Wilson calls for Sheedy to go

CAROLINE Wilson has called for Essendon great Kevin Sheedy to remove himself from the club’s board.

Sheedy has been a key player in the turmoil at the club in recent months, including the removal of president Paul Brasher, upheaval at board level, the sacking of Ben Rutten and the failed pursuit of Alastair Clarkson.

Wilson said the four-time premiership coach’s position on the board does more harm than good.

“Kevin Sheedy needs to get off the board [for a cultural shift at Essendon to happen],” she told the Don’t Shoot the Messenger podcast.

“I know I am sounding a bit cruel. Kevin Sheedy is one of my heroes. He is an Australian Football legend… but putting him on the board was a mistake. It was yet another quick fix and PR stunt really, which I think the board would now admit was a mistake.

“It’s going to be difficult unwinding [the mistake] like so many of the issues they’ve got to unwind, but I just don’t think you put a football hero on a board.

“It just creates more unnecessary factions. Kevin has been slightly pro the prospect of James Hird returning, I think that would be a really bad idea.

“I think they need an experienced coach, not someone who hasn’t worked fully in footy for six years until this year and I think they need a board without football people.

“They don’t need football directors and they need to stop looking back and start looking forward.”

Essendon is currently in the process of finding its next senior coach, with head of football Josh Mahoney leading the sub-committee.

– BY NIC NEGREPONTIS/ SEN