James Hird has announced that he’s leaving the coaching position at Essendon and social media couldn’t have responded in a harsher way.
The sacking follows Essendon’s massive 112 point loss to Adelaide over the weekend. This year, Essendon is ranked 15th on the ladder with only five wins from 19 games. The club has lost two matches by more than 100 points.
Essendon has been dogged by the 2013 supplements controversy where Hird was banned from coaching for injecting his players with illegal supplements in 2011-2012.
Social media users showed zero sympathy for Hird, the hashtags #standbyhird and #putoutyourpepitides sarcastically attack Essendon’s drug scandal and Hird’s coaching.
I’ll #standbyhird in the centrelink queue. Nah just kidding. I’ve got a job.
— Geraldine Hickey (@geraldinehickey) August 18, 2015
Hird replacement at @EssendonFC has already been announced. #standbyhird #standbyrobbo pic.twitter.com/3Z4SLanA6J — Dennis Gedling (@ColonelDG) August 18, 2015
It’s sad that you can be run out of a club just because your players have been injected hundreds of time with unknown substances.
— Titus O’Reily (@TitusOReily) August 18, 2015
Hird on his way out of Essendon… #AFL https://t.co/EXEHkvsDgn — TAB (@tabcomau) August 18, 2015
James Hird poses for one last photo op with the Essendon players. pic.twitter.com/d4TNkXhokD
— Paul Ryan (@P_T_RYAN) August 18, 2015
#putoutyourpeptides #closestthingihad #hird pic.twitter.com/dkCsDd8Tcj — Kyle Pollard (@KylePollard) August 18, 2015
#Hird, on day he was 1st appointed “There is no better time to come to Essendon… It probably doesn’t get any more rock bottom than this.”
— Joshua Kay (@js_kay) August 18, 2015
Hird resigns as coach so players could move forward, in complete contradiction to his coaching tactics #StandByHird #Putoutyourpeptides
— Sir James Hare (@DoogieHare) August 18, 2015
Of all the things I hate about the AFL I hate the fact a coach can’t freely inject his players with unknown substances anymore. #StandByHird
— Dan Anstey (@Dan_Anstey) August 18, 2015
waiting for 3.15pm like…. #standbyhird #Hird pic.twitter.com/ExEaNcnAeC
— Matt (@Mattys123) August 18, 2015
If you look closely you can actually pinpoint the exact moment the club decided not to #standbyhird pic.twitter.com/NhGeH75bvJ
— Andrew Porter (@andrew_porter) August 18, 2015
James Hird gone. A horrible day for opposition supporters. Wanted him to hang around for the lulz #standbyhird
— The Idiot Tax (@TheIdiotTax) August 18, 2015
I am showing my support for James Hird and I have put my memorial out next to my front door #putoutyourpeptides pic.twitter.com/zYb6AwJ6CZ
— David Graham (@grahamdavidj) August 18, 2015
“Hear that Swanny? To think they said James would last longer than me.” #PutOutYourPeptides #Bucks pic.twitter.com/rJnuLPqDr6
— #gopies (@magpie_fans) August 18, 2015
Hird’s exit involves a negotiated settlement for the remainder of his contract- speculation is that Hird will be paid an estimated $750,000 till 2016.
