Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell and president David Barham at the Hangar on Sunday.Credit:Paul Jeffers
The Bombers have looked panicked and divided. That it took until Sunday to decide they would part ways with their coach when plainly a large section of the board had that strong feeling long ago,and waited until the 11th hour to force change,suggests that while appointing a new coach is the most immediate concern,the more compelling issue is to unite a politically divided club.
Essendon will not be a bold,courageous and successful club until they have alignment among the board,the CEO and the footy manager,no matter who is appointed their next coach.
The clear divisions in the club have led to the unedifying scenes of the past week. They were not wrong toopenly chase Alastair Clarkson; indeed they were correct in saying they were duty bound to talk to him. But they should have sacked Rutten first,or at the very least told him that they intended to sound out Clarkson.
The first process that needs to start at Essendon as they launch their coach search is to urgently commence the external review of the board that David Barham said would happen when he was appointed president. That review should not be contained to the board but look at the connection with the CEO and the football manager. It should ask if three former football people is too many on the board (hint,it is) when they now need to bring in outside eyes to figure out what is not working in the football department.
It will not matter who Essendon appoints as their next coach if the person does not come in with broad support. The club must unite at executive and board level first or no coach – not even Clarkson if they got him – will have a chance of success.