FORMER Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron has joined Sydney as coaching director of their Academy.
Cameron was approached this week about the vacant head coach role at Essendon, but he has instead opted to stay in Sydney with his family.
The 50-year-old's move to the Swans comes just days after former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon also turned down an approach from the Bombers.
"When I got the opportunity to work with the Swans it was a no-brainer," Cameron told SEN on Saturday.
"It allows (me) to stay in Sydney with the family, which was always the plan.
"I had a chat with Josh (Essendon Football Manager Josh Mahoney) on Thursday or Friday ... and I just informed him that I was going to stay in Sydney and thanked him for the opportunity to talk. The timing just wasn't right.
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"I absolutely love coaching, but you can't just half go into a job at any level.
"I just kept looking at myself saying, 'I'm not ready, I'm not ready. I need to reflect'. I love footy and coaching, but I can't go in at 95 per cent."
In some good news for the Bombers, Melbourne senior assistant coach Adem Yze confirmed to the Seven Network that he would be speaking to Essendon next week.
Cameron resigned as GWS coach earlier this year having steered them to five finals campaigns, including the 2019 Grand Final.
He previously worked as an assistant coach at Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs.
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"Leon has always been much admired and respected by everyone at our footy club, so we are delighted to be able to appoint him as the new Coaching Director of our Academy," said Charlie Gardiner, Sydney Swans Executive GM – Football
"Over the past 12 years the Academy has helped develop more than 3000 aspiring young boys and girls, whilst also developing elite talent such as the likes of Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills, Nick Blakey, and more recently Ella Heads, Ruby Sargent-Wilson and Kiara Beesley.
"Leon brings a wealth of AFL experience in coaching and high performance, and we are incredibly fortunate to have someone of his standing in the game lead our Academy in the years ahead."
Cameron will officially join the Swans in November.