Michael Hurley talks to James Hird after the coach announced his resignation. Photo: Getty Images
All-Australian Bomber Michael Hurley says he wants to see James Hird welcomed back to football, endorsing his football knowledge as being "second to none" as well as his credentials as a "great coach".
The pair developed a close relationship during Hird's tenure as coach of the Bombers and Hurley said it was difficult to watch a friend deal with his sacking and the wider fallout of the supplements saga, which included a 12-month suspension from the AFL and constant media attention.
"James was fantastic for my footy and a good friend of mine, so to see him go through these sorts of things is hard," Hurley said, speaking on Adelaide radio station 5AA.
"He's had a tough time and hopefully going forward everything can take care of itself and he can get a bit of weight off his shoulders," he said.
"I think it'd be fantastic to see him involved in footy … his knowledge of the game is second to none and as a player he was obviously incredible.
"I think he has the attributes to be a great coach … hopefully things can clear up and hopefully he can get involved in footy at some stage in the future."
If, when and in what role Hird would return to football has begun to capture the public's curiosity following his first appearance in the media spotlight for some time last week.
The 42-year-old spoke on ABC Radio National's The Ticket weekly sports program, taking a thinly veiled swipe at the AFL by saying he hoped 2016 would be about "facts" rather than public relations spin when it came to sports administration.
Hird's re-emergence immediately drew commentary, most notably from former Geelong star Cameron Mooney, who said that if Hird were to return to football, as an analyst for instance, then he should wait at least 12 months before doing so.
"I just think right now the football world doesn't need to hear James Hird," Mooney said on SEN this week.
"Media outlets will have to do their research because people will turn off if they don't want to hear someone."
New Essendon chairman Lindsay Tanner told Fairfax Media last week that he was determined to bring Hird back into the fold in some form or another in the future.
Meanwhile, key defender Hurley said he would return to full training in January in his comeback from the right shoulder reconstruction he had in September.
Hurley is already back running and participating in skill work, hopeful that he will begin full contact training over the next month in an effort to be ready for the Bombers' NAB Challenge campaign, which starts against Carlton on February 28.
