Essendon coach Matthew Knights has found an unlikely ally in Collingwood counterpart Mick Malthouse, who has told Kevin Sheedy to lay off his successor.
Sheedy has voiced his criticism of both Knights and Malthouse in the past week, saying Knights had made many errors as Essendon coach while Malthouse has underachieved.
While Malthouse didn’t take particular notice of what his old Richmond team-mate said about his time in charge of Collingwood, Malthouse leapt to the defence of an under-siege Knights, who is enduring the toughest spell in his time in charge of the Bombers, who have lost their past six.
"I reckon when you've been at a club, you've got to hand the reins over, and leave them and let them go," Malthouse said on SEN on Tuesday morning.
"Matthew Knights has been the most successful Essendon coach of the last six years."
Sheedy has defended his right to criticise Knights, who he said was chosen over several candidates with an Essendon background such as Mark Harvey, Mark Thompson and Damien Hardwick.
Malthouse says that suggestions Essendon should have stuck with one of its own fly in the face of Sheedy's own accession to the job.
"If I remember rightly, a Richmond bloke took over 27 years, or 28 years ago. It just so happens that a Richmond bloke has taken over again. You give him every opportunity, surely," Malthouse said.
"If you don't want to praise him, don't knock him."