Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell says John Worsfold has the skills to take the Club into its next period of sustained success.

The sub-committee interviewed a number of potential candidates before reaching the decision that Worsfold should be the club’s next senior coach.

Among the members was former Hawthorn premiership player Brad Sewell and Essendon champion Neale Daniher.

“It was quite a comprehensive process, a process that has run for just over a month,” Campbell said.

“Obviously as a football club there were particular criteria that we were working against and we felt that at the end of the day John was one of the best placed to address the criteria.

“We felt that he was a really compelling candidate and we’re excited to have John Worsfold become the 32^nd Coach of the Essendon Football Club.”

It was Worsfold’s immense experience as both a player and a coach with the West Coast Eagles that was ultimately the difference.

Worsfold played 209 games with the Eagles where he captained the team to two premierships in 1992 and 1994.

He would then become the Club’s coach in 2002 taking the side from a 14^th to a finals appearance in his first season and taking the team to a premiership in 2006.

The West Australian’s ability to build and re-build lists was also a factor that was seen as important by the selection committee as Essendon seeks to return to one of the dominant Clubs of the competition.

“For the past 15 years the Essendon Football Club has not achieved success on field,” Campbell said.

“We’re a rich football club in history, a rich football Club in tradition and a rich football Club in success.

“We feel we need to build a strong, sustainable foundation too then launch into then building a strong on field football team and we think John is really the best placed to do that for us.”

Despite speculation surrounding the appointment of Worsfold, Campbell was adamant that there was some strong competition for the senior coaching role.

“There were a number of high quality candidates involved and all were impressive,” he said.

“It came down to the wire in the final interviews.”

The appointment of John Worsfold signals what will hopefully be the beginning of a new era for the Club who have struggled with the off-field drama over the last three years.

“Obviously it’s been a challenging three year period and we don’t want that to define us in anyway moving forward,” Campbell said.

“John will bring a whole of club perspective to our program and I think that’s all about creating a really great culture not just withing our football team, but in our football Club as a whole.”