West Coast Eagles senior coach John Worsfold today resigned from the post he has held for the last 12 years.
The 2006 premiership coach met chief executive officer Trevor Nisbett and chairman Alan Cransberg this morning and told him he did not have the energy to continue.
The highly respected Worsfold – the most revered figure in the 27-year history of the club – told Nisbett he had nothing left to give.
“It’s a really important decision for me and for the footy club,” Worsfold said.
“I have come to that decision around the fact I shouldn’t do the job if I don’t have the energy to give it absolutely everything; that wouldn’t be the right thing for the club and basically that’s where it got to.
“It’s not the right thing for me or for the club. The players will feel it, the staff will feel it, if the senior coach is not warts and all in. And that means emotionally you have to be right in, you have to be all over everything.
“It has been in the back of my mind and I have been convincing myself that at the end of the season there’s less intensity, you’ll rekindle all the energy, you’ll have a break and you’ll be up and going again, but I just think it’s time now.
“I think I could do that, but I don’t want to have that doubt. There are plenty of people out there who are ready for this opportunity. This club will give them a wonderful opportunity.
“My time is done as coach of this footy club. I couldn’t have had a better time, I couldn’t have asked for any more. I certainly couldn’t have given any more.”
PHOTO GALLERY: John Worsfold's career in pictures
Nisbett said the decision by Worsfold was just another example of the great integrity of the man.
“John has always shown great honour and passion for our football club and has again demonstrated his integrity in reaching this decision,” Nisbett said.
“He could quite easily have decided to continue and could have gone ahead with his presentation to the board, outlining the future direction of the club.
“Instead, he reached the conclusion that he could not continue and when I met him this morning he informed that he was not prepared to go on.
“John is one of the most honest people I have ever met and his honesty in coming to the conclusion that he should resign has come after he spent the last few days analysing whether he had the energy to continue in the role.
“Being the senior coach is enormously challenging and requires a great deal of dedication and time. That John has been able to do that for 12 years is quite remarkable. But he is a remarkable man.”
West Coast chairman Alan Cransberg was similarly glowing in his praise of Worsfold.
“It has been a privilege to work with John for the last few years and he has done a wonderful job for our football club,” Cransberg said.
“His contribution to the club in 12 years as a player and another 12 years as senior coach has been enormous.
“As the history of our club evolves, it will take someone exceptional to have a greater impact on this club. In 100 years from now, I imagine the name John Worsfold will still command the greatest respect.
“As a dual premiership captain and premiership coach, he has been intimately involved in all of our greatest moments.
“The West Coast Eagles will always be John’s home, his second family. It is a sad day for our football club, but after we pause to acknowledge the great contribution he has made, we must get busy preparing to appoint our next senior coach.”
JOHN WORSFOLD'S RECORD
Playing career
Debut: Round 4, 1987 v Carlton
Games: 209
Honours: Premiership player 1992, 1994, premiership coach 2006, Club Champion 1988, Best Clubman 1988, All-Australian 1988, 1999, club captain 1991-1998
Coaching career
West Coast Eagles senior coach: 2002-2013
Games coached: 281
Games won: 149
Games lost: 130
Drawn: 2
