Former AFL coach Ross Lyon says it is “generous but a bit confusing” to be pushed for as Essendon’s next senior coach by members of the club’s senior core.
A report this week claimed a senior group of Essendon players were keen on Lyon as a senior coaching candidate, as the Bombers commence their search for Ben Rutten’s replacement.
Lyon, asked about the report, said he still remained wary of a return to senior coaching.
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“I’m not going to comment and get caught in the vortex. There’s been a lot of noise around me, there’s been a lot of generous words by a lot of people I respect,” he said.
“Leigh Matthews, that’s really nice, Chris Scott, he spoke that anyone who goes in needs to know what support they get and really that due diligence piece. It’s been generous.
“I spoke last week, I’m very cautious. What I would say, have any of you ever been in the position where you just can’t really answer a question in a definitive yes or no?
“I’m sitting here as a media commentator, but it’s all swirling around and that’s where I sit. It’s generous but it’s a bit confusing to be honest where I sit … I haven’t spoken to anybody.”
Hawthorn premiership star Jordan Lewis, who was recently put on Essendon’s coaching selection panel, said a list of applicants for the role was yet to be tabled, but progress was being made in the search.
“We’ve basically been told what the criteria is and what we’re looking for,” he told AFL 360.
“In terms of the timings and how everything unfolds, that will be spoken about tomorrow.”
