ESSENDON has offered James Hird a contract extension despite being banned from coaching the club for 12 months.
Bombers chairman Paul Little confirmed the club had moved to secure Hird's future by giving him what is believed to be a two-year contract beyond 2014, when his ban will expire on August 25.
"I don't want to give you precise details tonight because it hasn't been documented yet but there is an undertaking there for James to continue coaching at Essendon once he has served his sentence," Little said on Tuesday night.
It means Hird appears locked in to be the club's coach until at least the end of 2016. His original four-year contract, which he signed at the end of 2010, would have expired at the end of the 2014 season.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said Hird could not be paid while seeing out his sanction.
Hird will be free to coach in the finals next season if the Bombers make September, an option Little would welcome.
"James is very keen to continue his coaching with Essendon and the Essendon Football Club is very keen to have James Hird continue," he said.
Already the club has had three contenders offer to coach the club next season while Hird is suspended, without counting assistant Simon Goodwin, who will coach the Bombers on Saturday night against Richmond.
Senior assistant Mark Thompson, who was fined $30,000 for his role at the club last year, is seen as a frontrunner but Little would not say if he was one of the three in early consideration.
He admitted it could be a distraction during Hird's suspension.
"It won't be an ideal structure for a premiership campaign but if you look at what Essendon has achieved this year ... I think you would agree we've got a very talented side," Little said.
"And we haven't really approached anyone yet because until tonight it wasn't obvious to us whether this was going to be a 12-month situation or perhaps a shorter one should James have contested the charge."
Hird's ban was announced on Tuesday by AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, but Hird was not present to answer questions.
"James has had a very, very emotional day. His wife, his family, have, I believe, held up their heads and conducted themselves with great style and class. Tonight was about me telling you what's happened here today, it wasn't about James Hird being grilled," Little said.
Both Little and the AFL, however, commended Hird for his approach to Tuesday's hearing, where he addressed the commission for almost 10 minutes.
"James Hird told the commission tonight that he took responsibility for the shortcomings in the club's 2012 supplements program," Little said.
"There is no doubt in my mind that James Hird agreed to accept these penalties tonight so that the club could move on.
"I believe tonight he showed significant remorse in saying he was sorry and taking responsibility."
