Former Essendon coach Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson has admitted he could have done more to stop questionable practises in the club.
Thompson was assistant coach under James Hird in 2012, and became caretaker coach as the supplements scandal broke.
When asked by the media if he had done enough to stop the supplements program, Thompson replied “obviously not, no”.
Thompson admitted that the AFL and the club failed to heed concerns from veteran club doctor Bruce Reid that objected to the controversial supplements program.
Current Essendon coach, James Hird gave a tearful apology for the club’s actions and admitted he was close to never returning to the role of coach in October last year.
” I am so sorry for anything that’s happened or that’s been done wrong to our players or been done wrong to our football club,” he said to a packed media conference this week.
“Of course I was disappointed in missing a year of coaching. There was nowhere else I wanted to be except here coaching those players so my total focus right now, while I’ve got a contract, is to coach this club as well as I possibly can.”
On Saturday Hird will coach the Bombers against the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium in his first home and away game since round 22, 2013.