MARK Williams last night put up his hand to replace Matthew Knights as coach of Essendon.
Hours after Knights was sacked, the Port Adelaide premiership coach declared the job an exciting option.
"Essendon is a sleeping giant as far as I can see," Williams said.
"It's a very exciting club - an opportunity to be there would be terrific."
As Williams emerged as a favourite to win the job, Essendon was counting the financial cost of cutting Knights with two years left on his contract.
Knights will receive a golden handshake worth as much as $1.1 million.
It is understood he was to be paid $550,000 in each of the next two seasons.
Industry speculation in recent months had Knights' salary at $400,000, but the payout will be much higher.
The Bombers yesterday moved quickly, sacking Knights just over 12 hours after the club lost its final game of the season against the Western Bulldogs.
Chairman David Evans said the board felt there had been a lack of progress over Knights' third year at the helm.
"It has become very clear to the club that we have not made the progress we needed to make this year and we needed a fresh start going into a new season," he said.
"This lack of progress is the basis of the board's decision."
Former Essendon champion James Hird last night ruled himself out of the running.
"Unless things dramatically in my life, it's just not going to happen," Hird said.
Williams quit Port Adelaide in July, however he is in no mood for a rest.
Asked whether he needed a year off to recharge his batteries, Williams replied "Oh, no. I have the passion and energy to coach at senior level. I believe I am good at developing young players."
Williams, 52, said a change of scenery would be enough to refresh him.
"The fact is, a new club and new challenges is the refreshing thing for me," he said.
Of his time at Port, Williams said: "Fourteen years is a long time, longer than Mick (Malthouse) at Collingwood."
Williams, an assistant to Kevin Sheedy at Windy Hill in the mid-1990s, still has strong ties with the Bombers.
"Some of the great times of my footy coaching were there. I'm friends with recruiting people, doctors and past players," Williams said.
The Bombers made a play for Williams at the end of 2007.
It is believed they threw a deal worth $5 million over five years at the Power's 2004 premiership coach.
Williams met Knights and Essendon football manager Paul Hamilton at Windy Hill a fortnight ago.
He described it as a "brief chat" to find out if he was keen to become involved.
"I indicated I was interested," Williams said.
The Bombers want to have the new coach in place by the start of October in time for the trade week.
While acknowledging the backlash from members and sponsors had been strong, Evans denied there had been a threat of a board spill if Knights wasn't sacked.
"It is fair to say we got a lot of feedback from our members over the course of the second half of the year," he said.
"We are a member-based club . . . but at the same time this decision wasn't made because of the feedback that we had from members.
"It was made as a totality of a view across the whole club."
http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/mark-williams-im-ready-for-bombers/story-e6frg1wu-1225911701827
