Adam Simpson responds after Eddie McGuire's bombshell call about West Coast
Eddie McGuire claimed this week that West Coast's board were weighing up whether or not to sack the embattled coach.
Under-fire West Coast coach Adam Simpson admits he is seeking "clarity" about his future from the AFL club's board, amid reports this week the Eagles were considering firing the 47-year-old. It comes after Eddie McGuire revealed on Nine's Footy Classified on Wednesday night that West Coast's board were ready to take a "broom" through the club, which is lurching towards its second successive wooden spoon.
McGuire - the former Collingwood president - claimed long-standing West Coast CEO Trevor Nisbett would not be in the role in 2024 after deciding not to seek an extension. McGuire also said the Eagles' board is considering axing its 2018 premiership-winning coach, in a statement backed up by multiple other reports.
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Simpson addressed the uncertainty around his future on Thursday night, during a regular slot on Perth's 6PR with Adam Papalia radio program. The embattled coach admitted his future at the Eagles was still up in the air but hoped it would be cleared up in "the next week or so".
Adam Simpson wants clarity on West Coast future
“Getting clarity about what it looks like in the future and making sure you‘re still a part of it is important," Simpson said. "That’ll come in the next week or so. I haven‘t asked the board, but I’ve spoken to a few people at the club to get some direction, that’s true. I’m not stamping my feet.
“It‘s more when we do all of this future planning, you want to be there if you’re recruiting people and employing staff. That clarity is important. At the same time, I fully respect the board and they‘ve always been pretty stoic and run by an agenda that they set, and I respect that.”
Simpson's future has been a hot talking point this season, with the club and players consistently throwing their support behind the long-time coach, despite his side only winning two games all season and suffering five absolute thrashings by more than 100 points. The worst of those was a 171-point thrashing by the Swans in round 15, while a 101-point drubbing to Fremantle - the club's heaviest defeat in Western Derby history - is reported to have been the final straw.
Adam Simpson contracted until end of 2025
The situation at West Coast is further complicated by the fact Simpson still has two more years to run on a contract worth a reported $800,000 per season, meaning the Eagles would have to cough up a massive payout to let him go. AFL great Jimmy Bartel told Footy Classified on Wednesday night the Eagles' performances over the last two years are "just not acceptable", while Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd also insisted that a "broom" needed to be taken to the struggling club.
Despite calls for his sacking throughout 2023, Simpson has maintained he's the right coach to dig the club out of its current predicament. When Simpson signed a contract extension with the club until 2025, he did so accepting that a massive rebuild was required and remains steadfast on that stance.
“I signed a contract extension probably two years ago with the intent to work through a rebuild,” he added. “I‘m really clear about that and I’m up for it. That’s been all part of the plan and I knew there were going to be some really difficult times and on the weekend was really difficult.
“I don‘t think one game in isolation is a pivot to make a change, but if the club and board decide that it is time to do that then I need to respect it. But I haven’t changed my position on where we’re at and what we need to do. There‘s always going to be some hard times but unfortunately on the weekend it was really hard.”
with AAP
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