Bombers slammed for 'ego-driven incompetence'

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Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas believes James Hird's lack of experience as well as the club's 'ego-driven incompetence' are the key factors in the doping scandal which has enveloped the club over the past three months.

Thomas, a former media commentator, has written on his personal Wordpress blog, Thomo, that the AFL industry's obsession with recently retired players with little or no senior experience has contributed significantly to the mess Essendon currently find themselves in.

"I read with interest the Dr Ziggy Switkowski report on the Essendon debacle," Thomas wrote.

"It reads like organised mayhem. One glaring piece of ego driven incompetence after another. Is also exposes the massive lack of understanding, experience and skills of the people in senior positions of authority and leadership.

"How can former footballers with little or no business experience be subjected to the situation at Essendon and handle it efficiently and effectively? "

Thomas also questioned the track records of Essendon chief executive Ian Robson and football manager Danny Corcoran.

The long-time antagonist of the AFL also pointed the finger at league headquarters for failing to implement higher standards of competency across all clubs.

"In fact the AFL has created many of the existing problems with either a complete lack of understanding of the situation or an arrogance and denial that beggars belief - I tend to lean to the latter," he said.

Thomas said the AFL needed to move towards a coaching and leadership development model which places experience over currency.

"The laughable thing is people still think you have to be a recently retired player and assistant coach to perform the senior coaching role successfully. This is actually the antithesis of what is required," he said.

"It's incredible that AFL clubs tend to appoint inexperienced, young former players as coaches and sports overseas such as the EFL (sic) and NFL appoint experienced, older and wiser managers to oversee the entire production.

"There was constant ridicule towards adopting a similar model in AFL. It was considered too controlling. Let me tell you something - I bet the Bombers wish they had a leader who took more control during the last couple of years."

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