FORMER Essendon coach James Hird says he would "love" to do the job again following Brad Scott's sacking.
Scott was dismissed by the Bombers on Tuesday after their 1-10 start to the season, and president Andrew Welsh said he would "not rule anyone in or out" when it comes to Scott's replacement.
There has long been an agitation among Bombers fans for club champion Hird to return to the hot seat, having missed out to Scott in 2022.
On Tuesday night, Hird confirmed he wants to be part of the process to find the club's next coach.
"The most important thing for me as an Essendon person is for them to go through the most exhaustive process possible to find the best person," he said on Channel Nine.
"If the club came to me and said 'would you be part of that process?' I would definitely say yes.
"It is something I'd love to be part of, to pit my wares against the other coaches and see if I'm the best man for the job.
"If I'm the best man for the job, yes I would love to do that job.
"If I'm not, choose the best man and let's go forward and make it the best club in the AFL again."
Last year, Hird publicly ruled out any interest in returning to the job, but he said on Tuesday that "things have changed" since then.
"Honestly, at that time, I wasn't in a position to coach and it wasn't on my mind or something I wanted to do," he said.
"They had a coach who was doing reasonably well ... but things have changed."
Hird first took over at Essendon in 2010 but was suspended for the 2014 season for bringing the game into disrepute for his role in the Essendon drugs saga.
He then returned to the club but resigned in August 2015 with a final record of 41 wins, 42 losses and one draw.
Hird said enough time has past since the supplements saga for him to return.
"I'll put my hand up and say I was part of the mistakes that were made at the Essendon Football Club in 2011 and 2012. They were partly my fault and I put my hand up," he said.
"But a lot of time has gone ... I've suffered a lot, the football club has suffered a lot and the supporters - mostly - have suffered a lot. And I think it's time for everyone to kick in and make this club great again."
Since leaving the Bombers in 2015, Hird has been a part-time assistant coach at Greater Western Sydney and is currently the director of coaching at Port Melbourne in the VFL.
When asked why he thought he would be the best man for the Bombers job, Hird pointed to his work at Port Melbourne with ex Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney, who he said "had taught me so much about how to develop players and how to make them better".
"I think I understand the game, what makes a good team on the field, and I understand how to communicate with players and have a connection with players," he said.
"We did a lot right in 2010 to 2013. We obviously did some things wrong and we paid handsomely for that, but I think we were on the right track.
"So I think I know what it takes to coach a football team, but there's also the football club. The spirit of Essendon is not there ... we are at ground zero. That needs people who know how to rebuild that spirit."
Hird is one of Essendon's greatest ever players, winning two premierships, the 1996 Brownlow Medal and five club best-and-fairests during his 253-game career at the Bombers. - with AAP
