ESSENDON champion Matthew Lloyd expects triple-premiership player Mark Harvey will be unveiled as the Bombers' senior assistant coach within the next "four or five days".
Speaking on 3AW on Monday, Lloyd also revealed his own interest in returning to the club in a coaching capacity and said he was uncertain what role, if any, 2014 senior coach Mark Thompson might have at Tullamarine next season.
Thompson has reportedly returned to Melbourne after a short overseas holiday and is expected to meet Bombers officials in the next week to map out a potential role at the club next season.
The dual premiership coach at Geelong has been linked to the vacant Gold Coast job, although reports suggest the Suns' interest has cooled.
In his speech at the Bombers' best and fairest count on October 1, Thompson seemingly indicated he wanted Essendon's senior job, although returning coach James Hird was backed to remain in the role for the "immediate term" only days later.
"Obviously he's (Thompson) not going to get the role he was hoping for, which was senior coach, so it's just whether he feels it's an adequate role or whether they decide they still need him with Mark Harvey expected to be announced in the next four or five days," Lloyd said.
Rumours of a rift between Thompson and Hird have surfaced since Thompson's best and fairest speech.
However, Lloyd was confident the pair, who coached together at Essendon for three seasons before Hird was suspended for his role in the club's supplements regime, remained on good terms.
"I don't think it's too bad that situation. Obviously if he's to have a role at Essendon they have to be on really good terms – I think that's still the case," Lloyd said.
"So I think they will sit down early next week and decide where they go with obviously Mark Harvey coming in as well, he'll probably be replacing Simon Goodwin as senior assistant coach."
Meanwhile, Lloyd revealed he has contemplated getting involved at his former club.
"They haven't asked. But part of me does (want to go back)," he said.
"I've obviously always resisted the temptation to get involved in a specialist role just because of my role within the media.
"But I reckon at some stage in the next year or two I'd love to have some small involvement back at AFL level, but it just hasn't been the right role to date over five years of retirement."
In other news, Lloyd said there was "no point" for the Bombers players to break ranks and seek deals for reduced sentences with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.
"It's coming to an end as it is. There's no point breaking ranks now when they've held on for this long," he said.
