James patagonia south americaHird will be removed as Essendon coach in coming days
Key moments in James Hird s coaching career
UPDATE: James Hird s official removal as coach of Essendon is expected to take place in the coming days after a series of crisis talks on Thursday in which he requested more time to consider his options and attempt to persuade the club to retain him.
The Bombers preference is for Hird to resign with his payout details yepatagonia pro sales discountt to be finalised. That was the strong message to Hird on Wednesday from chairman Paul Little before the Crichton Medal patagonia better vestcount during which outgoing caretaker coach Mark Thompson publicly declared he wanted the job.
James Hird. Photo: Jason South
While the club refused to clarify the legal manoeuvring behind the delayed decision, Fairfax Media understands that a fully constituted meeting of the Essendon board could be requiredpatagonia baggies jacket review before any decision is ratified. Hird, who had lost the support of the majority of the board, was on Thursday attempting to sound out directors in a bid to save his job. This was despite the Bombers decision not to appeal. He departed the Tullamarine meeting on Thursday saying he was still the coach .
This is despite the fact Hird had met Little in one of his South Yarra offices on Wednesday where the outgoing club legend was given the opportunity to resign from the club with a nominal payout. The other option was that Hird would be sacked. Little remained hopeful Hird would resign.
Thompson departed for overseas after a breathtaking speech at the Crichton Medal count in which he declared his passion to coach the club next season. Fairfax Media understands Thompson spoke in the belief Hird patagonia girls better sweater fleece hoodywas departing. Any remote chance of the two men working together next season ended with Thompson s speech.
While Thompson s manager Michael Quinlan contacted the Gold Coast on Tuesday before Guy McKenna s sacking was announced, Thompson has told influential Essendonians his strong preference is to coachpatagonia girls better sweater fleece hoody2 the Bombers.
And in a separate developmepatagonia guide jacket typesnt, Essendon had settled its long running legpatagonia fleecepullover better sweater jacket graual dispute with former high performance boss Dean Robinson in a deal expected to cost the club almost $1millpatagonia quick dry mens underwearion.
The removal of Hird and the closure of the Robinson case will come after AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick told Little last week to bring an end to the costly and messy fallout from the Essendon supplements, which has 34 former and present facing bans. Fitzpatrick told Little the cpatagonia better sweater 2013ompetition could no longer tolerate Essendopatagonia az trulia homes for salen goinpatagonia girls better sweater fleece hoody3g rogue against the interests of the game.
Wealthy and influential Essendon supporters have been urging Little to act on Hird with the view that even a costly payout of up to $1.25 million would be patagonia girls better sweater fleece hoody0preferable to the ongoing damage to Essendon s image and the erosion of its culture.
Even the urging of senior players led by Brendon Goddard and Dyson Heppell on Wednesday before the best and fairest would not sway the coach from apppatagonia girls better sweater fleece hoody1ealing.
Previously he had insisted his only motivation was to clear the names of his players. He insisted to push on Thursday that the players were his prime motivation. However, support for Hird had already been irreparably eroded well before his decision to act.
At the traditional grand final week past players function, former Essendon footballers were unanimous that Hird must go.
lso emerged that a group of disenchanted potential challengers have this week abandoned plans to stand for the board in the event of expected vacancies.
Former Melbourne Storm boss Ron Gauci and ex player Justin Blumfield were part of a group supporting a push to install a block of new directors onto Little s board in a bid to challenge his control.
That group met this week and formed the view that it was not prepared to carry the potential cost of mounting a challenge in view of the rebuilding job ahead.
Sacking someone for exercising their legal rights hmmm wonder what the courts would make of that? Pressure coming from AFL to end it all quickly hmmm undue influence maybe? Did Neil Young act for Hird at the Federal Court in the last hearings if so he won t be acting for the club against Hird unless he wants to face allegations of a conflict of interest. So many legal issues so much money for lawyers.
