Hird’s relationship with the Bombers has been troubled since his return.
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Despite several invitations, he would not fire any more shots at the AFL or the anti-doping authorities – for now.
Following today’s announcement that James Hird was stepping down as Essendon Football Club coach, Twitter user Troy Hallum posted a photo of a tub of peptides outside his house with the hashtag #PutYourPeptidesOut. My hesitation in leaving this football club at this time is that I will leave the players in a time they still need strong guidance and care which I hope to continue to provide from a distance. Assistant coach Matthew Egan will fill in on an interim basis and carry the team through the last three matches of the 2015 season.
Essendon players were cleared by an AFL tribunal before WADA appealed the decision.
She said it would signal the start of an official rebuild at Essendon.
But they are 2-11 since the WADA appeal was announced and Saturday was their second 100-plus point thumping in that time.
“The WADA appeal probably drove us back into the mire”.
The departing coach admitted to some regrets about that supplements regime.
“Were they mistakes to the level that we’ve been crucified for?”
“Yesterday he (Hird) talked about dealing with that adversity and about what you can actually do – and whether it or not it will define you”, Watson said.
He said Dyson Heppell was nearly like a son to him.
“I don’t feel resentment – I just feel sad”, he said.
Hird was also defiant about his coaching ability.
“I still believe he’s a good coach, with the potential to be a great coach”.
“The Board and James have agreed on a negotiated settlement, the terms of which will remain confidential”, Little continued.
Defiant to the end, Hird made it clear again on Tuesday that he did not believe the damage was in any way due to his actions. Hird is a highly decorated footballer, with accolades including being the victor of the 1996 Brownlow Medal, and a member of the AFL Hall of Fame.
“He will forever be remembered as a champion of this club”.
There was massive excitement at the club when he returned in 2011 to coach.
Mr Hird has been at the the centre of the drugs saga that has engulfed the club for nearly three seasons and leaves the club after a series of heavy losses that has the club in a lowly 15th position on the ladder. But Hird can not avoid responsibility for that, nor should he fail to see the irony each time he pleads with others to look after the players.
And Watson said no one had faced more adversity through the saga than Hird.
“James touched on it before, but this whole thing has changed people and no one’s for the better because of [the supplements saga]”, Watson said in Hird’s farewell press conference.
Hird is expected to be paid out on the year left to run on his contract.
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He was asked if he thought the AFL had anything to do with his departure.
