i love how sheeds has always had hirds back through this, always willing to have him do pressers, conferences with him, etc. They must have a great relationship.
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Regardless of past behaviour, nice to see the Club now pumping Jim up a bit too. Can’t wait to see him tutoring the kids at the James Hird Academy, just past Sheedy’s Sheds and the Coleman Coliseum on Reynolds Rd Tullamarine.
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CACAO HUNTERS
It would be hard to imagine seeing James back at the club without Sheeds there supporting him. Love them both… will always be champion people in my eyes.
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What a great story!
I still get emotional when I hear him speak so highly of EFC considering what he’s been through.
Looking forward to reading Sheed’s new book.
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I don’t think it would be too hard to imagine. Why wouldn’t one of our past champions be able to just rock up to the club and be welcomed. Sheeds needs to chaperone him? Gimme a break.
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What a great speech. with some funny storys mixed in. I look forward to Hirdy’s book one day.
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Geez I love Hirdy. I love him when he plays footy, when he coaches and when he just talks. He’s one of the most interesting, intelligent and talented people I know of. Just bought a stash of his chocolate even though I don’t really have taste buds sufficiently refined to tell the difference between quality versus ordinary chocolate. Those of you who get to talk to him occasionally please let him know how much we appreciate him.
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A six minute Tracey Holmes interview with Shheds on ABC 7.30 report tonight. The full 30 minute interview is supposed to be up on the ABC news site over the weekend.
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meh, really not captain material with that hair and scruff, huh…
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Thanks, 7.30 has just come on, will have a look.
Looks happy and healthy.
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What is K Sheedy looking at?
The Red Sash, sitting there with a couple of glasses of red.
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Kevin Sheedy says James Hird could be an AFL senior coach again if he wanted to
AFL coaching great Kevin Sheedy believes James Hird has the capabilities to take on a senior coaching role should he be interested in returning to one.
Hird walked away from the Bombers near the end of the 2015 season, over 900 days after news broke of the club’s supplements saga and five months before 34 past and present players were handed one-year doping suspensions.
The Essendon champion and Brownlow Medallist was often the front man for the Bombers during his stint as senior coach before his dramatic exit from, not just the club, but the AFL industry.
However Hird made a rare official public appearance when he presented the Norm Smith Medal to Dustin Martin at this year’s Grand Final, while he was also at the launch of Sheedy’s new book earlier this week.
Despite Hird’s recent exile, four-time premiership coach Sheedy believes Hird could lead an AFL team again.
Asked on SEN Breakfast whether Hird could be a senior coach again, Sheedy said: “If he wanted to then yes, there is no doubt about it.”
Sheedy added that Hird “has never been guilty of anything”, but highlighted his strong belief that all senior coaches must undergo proper training before being appointed.
“All he did was he was allowed by the AFL to coach and I’ve never believed that coaches should coach in the AFL without them doing their credential courses,” Sheedy said.
“Neale Daniher and I tried to get that through 10 years ago and we didn’t. But now they (the AFL) are trying to work very hard at getting it. The answer from the AFL was ‘we don’t have the right to tell an AFL club who they could and should appoint. I said, ‘well you do’.”
“You need to get some experience in coaching. It’s very difficult to come straight out of the business landscape and move straight into a footy coach. It’s a difficult job and it’s got harder, as you can see by the rate of coaches and how long it takes to win a premiership now.”
Hird won 41 of the 85 games he coached at the Bombers.
Might be just me, is Sheeds upto something ?
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As much as I would like to see James get another go, I doubt it will happen.
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Hird could take on the Essendon VFL womens team.
Gets him back at the club.
Builds up profile of our womens team.
People would come along to the games just to hear Hirds 1/4 & 3/4 speeches
win/win/win.
sheeds assistant.
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Could he come back and do Rob Kerr’s role?
Well and truely involved with footy without the spotlight directly on him.
Just a dream I suppose.
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Have no doubt Hird could re-enter the caper as an assistant or development coach - Head coach is a reach.
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