FORMER Essendon coach Mark Thompson has clarified his comments from the weekend, saying he wants James Hird to coach Essendon without the axe hanging over his head.
Thompson created a stir on Saturday when he was asked on 3AW if he felt it was "an inevitability" that Hird would eventually be sacked.
Thompson replied: "I think so, and I think James knows that".
He went on to add that he felt sorry for Hird given the situation he was in.
On Fox Footy on Wednesday night, Thompson clarified his comments.
He said he wanted Hird to continue as coach of Essendon.
"I want James to coach," Thompson said.
"I am sick and tired of people just jumping on him for no reason like it's a scalp they're waiting to get.
"If he's the coach, just let him be coach. He's done the time. Just let him go.
"He got charged for something that to this point hasn't been proven to be illegal.
"Let's just move on. He's done a fair bit of time of punishment and pain, and the whole club has. Let's just give him a chance to coach."
Thompson added the pressure on Hird could be affecting the club's players.
"In media circles … they just can't wait to line him up and get him, and it's wrong, it's evil, it's nasty," he said.
"It doesn't have to be nasty. By doing that they're affecting the players as well.
"The media and people are affecting the players again, because if the coach is under pressure, it comes down to his players."
