Dual premiership Kangaroo David King has questioned Essendon’s senior coaching appointment of Brad Scott as the footy world reactions to the news.
The Bombers on Thursday confirmed Scott would take the helm from 2023 in his return to coaching after leading North Melbourne on 211 occasions from 2010 to 2019 including in consecutive preliminary finals appearances.
However King wasn’t convinced by Scott’s credentials after failing guide the Roos to a top-four finish and queried why Adam Yze was overlooked for a second senior role.
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“It’s OK to be an experienced coach, but he coached for 10 years at the Kangaroos and not once ended the home and away season in the top four,” King told SEN.
“They were in the top four for about 12 weeks (over his coaching tenure) … if you’re going to be a coach for a decade, you’d want to finish top four in the home and away, wouldn’t you?
“It’s always a hard one, you’re not privy to most of the information. They (Essendon) make their own calls and they’ll either be right or wrong.
“But I think the overarching concern for me is what’s happened to Adem Yze? I thought he was going to get one of either role at GWS or Essendon.
“I would love to know why he’s not the senior coach today of Essendon, I’d love to know what the specifics are.”
It comes after King and Scott infamously clashed on the field in the latter’s final game coaching the Kangaroos including firing a shot at the North Melbourne legend post-match.
And King acknowledged it’s not “any secret we’re not great fans of each other”.
“I wrote an article about him calling him a visitor, I didn’t feel that he completely embraced the full club at periods of time … it was that week and he moved on not long after,” he said.
“He wouldn’t have been happy with me at that stage, he had been there 10 years, so it was harsh to be fair.”
Bombers legend Matthew Lloyd was however more bullish about Scott, saying he thinks he can lead the club back to finals.
“I think Essendon needed someone pretty strong to walk into what they’re going to walk into,” he told AFL Trade Radio.
“Brad to me has a real presence and aura … I think there’ll be a huge bounce in performance. Seven wins this year, I’d be surprised if they don’t win around the 11 games next year.
“It happens, a new coach comes in, we’ve seen what Craig McRae has done, even when Brett Ratten got the job (at St Kilda), instant bounce.
“You often see an instant bump when these types of new coaches come in. Id expect Essendon to play finals this year under Brad Scott. He is the perfect person to coach this team.”
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Essendon completed its coaching search after the grand final following a comprehensive process following Ben Rutten’s sacking last month where the club revealed it begun with a shortlist of over 22 candidates.
The Bombers initially missed out on Alastair Clarkson, who instead signed a five-year deal with North Melbourne.
And Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes highlighted how missing out on Clarkson has been “somewhat fortunate” for Essendon amid uncertain around his coaching future with the Hawthorn investigation, saying.
“Can you imagine the chaos that would be unfolding at Essendon if it had been Alastair Clarkson? (at Essendon)” Cornes posed on AFL Trade Radio.
The club on Thursday night ratified the decision to appoint Scott, who’d been the AFL’s football operations boss, on a reported four-year deal after board approval.
Senior journalist Damian Barrett also believes Scott is the ideal pick-up for the Bombers.
“I feel it’s as sound a decision they could make in the state that they’ve been in for a long time,” he said on AFL Daily.
“I really like it. Brad Scott is a man who’s already proven himself at the highest levels. If he was a coach in the American system he’d be viewed as successful – technically speaking he’s got the 50 per cent (winning) record) which in America sports terminology a winning coach.
“He successfully got North Melbourne without great resources to preliminary finals in 2014 and 2015.”
