me personally the last 12 months. They have sort of had our backs a little bit so I would like to acknowledge that pre game and I might toss the coin or something but I will get out of the way pretty quickly,” he said.

Adam Simpson cleared up this interaction which had some speculating that he’d had words with Harley Reid. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

And he confirmed he would not miss the media in Perth after local newspaper The West Australian sent him off with a front page “Seeya Simmo” headline and a record of his many losses over the past three years which has been widely condemned as disrespectful.

“It gets frustrating when you are trying to project a message or be as honest as you can and it just gets taken out of context or there is a bit of a vendetta or agenda,” he said. “It is part of the industry, I sort of get that. It might be a bit different over here. It goes to another level. I won’t miss it but it is part of the game to a certain degree.”

Simpson also confirmed there was no rift between him and Harley Reid, with comments directed at players before his press conference a cheeky dig at Bailey Williams’ facial hair.

SIMPSON WON’T COACH FAREWELL GAME

Adam Simpson has turned down an offer from West Coast to coach a farewell match against Brisbane at the weekend.

Interim coach Jarrad Schofield will take the reins in the game – for the first of seven games he will lead the team in what could be an audition for the senior coaching role.

The Eagles offer to allow Simpson a farewell match created an awkward moment at Simpson’s farewell press conference on Tuesday when CEO Don Pyke revealed that the offer of a farewell match had been made and Simpson appeared to correct him by telling him he hadn’t yet agreed to do it.

While Simpson will not coach the team he has agreed to be involved in pre-game activities to allow fans to pay tribute.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful support I have enjoyed from our members and fans over the last 11 years,” he told the club website.

“They have been fantastic from the day I arrived and have stuck with us.

“It’s easy to rock up every week when things are humming along, but through the challenging times over the last three years they continued to come and support us. They’re the best.”

Adam Simpson will not coach on Sunday. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The match would have been Simpson’s 243rd as coach of West Coast which would have drawn him level with Mick Malthouse as coaching the second most games for the club with only John Worsfold coaching more.

Simpson’s decision not to accept the farewell game officially ends his 11 year tenure at the club. He coached 122 wins, 119 losses and a draw over his 242 games spanning from the start of the 2014 season until Sunday’s 54 point loss to Melbourne.

He sits alongside Malthouse and Worsfold as the only men to coach Eagles premierships in the club’s 38- year history.