A few minutes after James Hird’s 12-month ban was confirmed by the AFL, Essendon chairman Paul Little announced a contract extension for the coach.
Little told a packed media conference at AFL House on Tuesday night that Hird had shown genuine remorse as he told the AFL Commission on the second day of negotiations that he accepted responsibility for shortcomings in the club’s supplements program of 2012.
Hird’s ban will end in August 2014 which means he’ll be available to coach the Bombers should they make the finals next year.
Little has already confirmed Hird, 40, will return as senior coach in 2015.
Little also said he could see the club great playing a role on the coaching staff if Essendon were finalists in September 2014.
“There will be a process put in place now to look for a coach for the balance or the remainder of next year,” Little said.
“We also confirm that at the completion of his 12-month suspension, James Hird will be welcomed back as senior coach of Essendon.
“James Hird told the commission tonight that he took responsibility for the shortcomings in the club’s 2012 supplements program.
“There is no doubt in my mind that James Hird agreed to accept these penalties tonight so the club could move on.
“James is very keen to continue his coaching with Essendon and the Essendon Football Club is very keen to have James Hird continue.”
Little confirmed the Bombers had agreed to terms on a contract extension for Hird.
“I don’t want to give you precise details tonight because it hasn’t been documented yet,” he said.
“But there is an undertaking there for James to continue coaching at Essendon once he has served his sentence.”
Little said the Bombers already had three candidates for senior coach in 2014, although he wouldn’t confirm senior assistant coach Mark Thompson was one of them.
Assistant coach Simon Goodwin will coach the side in their dead-rubber, last-round game against Richmond at the MCG on Saturday night.
Little said Kevin Sheedy, who is stepping down as Greater Western Sydney coach after this season, has offered to help out in an unspecified role at Essendon where he coached four premiership teams.