FORMER St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has turned down being a part of the Essendon coaching process. 

The former Saints and Dockers coach was approached by the Bombers to gauge his interest in being a part of the club's coaching process but declined.

The 55-year-old is currently engaged in media roles with Triple M and Channel Nine and works in the property and real estate industry and has chosen not to jump back into the coaching sphere through the Essendon role. 

Lyon coached 305 AFL games and took the Saints to the Grand Final in 2009 and 2010 and Fremantle to their first premiership decider in 2013.

He had been on the Bombers' short list of targets given the club has been looking for options with strong experience.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has been mooted as a possible candidate, while the club could also look at experienced assistants as part of its coaching process, with premiership coach Robert Walls and flag-winning Hawk Jordan Lewis leading the six-person coaching selection panel.

Lyon told AFL.com.au's Damian Barrett on Triple M that "there was no vibe" when he was approached by Essendon football manager Josh Mahoney. 

"Off the bat, I said 'look, I don't feel it's the right fit for me, but can you just explain what it is?'," Lyon said.

"And he was really good. Really simply, they're going to have five or six candidates, at least two steps, maybe three.

"But the first step, I wouldn’t be in. I think that’s for guys who hadn’t coached before, there’s some hurdles for them to jump, and I think they narrow it down.

"The second round would be a couple of hours ... presentation, how you connect with players, build that relationship, what your first 30 days would look like."

"I can't articulate why," Lyon added.

"Sometimes it's just ... it wasn't vibing. There was no vibe.

"I am a million per cent out."

- with staff writers