Ross Lyon is the coach Essendon needs right now, according to David King.
The Bombers are on the market for a new senior coach after Ben Rutten was relieved of his duties with a year to run on his contract.
Essendon under Rutten struggled defensively this season and were regularly exposed in transition.
King says the Bombers need Lyon “more than any other person” right now.
The North Melbourne champion was asked if the former St Kilda and Fremantle coach would be a good fit at Essendon.
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“100 per cent - he’s a top liner, he’s a star,” King said on SEN Breakfast.
“Everyone says he hasn’t won a flag, how many Grand Finals do you need to go to to endorse your CV?
“He’s challenged players to get the best out of themselves, he sets really hard standards that he then hands onto the leadership group to maintain.
“He basically allows the leaders to lead and then puts this game plan, sure, it’s defensive, it always has been, but when St Kilda had the capabilities to be a high scoring team, if you look at those teams of 2008, 2009, 2010, they were scoring heavily right throughout those seasons.
“I think one of those years they were averaging 100 points right up until the last fortnight of the home and away season. He can score, if he wants to set the game up to score, he will do that.
“I don’t understand the negativity around Ross, and I think Essendon needs Ross right now more than any other person.”
Lyon coached the Saints to three Grand Finals (2009 and two in 2010) and guided the Dockers to a maiden Grand Final appearance in 2013.
Kane Cornes raised some potential candidates to fill the Essendon coaching vacancy.
New Bombers president David Barham says the club would like an experienced coach to replace Rutten for 2023.
“I would love to see Ross get the job, I’d have no issue with that,” Cornes said.
“I’m trying to think of other names that are viable for the Bombers at the moment.
“There would be the Leon Cameron types. Could you convince Nathan Buckley, even though he’s said repeatedly he doesn’t want to coach? Justin Leppitsch would be a person that I’d absolutely have a chat to. He’s been there and done that and you could argue that he’s an experienced coach.”
King remains bullish on Essendon’s list despite them winning just seven games in 2022.
“I think they’ve got a very good list,” he said.
“I think this list is capable of at least winning 13 to 14 games.”