Former Essendon coach James Hird has opened up on the infamous Essendon supplement scandal, admitting that he put his faith in the wrong people at the time.
Hird, who served as Bombers coach from 2011-2013, and again in 2015, was at the helm at the peak of the saga, now admitting that he should have paid closer attention to the details surrounding the club's supplement program.
The Brownlow Medallist appeared on the Howie Games podcast, detailing what happened during and the aftermath of the saga.
โI should have been over more of the detail,โ Hird said.
โI trusted the people I asked to do things to do things and they werenโt. (I was) a bit naรฏve. I really was a very trusting, accepting person because nothing really bad had happened to me.
โWe had two people there who were bad people who, I donโt think they cheated, but thatโs debatable. I still donโt think players took the wrong thing, but the players were put in a very compromised position which they shouldnโt have been put in.
โThe thing that is the most upsetting is thereโs 34 players who have done absolutely nothing wrong and their families and them have suffered hugely for it โ and so have the Essendon supporters. These people have been the most loyal supporters of all time. Theyโve paid their membership, theyโve got through ASADA, theyโve gone through Covid. Now all you want for them is to get a bit of success and go to the footy and win a few games because there is no group of supporters that have been through more โฆ. over the past 15 years.โ
Hird also touched on a return to a senior coaching gig, a timely discussion as the search for Essendon's next coach continues.
The 49-year-old admitted that family considerations would play a massive part in his decision, also stating that he had business aspirations outside of football.
Hird appeared on the Howie Games in July, prior to the departure of Ben Rutten.
โI was asked by the CEO of a club six weeks ago if Iโd like to coach โ not his club โ but if Iโd like to coach again,โ Hird said.
โMy honest answer was, โThereโs some elements about it I really like (but) Iโd have to have family considerations to do itโ. I love the fact that you get in deeply and you work with young people to create something really, really special and you create a great team environment. But Iโve worked very, very hard over the last six years to create another business arm and Iโm 50. At 40, when it happened I could transition and go. At 50, you go down (that path) and thatโs almost it. So Iโd have to think very carefully about the path that I take and there has to be an opportunity too, obviously.โ
