James Hird to Coach Essendon for the Next Season
Once suspended, James Hird will resume as a senior coach of Essendon for the 2015-16 AFL seasons.
Hird, who is currently pursuing a business degree in Singapore, talked to the management board via phone.
His wife Tania also attended the board meeting last Thursday.
Based upon further discussion and with an arrangement to agree with all the club protocols, chairman Paul Little and other board members unanimously agreed to bring Hird back in the club for the coming season.
"Today the board determined James Hird remains coach of the Essendon Football Club for the 2015 and 2016 seasons." Little said.
"The Hirds fully understand what they did caused a massive distraction. It wasn't meant to happen but it happened nonetheless, and I believe there is a very remote chance of it happening again."
"I think both James and Tania have come a huge way in turning the corner ... I believe that they now realise the events of the last week or so have, in an undintended way, created a lot of concern, a lot of stress, and potentially damage to the Esendon footy club. I believe now they understand it and possibly had to go this far for it to become obvious to them."
"We certainly don't want to gag James we just want to ensure the focus on the football club is where it needs to be."
Little further said it's time for Hird to move on after his 12-month ban.
"Our advice to James is he needs to let go those issues in terms of his current contracted involvement with the Essendon Football Club."
"I think it's time for James to get over his anger. I think it's understandable that James is frustrated but I don't believe that emotion will help him become a better coach of the Essendon Football Club."