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EXILED Essendon great James Hird's career hangs in the balance after the club refused to guarantee his future.
Bombers chairman Paul Little urged Hird to "control" those around him, amid fallout from wife Tania Hird's controversial TV interview.
"James needs to control those around him - I don't think anyone would argue with that," Little told 3AW radio on Friday.
"We really want to speak to James about what he knew, and what was motivating Tania. We haven't been able to speak to either of them. We are putting that off until next week.
"It is a complex situation. There are a lot of things that need answering, and we'll work on those next week," Little said.
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Little was unable to contact Hird, who's in Singapore, to seek an explanation of the latest flare-up.
Bombers board members held a telephone hook-up, and will convene again about the furore next week.
It is expected Hird and all Essendon coaches and officials will be warned to respect club protocols and to stop commenting publicly on the drugs saga.
Hird's lawyer, Julian Burnside, QC, said it would be outrageous for Essendon to sack its coach because of an interview given by his wife.
Footy's drugs saga reignited on Thursday night when Hird's wife Tania repeated claims AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou had tipped off Essendon about investigations into the club's 2012 drugs program on the ABC's 7.30, which aired on Thursday night.
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Little appeared on Eddie McGuire's breakfast radio show on Friday, fuelling speculation Hird might be sacked.
"The club will need to meet now ... to determine how we go forward in relation to the James Hird issue," Little said.
"Up until the events of the last 24 hours we believed that James was acting and responding to our requests in a positive way."
McGuire declared: "I'll make a bold prediction, I don't think we'll see James Hird coach Essendon again."
CLICK HERE TO READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PAUL LITTLE INTERVIEW
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But by mid-afternoon the club had resolved not to make an immediate call.
Hird is en route to France where he will complete an elite business course paid for in part by Essendon as he serves a 12-month suspension from the game.
Tania, who will join him next week, said yesterday she felt the need to defend her husband's reputation.
"There comes a point that I, as the wife, I'm just sick of the wrong things being written about my husband," she said outside her Toorak home.
"He is such a caring, loving, wonderful person, he really is a fabulous person, he's not vain, he's not arrogant ... that is so far from the type of person that he is.
"Hysteria's been allowed to mount on the basis of things that are just not accurate.
"We're still waiting to see anything of substance."
Tania Hird leaves home on Friday. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: News Corp Australia
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Demetriou again denied tipping off the Bombers.
The Herald Sun reported last July that Demetriou had spoken to Essendon officials on February 4, 2013 - the night before the Bombers announced they would come under AFL and ASADA investigation.
"For the 125th time ... no (I did not tip them off)," Demetriou told 3AW.
"She (Tania) is not the first one who has said that .... and you've heard my response to that and the response is pretty simple. It was impossible to tip off anyone ... when I wasn't privy to the information because I didn't have access to it.
"It is just a distraction. I mean this issue which you have heard me say before, this issue is not about any individual, this is about a regime, a system where young men were being injected with substances many of which are unknown, some of which we know are banned for use in humans. And we put a stop to that regime."
CLICK HERE TO READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THE DEMETRIOU INTERVIEW
The outgoing league boss said he detected Little had become frustrated.
"I have a lot of sympathy for the Essendon supporters and the club," Demetriou said.
"The last thing they want to be talking about is the (Tania Hird) interview.
"People are fatigued by this issue. We need to move forward."
AFL commissioner Bill Kelty yesterday defended Demetriou's conduct over the course of the saga.
"What is not fair for Andrew (Demetriou) is … for it to be continuously said by people that in some way he acted improperly," Kelty told ABC radio.
"It's just not fair. He acted honourably and professionally throughout the process as far as I was concerned. And I stood aside from it."
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Kelty revealed he had excused himself from commission deliberations on the Essendon saga because of his friendship with former Bombers chairman David Evans.
"I have a very special relationship with David Evans. David Evans is like a son to me," Kelty said.
"I said instantly, once it was clear that it was Essendon, that I had to stand aside. Not because it was Essendon Football Club, but because it was David Evans chairing the board."
Kelty said it was unfortunate that the doping saga had become personal.
"The one most important thing is the welfare of the players ... it's not about James, it's not about me, and it's not about Andrew."
Gold Coast Suns coach Guy McKenna said the Hird camp should have stayed silent.
"God there is a football season about to start for your football club - if you love it that much, just button it," McKenna said.