Thompson met with Little and Bombers CEO Xavier Campbell on Wednesday, but talks broke down and the club has confirmed in a statement there’s no place for the two-time Geelong premiership coach at the Bombers next year, despite him taking over from the suspended James Hird for the 2014 season.
‘’I’m out, I’m done,’’ Thompson told the Herald Sun.
“There’s not a job there for me.
“I was happy to work there, but a role could not be agreed upon.”
The club all-but agreed with Thompson’s version of events.
“There were many factors that were considered but at the end of the day any role needed to have purpose and add meaningful value to our football club,” Campbell said in a statement.
“We held extensive negotiations with Mark but we were not able to reach a position that would satisfy both parties and in the end, we had to make a difficult decision in the best interests of all parties and move forward with planning for the 2015 season.
“I would like to commend Mark on the job he did coaching the team in the absence of James this year, he played a pivotal role in the ongoing development and improvement of our players.
“Mark is a great Essendon person and although he won't be involved in an official capacity next season, I'm sure he will be keeping a close eye on the team as it continues to push for success.”
According to some reports, Little has angered by Thompson’s refusal to pay a $30,000 fine, imposed by the AFL for his role in the Bombers supplement scandal, despite Bomber appearing to be one of the few figures at the club to have stood up against the controversial program during 2012.