Editing James Hird (section)

===Essendon===
On 28 September 2010, the rumours were confirmed when Essendon's chief executive officer, Ian Robson, and chairman, David Evans, announced at an official press conference that Hird would be the next senior coach of the Essendon Football Club on a four-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|title=James Hird announced as coach|url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/77138/james-hird-announced-as-coach|date=28 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303124240/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/James-Hird-announced-as-coach.asp|archive-date=3 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Mark|title=Bombers legend James Hird unveiled as new Essendon coach|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/i-want-to-be-essendon-coach-says-former-skipper-james-hird/news-story/a360ea2d267534a7b31c7893dc6aa21b|access-date=20 April 2022|work=Herald Sun|publisher=Herald and Weekly Times|date=28 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/dons-unveil-hird-as-coach-20100928-15ujg.html|title=Dons unveil Hird as coach|date=28 September 2010|access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-09-28/hird-installed-as-essendon-coach/2276772|title=Hird installed as Essendon coach|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=28 September 2010|access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref>

Hird's coaching career began with the Bombers winning against triple preliminary finalists the {{AFL WB}} in the first round. Wins against {{AFL Stk}}, the {{AFL GC}} (by a record margin of 139 points), {{AFL WC}} and {{AFL BL}} in the first eight rounds saw the Bombers in the top four by round eight, but a draw against {{AFL Car}}, losses to {{AFL Syd}} and {{AFL Col}} and a five-game losing streak halfway through the season saw Essendon drop to tenth on the ladder after Round 14.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/seas/2011.html#14|title=2011 Season Scores and Results}}</ref> Hird's team then won by four points against the previously undefeated {{AFL Gee}} in Round 15, whom assistant coach [[Mark Thompson (footballer)|Mark Thompson]] was coaching against for the first time since his exit from the club.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/essendon-take-on-geelong-in-round-15-of-the-afl-at-etihad-stadium/story-e6frf3e3-1226086180752|title=Essendon Bombers produce the upset of the year, downing Geelong Cats at Etihad Stadium|date=2 July 2011}}</ref> Prior to that match, Essendon had one of the worst records among current AFL clubs against Geelong in recent times, having only beaten the club once since 2003. Hird coached Essendon to the 2011 finals, where they lost against rivals {{AFL Car}} in an elimination final at the MCG.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/carlton-thump-outclassed-essendon-in-afl-elimination-final-at-the-mcg-blues-face-west-coast-next/story-e6frf3e3-1226134200638|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141021130112/http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/carlton-thump-outclassed-essendon-in-afl-elimination-final-at-the-mcg-blues-face-west-coast-next/story-e6frf3e3-1226134200638|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 October 2014|title=Carlton thump outclassed Essendon in AFL elimination final at the MCG; Blues face West Coast next|first=Greg|last=Buckle|agency=Australian Associated Press|date=11 September 2011}}</ref>

At the start of the 2012 season, Essendon won eight of their first nine games (the only loss being by one point to Collingwood on ANZAC Day), at which point Essendon were in first position on the league ladder. The club then won 11 of their first 14 games but this was followed by seven consecutive losses until the end of the season. The club ended 2012 in 11th place. A spate of soft-tissue injuries accompanied the decline, as did noticeable fatigue in other players, leading to criticism of the club's fitness and conditioning coach [[Dean Robinson]] and, indirectly, Hird and his assistant Thompson for having overseen Robinson's program.<ref>{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Mark|title=The Hird Locker|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-360s-mark-robinson-explores-the-reasons-behind-essendons-late-season-implosion/story-e6frf33l-1226457130419|access-date=11 April 2013|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=24 August 2012}}</ref>

The 2013 season was initially a good one for Hird and the football club, during which the team was second on the AFL ladder with a 13–3 win–loss record after 17 rounds. However, internal pressure on the club finally took its toll on the players and coach when the AFL banned Essendon from participating in the 2013 finals series. The club on-field performances fell away and lost five of their last six games. In August 2013, he was suspended from coaching for 12 months when he was charged by the AFL with conduct prejudicing the game in relation to his role in the [[Essendon Football Club supplements controversy]].<ref name="ABC News"/>

Banned from coaching in 2014, Hird spent several months living in [[France]] attending an exclusive business school, [[INSEAD]], near [[Paris]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/exiled-essendon-coach-james-hird-set-to-embark-on-fourmonth-family-holiday-to-france/story-fni5f6kv-1226852943540|title=Crepes and pomme frites for Hirds|work=Herald Sun|access-date=6 January 2017}}</ref> He returned to the club following the 2014 season. Shortly after returning from his suspension, on 2 October 2014, it was reported that Hird was to be sacked by Essendon due to his determination to lodge an appeal against the Federal Court decision handed down the previous month when the club had chosen not to.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/james-hird-will-be-removed-as-essendon-coach-in-coming-days-20141002-10p3bn.html|title=James Hird will be removed as Essendon coach in coming days|date=2 October 2014|first=Caroline|last=Wilson}}</ref>

On 18 August 2015, following a 112-point loss to {{AFL Ade}} in Round 20, 2015—and a dismal season overall for the Essendon Football Club, by which time they had a 5–14 win–loss record and were fifteenth on the AFL ladder—Hird resigned as senior coach.<ref name="Hird resigns"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-18/james-hird-resigns-as-essendon-coach-as-board-loses-patience/6705920#:~:text=James%20Hird%20has%20resigned%20as,appeared%20at%20the%20press%20conference.|title=James Hird resigns as coach of Essendon Bombers as board loses patience amid dismal AFL results|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=18 August 2015|access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/essendon/james-hird-set-to-quit-as-essendon-coach/news-story/fa04db72fceb45a743789936237c9898|title=James Hird gone as Essendon coach, 925 days after doping scandal broke|date=18 August 2015|access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/57463/end-of-the-road-for-hird-dons-coach-resigns|title=End of the road for Hird: Dons coach resigns|date=18 August 2015|access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/aug/18/james-hird-to-leave-essendon-football-club-report|title=James Hird resigns as coach of Essendon Football Club|website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=18 August 2015|access-date=17 May 2022}}</ref>