Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says sacked counterpart Adam Simpson should be lauded rather than condemned

Adam Simpson should be remembered for the good things he did at West Coast Eagles, according to Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan.

Chris Fagan hopes to guide the Lions to sixth successive win in Sunday. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Brisbane Lions mentor Chris Fagan has called for coaches to be “treated better” following the sacking of his good friend Adam Simpson by the West Coast Eagles.

The resurgent Lions will chase a sixth successive win when they meet the struggling Eagles in Perth on Sunday in West Coast’s first match under interim coach Jarrad Schofield after Simpson was axed this week.

Fagan himself was under the pump earlier this season after Brisbane’s poor start to the campaign.

And while he accepted the criticism and scrutiny was “part of the job”, he struggled to understand the rationale behind some calls for him to be sacked.

“That criticism that came our way earlier in the year when we were two wins and five losses … seven games prior to that we were playing in the grand final and lost by four points, and suddenly I’m losing my job,” Fagan said.

“It’s not even rational when you think about it, but that’s what happens.”

Adam Simpson was this week sacked by the West Coast Eagles. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

The Eagles’ form slump under Simpson, who guided West Coast to the 2018 premiership, was much more severe and occurred over a long period of time.

Under Simpson, the Eagles have won only eight of their past 64 games.

They finished 17th on the ladder in 2022, were wooden spooners last season and are currently in 16th spot, with just three wins from 16 matches this year.

However, Fagan said Simpson, whom he has a formed a close friendship with following their time working together at Hawthorn, should be “celebrated” following his departure from the Eagles.

“What we should do more, particularly for guys like ‘Simmo’, who’s been a two-time grand final coach (and) a premiership coach, we should celebrate them rather than use it as an opportunity to stick the boot in just a little bit more,” he said.

“I’d like to see coaches treated a little bit better than they are. They’re basically really good people, and they do it because they love the game.

“They have more of an interest in their players than just winning. It’s about developing great people.

“I’ll probably like to see it viewed a bit more that way than the way it is currently, which is headline grabbing one way or the other.

“You’re either hero or you’re a villain in sport, not just in the AFL.”

Fagan said he would have made the same decision as Simpson in declining the offer of a farewell match in charge.

“I’d make the same choice,” he said.

“Coaching the game, you give a lot of yourself every time you do it, and I reckon when you know your time’s up, you don’t want to do it anymore, for the time being anyway.

“I’m glad he’s going to go to the game and the crowd’s going to acknowledge his contribution to the club. That’s particularly important, but … once you’re done, you’re done.

“It would probably be hard to coach with the same passion when you knew that you weren’t going to do it again.”

Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says sacked counterpart Adam Simpson should be lauded rather than condemned