‘Confusing’: Ross Lyon responds Bombers’ coaching call

Former Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has responded to claims senior Essendon players want him as the club’s next head coach.

Ross Lyon has been named as the coach the Bombers players want. Photo: AAP Image/Tony McDonough

Former St Kilda and Fremantle AFL coach Ross Lyon has revealed “I haven’t spoken to anybody”, despite reports senior Essendon players want him to take the reins at the club.

The Bombers sacked Ben Rutten after an ugly and bungled attempted to lure Alastair Clarkson to the club backfired

Essendon also struggled to finish 15th on the ladder and five wins outside the eight.

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It kicked off the search for the club’s next head coach and reports this week are that the playing group want Lyon.

But the man himself spoke out about the link, admitting he was baffled by the support.

“I’m not going to comment and get caught in the vortex. There’s been a lot of noise around me, there’s been a lot of generous words by a lot of people I respect,” he said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.

“Leigh Matthews, that’s really nice, Chris Scott … anyone who goes in needs to know what support they get and really that due diligence piece. It’s been generous.

“I spoke last week, I’m very cautious. What I would say, have any of you ever been in the position where you just can’t really answer a question in a definitive yes or no?

“I’m sitting here as a media commentator, but it’s all swirling around and that’s where I sit. It’s generous but it’s a bit confusing to be honest where I sit … I haven’t spoken to anybody.”

Ross Lyon hasn’t spoken to anybody. Photo: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

It comes after SEN’s Sam Edmunds reported the Essendon playing group want a “senior mentor” with Lyon emerging as a frontrunner.

“The feedback I’ve been given is that some of the big names in that playing group want a strong hand. Someone to really come in and take the bull by the horns — Ross Lyon would obviously be that man,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think (new president) David Barham’s quote (that they’re targeting) a more experienced coach is a truer reflecting of where the club’s mind sits, rather than (footy boss) Josh Mahoney’s attempt to clarify that over the weekend — that an experienced coach could mean a long-time assistant coach.

“That might have been to protect them from having egg on their face in the chance they do go a for a first timer, but with Ross Lyon, I’m told that’s who the players would want.”

Former Bombers skipper Tim Watson said he’d heard the players “wanted to be coached harder than what they have previously.”

But Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes said it was “ridiculous” for the players to dictate who they wanted with 30 of the squad currently on a footy trip to Ibiza.

“Who would listen to them?” he said.

“Who would take a group of Essendon players seriously – who on the back of one of the most disastrous years from any club ever, and on the back of a group of players who just didn’t want to do anything when they didn’t have the footy in their hands and arguably one of the most selfish groups …

“I’m not saying they’re selfish people, but football-selfish players, who only really work when they know they can get a touch. They don’t work to get the footy back off the opposition. Worst defensive team in the whole of the competition.

“They get their coach sacked, act like they’re really sad about it, but then duck off on a footy trip.

“They’ve then had the nerve to suggest who the club’s coach should next be. Have they made that call from a nightclub on Skype in Ibiza?

“Is that where they’ve sent the message through to the club that they want Ross Lyon coaching?

“Just do not listen to a thing that those Essendon players have said, particularly if it’s been on a Skype call from a nightclub on the other side of the world where they’re lapping it up, doing God knows what, when their team is absolutely on its knees.”

The Bombers players have spoken. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Lyon at Fremantle. Photo by Will Russell/AFL Media/Getty Images

Hawthorn premiership star Jordan Lewis is part of the Essendon coaching selection panel including Essendon football manager Josh Mahoney, Carlton great Robert Walls, Melbourne Vixens netball coach Simone McKinnis, Former NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn and club director Dorothy Hisgrove.

He said the list of applicants was yet to be tabled but progress was being made.

“We’ve basically been told what the criteria is and what we’re looking for,” he told AFL 360.

“In terms of the timings and how everything unfolds, that will be spoken about tomorrow.”