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It comes following his reporting earlier this month that Solomon, the club\u2019s interim coach after Brad Scott\u2019s sacking, is president Andrew Welsh\u2019s ideal candidate as Essendon seeks a new mentor. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs we know, he (Solomon) is the preferred candidate of president Andrew Welsh,\u201d Gullan began on Midweek Tackle. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut we can tell you tonight that four years ago, when the Bombers went through the process \u2026 there were five candidates interviewed \u2026 Dean Solomon finished last of five. <\/p>\n
\u201cBrad Scott came in late \u2026 he had to have his arm twisted to take part in it. James Hird was right there – he almost had the job, which we\u2019ve known about. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnderneath them was Adem Yze, now the Richmond coach, and Brendon Lade from the Bulldogs, and then there was Solomon. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhy this is relevant is because now, four years on – we still don\u2019t know what the process is (this year) – his (Welsh\u2019s) man, at that point four years ago, was rated fifth out of five.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before this year, Solomon\u2019s most recent AFL coaching experience came in the 2022 season, when he was a part-time assistant coach at the Giants under former teammate Mark McVeigh for half a season. <\/p>\n
The 2000 Essendon premiership player stepped away from the AFL scene after 2022, coaching the Tweed Coast Tigers in the QFA Division 2 South between 2023 and 2025, before returning early last year to undertake his Essendon board role. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe discussion point is James Hird is getting whacked all over the place for not having part of the AFL system – he was at least with Port Melbourne in the VFL,\u201d Gullan said. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, the question is, Solomon \u2026 he finished fifth four years ago, what has changed? It\u2019s a dilemma for Essendon. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe suggestion back then was that his passion for Essendon was obvious, he was very much a players\u2019 coach, he could lift players \u2026 but tactical input wasn\u2019t big in his presentation. <\/p>\n
\u201cTactics – how big are they? You can get a good couple of assistant coaches. It\u2019s more about man management, etcetera, (but) tactics was the one issue that stood for the panel four years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hird has publicised his desire to again coach Essendon, while Solomon remains focussed on coaching the Bombers in the short term – currently winless from three games. <\/p>\n
Butters debate heats up on AFL 360 | 06:02<\/p>\n
Midweek Tackle panellist Glenn McFarlane inferred that Solomon\u2019s purported tactical shortage could be offset by savvy assistants supporting him. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve just got to look at some premiership coaches in recent times – Chris Fagan (entrusted) a lot of his assistants to get that coaching philosophy through,\u201d he said on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe did the overarching stuff, but the pure tactical stuff often went to some of the assistants. That\u2019s not to denigrate what Fagan has done, and there\u2019s probably a similar thing with Craig McRae as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not as important as you need the right people around you as well. So, I think that\u2019s the key element to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
McFarlane also revealed Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy\u2019s stance on the suggestion of a dual-coach outcome at the Bombers. <\/p>\n
\u201cMark Harvey last Friday actually did say that it could be shared between two people – and the inference to that was Solomon-Hird, which is fascinating,\u201d McFarlane said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019ve spent some time today with Kevin Sheedy, who said under no circumstances James Hird would look at a shared role with Dean Solomon. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was very strong on that. He did say that James would do whatever he could for the Essendon Football Club, in whatever shape, but he doesn\u2019t see it as being an assistant coach.\u201d<\/p>\n