WEST Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett has given first-year coach Adam Simpson a "big tick" despite the Eagles' indifferent season.
Nisbett said no one at West Coast had given up on the finals even though the Eagles sit two games outside the eight with just six home and away matches remaining.
The Eagles started their first season under Simpson strongly, winning their first three matches before hitting the skids, losing nine of the next 13 including five at Patersons Stadium.
But Nisbett said Simpson, a former Hawthorn assistant and North Melbourne premiership player, had done an outstanding job in his first season as a senior AFL coach.
"I think he's been terrific," Nisbett said.
"When you come in as a rookie coach it's very difficult to immediately gain respect and he's done that.
"He's got a very sound game plan and strategy, which he's implementing with a whole group of new coaches and new players, and the players are adapting to that.
"It's still taking time because they won't get everything right in the first 12 months.
"We've been really pleased with Adam, really pleased with what they’ve implemented, and so far it's a big tick."
Simpson is the fourth Eagles coach during Nisbett's time as West Coast CEO. He became chief executive in 1999 having served as football manager for most of Mick Malthouse's tenure. Ken Judge coached West Coast for two seasons before John Worsfold's 12-year reign began in 2002.
Nisbett is out of contract at the end of this season and is considering his future as CEO.
The end of the 57-year-old's contract comes at a precarious time for the club. West Coast is negotiating the early phases of moving its training base and headquarters from Patersons Stadium to a brand new purpose-built facility to be developed at Lathlain Park.
Nisbett has also been intimately involved in the negotiations with the WA state government over football's planned move to Perth's new stadium that is being built at Burswood for the start of the 2018 AFL season.
Nisbett said he was keen to continue at this stage. He said he would discuss the situation with Eagles chairman Alan Cransberg in the coming months.
"I am considering going on but that will be up to the board in the next couple of months, I'd say," Nisbett said.
"I'll weigh up whether I can continue to make a contribution to the football club.
"I think that's the most important thing. If I can do that at the highest level and it means I've got the energy to put in the hours that's required then I will push ahead.
"The board will make that call over the next month or two. We've got some big projects on. I guess I've started those projects and I'd like to help our executive team, who are doing a fantastic job with those projects, I'd like to see them finished."
