Essendon great Matthew Lloyd wants the struggling AFL club to look at other coaching options, saying they are underachieving under John Worsfold
The former star full-forward says John Worsfold is under major pressure and their whole coaching structure needs an overhaul.
The Bombers struggled for much of last Saturday night’s loss to Richmond and face a danger game this weekend against fierce rivals Carlton, who are two games clear at the bottom of the ladder.
“He (Worsfold) is under enormous pressure … the way they are losing is so predictable,” Lloyd told Channel Nine’s Footy Classified.
“Everything I thought would happen against Richmond, happened, where players are shut down, (the Tigers) dominate the state of play, control possession.
“It happened against Geelong – I think even Carlton will give them a scare, which they’ve done in the previous few years.”
Brad Scott’s sudden departure from North Melbourne is unlikely to be the only senior coaching change this year and there is growing speculation about Worsfold.
He has coached Essendon since 2016 and earned widespread praise for being a steadying influence in the wake of the supplements debacle.
But the Bombers are struggling after hopes were high at the start of the season that they might return to the finals.
“They should look at other options … to see who can get more out of the list,” Lloyd said.
“They’d be crazy not to look, if there’s someone better out there to take the list forward.
“They’re underachieving for the second year in a row.”
Lloyd wants a review of all their coaches and fitness boss Justin Crow.
“They’re all good people, but they’ve all been there a long time,” he said.
“Essendon have to look at the whole coaching structure and even Justin Crow, the fitness coach.”
Former Essendon captain Tim Watson said their intensity and effort is too inconsistent.
“It should be the non-negotiable in a game, that the players play like that, and I think there’s still a little too much picking and choosing about ‘when I’m going to operate at that optimum level’,” Watson told Channel Seven’s Talking Footy.