West Coast fans are none the wiser of their club’s intentions with Adam Simpson after conflicting statements from the Eagles overnight.
Pressure has been mounting on the premiership coach following another injury-impacted disaster season that has netted just one win to Round 10.
Last weekend, the Eagles were smashed by 116 points by 16th-placed Hawthorn.
Multiple reports emerged late on Wednesday suggesting Simpson may take extended leave at the close of the 2023 season.
The @WestCoastEagles will offer Adam Simpson 3 months of extended leave at the end of the season.
— Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) May 24, 2023
The club has endorsed Simpson as the man to lead them out of the mess - and are looking for ways to alleviate some of the stress that's fallen on the coach during the past 2 years.
"If he stays, they want him to take a three-month holiday with his family and just get out of town."
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 24, 2023
Eddie McGuire with exclusives on West Coast's post-season plan for their coach, the club's trade period approach, and its intentions with pick 1.#9FootyClassified | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/dqrKGHxXTy
Seven’s Ryan Daniels reported Simpson has been offered a longer than usual break, while Nine’s Eddie McGuire told Footy Classified that West Coast wants him to take three months off after the 2023 season.
“He’s cooked, needs time away, he’s a tired anxious man,” McGuire said of his Simpson.
But following the comments, West Coast put out a statement last night.
Reports that senior coach Adam Simpson has been asked to take a three-month break at the end of the season are inaccurate.
— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) May 24, 2023
No such discussion has taken place. pic.twitter.com/2qsyyJSfaB
“Reports that senior coach Adam Simpson has been asked to take a three-month break at the end of the season are inaccurate. No such discussion has taken place,” the club tweeted.
Daniels later tweeted: “I stand by this story that Simpson will be offered extended leave post-season. It’s what will be recommended. My understanding is, the denial from West Coast is in relation to other, more inflammatory reports.”
What’s more, a West Coast spokesperson is quoted by the Herald Sun as yesterday saying: “When our season ends he (Simpson) will be encouraged to take an extended break to refresh.”
Simpson has coached the Eagles to six finals appearances in his 10 seasons at West Coast but has won just three games since 2021.
Garry Lyon suggested Simpson had done all he could at West Coast, but the time had come to step down.
“I think that’s the clearest, cleanest thing for him to do (Adam Simpson, resign)… it’s going to take five years for them to re-emerge, is he going to be there at the end of five years? I don’t think so,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“That’s the easiest of all the decisions to be made in the coaching landscape.”
With Damien Hardwick stepping down at Richmond earlier this week, there’s set to be plenty of pressure across the coaching market as several changes loom.