KEVIN Sheedy has all but ruled out a coaching return for James Hird, saying the club legend is moving \u201cfull throttle\u201d into the business world.<\/p>\n
Hird threw his hat in the ring to take Ben Rutten\u2019s vacated job last year, seven years after he stepped down as head coach following the club\u2019s drug saga.<\/p>\n
In a process run by Essendon president Dave Barham that drew criticism, Hird was eventually overlooked for Brad Scott.<\/p>\n
Speaking to SEN\u2019s Sportsday, Sheedy revealed Hird\u2019s no longer in invested in a return to coaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cJames Hird has locked himself into a business career now, which I think is fantastic for him,\u201d Sheedy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had lunch with him not long ago. He\u2019s going into the business world full throttle which is great, in finance, which is great. He\u2019s a very capable person, James.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hird had held a part-time role at GWS prior to running for the Essendon job.<\/p>\n
Sheedy was the only board member to vote for Hird and broke club ranks when publicising his views in an interview with the Herald Sun.<\/p>\n
It painted a picture of a scrambled board at the time after initially claiming the Scott decision was unanimous.<\/p>\n
Sheedy was criticized in the aftermath from several areas of the media, yet he singled out Age journalist Caroline Wilson as the sole contributor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI eat pressure, I never worry about it,\u201d the four-time premiership coach said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was only one person, it was Caroline Wilson, and that\u2019s her job\u2026 I don\u2019t have a problem working at Essendon on the board because I\u2019ve done a lot of good things for the Bombers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never get too carried away with it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another area of disenchantment within Essendon comes between head of footy Josh Mahoney and list manager Adrian Dodoro.<\/p>\n
The two reportedly have a frosty relationship and forced a restructure of the football department that now sees Dodoro report to new CEO Craig Vozzo.<\/p>\n
But Sheedy said it\u2019s no longer an issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got Craig Vozzo, he runs the club with David Barham and that\u2019s sorted out,\u201d Sheedy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you move on, simple as that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Essendon\u2019s decisions late last year have certainly been justified with the club winning four of its opening seven games and demonstrating vast improvement on last year.<\/p>\n