Past players and legends of the AFL have paid tribute to Bombers' coach Kevin Sheedy, with some saying this morning's announcement may not be spell the end of his time as an AFL coach.

Essendon Football Club managing director Peter Jackson this afternoon told a media conference of the club's decision not to reappoint the veteran coach at the end of the 2007 season.

Simon Madden, who played under Sheedy in the 1980s and early 1990s described Sheedy as an icon.

"He's an icon of the sport, he's an icon of the Essendon Football Club, he's an icon of AFL football. He's been part of the face of the Essendon Football Club, marketing it and producing the national team we have now. I think he'll go down as one of the greats."

'Sign of the times'

Madden defended the club's move, saying it was a sign of the times.

"Love it or hate it, the fact is it's a multi-million dollar business and people have to make hard decisions. Never get too romantic about football," Madden said.

Madden predicted that Sheedy would remain involved in the game.

"I just think he's a bloke whose future strength is going to be in the development of football, both locally, nationally and internationally and I would love to see him a position where he's able to influence the decision-makers of the AFL to take it to the world."

Madden nominated the back-to-back 1984/85 premierships as a highlight of Sheedy's reign as coach, and suggested the veteran might continue coaching elsewhere.

Sheedy 'loved the game'

Recruiter Noel Judkins spent 16 years working alongside Sheedy at Essendon and praised the coach's recruiting instincts.

"He was always on the lookout for the next good player, he was always coming up with different ideas. We tried a couple of players that didn't succeed. It's like selling insurance; the more you try, the quicker you get to making a sale."

Judkins worked with Sheedy at Richmond, and was wooed to the Bombers by Sheedy in his first year at the club.

He praised Sheedy's ability to reinvent himself and said the club's 1993 premiership was due to Sheedy's rejuvenation of the club after they finished second three years earlier.

Judkins said Sheedy had the common touch. "Sheedy loved the game, loved being involved, loved people. I can remember walking through the car park at Footy Park (in Adelaide) and he'd stop and talk to people and ask them who the good players were.

"It's just been a fantastic coaching career, I wouldn't say he's dead in the water yet, he might get a job somewhere else," Judkins said.

Sacking 'a part of life'

Former coach Alan Jeans said that sacking was a part of life for coaches.

"There's only two types of coaches. You're either a sacked coach or you're going to get sacked. That's a part of the deal, being a coach you've got to know these things."

He praised Sheedy's longevity in the notoriously fickle world of coaching.

"He's done remarkably well. Any coach that can survive 27 years has done a remarkable job," said Jeans.

Ken Fletcher, a former player and director of the club, said one of Sheedy's greatest qualities as a coach was his willingness to select young players in the side, including Fletcher's son Dustin who was 17 when he played in the Bombers' 1993 premiership.

Fletcher also praised Sheedy's ability to handle stress.

"I was listening in the rooms that time against Adelaide (in the 1993 preliminary final), when they were 40 points down. I've never heard a bloke so composed in a pressure situation and it just all worked for him, it was great."

Although he said as a director he had once voted against Sheedy as coach, he was disappointed the club did not wait until the end of the season before announcing its decision.

Asked whether Sheedy might coach elsewhere, Fletcher said: "I know Sheeds would like to. He doesn't have to prove anything now."