who needs to read it on The Age these days?! you hear it first on TA!!!
| quote: | The Age wrote;
Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy looked close to tears today as he and the club he has led for 27 years announced his departure.
Sheedy, 59, addressed the media at Windy Hill after the club's managing director Peter Jackson explained Essendon's decision not to renew the veteran coach's contract and confirmed he would stay until the end of the season.
He described the return of Adam Ramanauskas this season after the midfielder's battle with cancer as his "proudest" achievement of his coaching career.
Sheedy said he had been discussing his future with the club since January, after cricketers Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath announced their retirement.
He told reporters he was grateful for his time at the club. "They've been absolutely fantastic as a club. You don't often get to coach the club that you barrack for - I've been very lucky like that."
Football legend Ron Barassi said he was glad Sheedy would coach the Bombers until the end of the season.
"I think that's the least they could do," Barassi told Southern Cross Radio. "Essendon owe Kevin Sheedy a lot in my opinion.''
Jackson confirmed the club wanted Sheedy to continue as coach until the end of the AFL season.
"I emphasise he will be coaching until round 22, and to the finals I hope... he wants to, we want him to.''
Mr Jackson said the club's decision to part with its coach had been a difficult one but had the support of the majority of the board.
"It's been a very difficult decision, its been a challenging decision,'' he said. "He has had the most profound effect on the football club."
Mr Jackson thanked Sheedy for handling the constant speculation about his future with "aplomb and with professionalism".
"His contract's always been a bit of a media circus,'' Mr Jackson said.
Jackson said that with Melbourne, Fremantle and Carlton also in the market for a new coach, the club felt it needed to start the search for a replacement as quickly as possible.
This morning a feeling of shock descended on Windy Hill as reports began surfacing that the club would announce it would not renew Sheedy's contract after an astonishing 27 seasons as coach.
Journalists, photographers and TV crews arrived at Windy Hill as players assembled insidebefore the media conference.
Sheedy had always indicated he would accept the board's decision with good grace if they opted to end his tenure.
Reports suggested Sheedy was likely to stand aside immediately, but he will remain at the helm until round 22 with the Bombers still in with a chance of qualifying for the finals.
Supporters driving past Windy Hill this morning have vented their frustration with the club, with several shouting as they passed.
"You oughta be ashamed of yourselves," one man said about the club as the media looked on. "He put this place on the map."
The Bombers currently sit in 10th place on the ladder, with eight wins and eight losses. The team has lost four of their past five games.
Sheedy made his name as a player at Richmond, representing the Tigers in 251 games from 1967-79, including three premierships.
He replaced Barry Davis as Essendon coach in 1981 and led the Bombers to four premierships in 1984, 1985, 1993 and 2000.
If Sheedy chooses to stand aside straight away, he will have coached Essendon in 629 matches. That puts him second on the all-time list behind Collingwood legend Jock McHale, who coached the Magpies 714 times from 1912-49.
He recently broke McHale's record for most games as a player and coach.
Sheedy becomes the fourth AFL coach to be pushed aside this season, joining Neale Daniher (Melbourne), Chris Connolly (Fremantle) and Denis Pagan (Carlton). |
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