Carlton legend Mark Maclure believes Essendon's addition of Kevin Sheedy to the club's board has been used as a smokescreen to take the focus off the club's poor performances.
The Bombers have had a rough year and failed to make the top eight this season and will be guided by new coach Brett Rutten next year as John Worsfold steps aside.
Rutten faces a tough time retaining some of the club's stars for 2021 with Joe Daniher, Adam Saad and Orazio Fantasia among those looking to jump ship.
The club made the Sheedy announcement amid the negativity surrounding the team with the move becoming official in October.
"Kevin will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the footy department, but with our Football Director, Sean Wellman, and club great, Simon Madden, Kevin will ensure we have a high level of rigour around our football discussions at the board level," incoming Essendon president Paul Brasher said.
"He will also continue to be available in a mentoring capacity to Ben Rutten whenever Ben requires it."
Yet Maclure wasn't sold on the idea and how the club went about presenting it to its fans.
"I love Kevin Sheedy, I think he has been a magnificent person in our football career," he said on Fox Footy.
"But they are rolling him out like a performing seal.
"They're looking for something good to happen at Essendon and is Kevin the right guy to bring back there? He might be great on the board because he is a simple guy and he does simple things well.
"But really, it's Xavier Campbell who put all this together and he needs to explain himself a little bit on what has happened in the last 12 months."
While the move has been described as a PR exercise by Maclure, AFL great Warren Tredrea said the move will actually be valuable for the Bombers heading into next season, especially with a new coach.
"Having someone on the board with football experience will also help the club behind scenes," Tredrea told Wide World of Sports' Talk of the Town.
"Whether it's PR fans love him. He has had success winning four premierships as coach on a 20-year journey.
"Who's on the board previously I'm not privy to that. But i9s there a football person on the board? Sometimes sides struggle to get decent football people on their board.
"Ben Rutten wants someone who knows what its like to sit in the chair and be able to pick the phone up and ring one of the greatest coaches, tacticians. I think it will help Rutten."
Carlton legend Mark Maclure believes Essendon's addition of Kevin Sheedy to the club's board has been used as a smokescreen to take the focus off the club's poor performances.
The Bombers have had a rough year and failed to make the top eight this season and will be guided by new coach Brett Rutten next year as John Worsfold steps aside.
Rutten faces a tough time retaining some of the club's stars for 2021 with Joe Daniher, Adam Saad and Orazio Fantasia among those looking to jump ship.
The club made the Sheedy announcement amid the negativity surrounding the team with the move becoming official in October.
"Kevin will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the footy department, but with our Football Director, Sean Wellman, and club great, Simon Madden, Kevin will ensure we have a high level of rigour around our football discussions at the board level," incoming Essendon president Paul Brasher said.
"He will also continue to be available in a mentoring capacity to Ben Rutten whenever Ben requires it."
Yet Maclure wasn't sold on the idea and how the club went about presenting it to its fans.
"I love Kevin Sheedy, I think he has been a magnificent person in our football career," he said on Fox Footy.
"But they are rolling him out like a performing seal.
"They're looking for something good to happen at Essendon and is Kevin the right guy to bring back there? He might be great on the board because he is a simple guy and he does simple things well.
"But really, it's Xavier Campbell who put all this together and he needs to explain himself a little bit on what has happened in the last 12 months."
While the move has been described as a PR exercise by Maclure, AFL great Warren Tredrea said the move will actually be valuable for the Bombers heading into next season, especially with a new coach.
"Having someone on the board with football experience will also help the club behind scenes," Tredrea told Wide World of Sports' Talk of the Town.
"Whether it's PR fans love him. He has had success winning four premierships as coach on a 20-year journey.
"Who's on the board previously I'm not privy to that. But i9s there a football person on the board? Sometimes sides struggle to get decent football people on their board.
"Ben Rutten wants someone who knows what its like to sit in the chair and be able to pick the phone up and ring one of the greatest coaches, tacticians. I think it will help Rutten."
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