West Coast CEO Pyke urged to make his coaching intentions clear

Where does the West Coast coaching race sit right now?

Dean Cox, Jaymie Graham and Ash Hansen have all withdrawn from the race, while the likes of Nathan Buckley and Josh Carr have made themselves unavailable.

Currently in the role is caretaker coach Jarrad Schofield who has strung together back-to-back victories over Gold Coast and North Melbourne.

While it appears as though Schofield is in the box seat for the gig, SEN WA’s Tim Gossage wants to know if Eagles CEO Don Pyke has any interest in returning to the coaching caper.

The two-time Eagles premiership player, who is the former Adelaide senior coach and Sydney assistant, has been the club’s chief executive since the start of 2024.

His name has been floated for the Eagles job, but does he want it?

That’s what Gossage is keen to find out, urging Pyke to come out and state his intentions if, of course, he does again harbour coaching ambitions.

“The (West Coast) coaching race has lost another one,” Gossage said on SEN WA Breakfast.

“Those three candidates said, ‘We’re not interested, we’re happy where we are’.

“I demanded that Cox come out to put a settle on that. I’m asking the same for Don Pyke.

“Don Pyke needs to say, ‘stop the chatter, I am not in the running’.”

It prompted a back and forth between he and co-host Scott Cummings as to who the best person for the Eagles job is.

Cummings: “I don’t think he can be bothered saying that.”

Gossage: “I don’t think he wants to say it.”

Cummings: “Are you saying to me, deep down, that Don Pyke thinks he should be coaching West Coast?”

Gossage: “No, I do not think he thinks he should, but I know he has the capabilities.”

Cummings: “Are you saying that Don Pyke would be the best fit for the Eagles right now as coach?”

Gossage: “Yes, I am.”

Cummings: “Are you saying that there’s any way, shape or form that this unprecedented move could take place?”

Gossage: “Until he says he is 100 per cent unequivocally not in the race, then yes.”

Cummings: “I hope he’s listening because he’d be going, ‘oh god, do I really have to?’”

Gossage: “Yeah, he does.”

Cummings: “Right now if you had a choice between Jarrad Schofield and Don Pyke, who would you appoint?”

Gossage: “Who I want and who I think are two different things.

“I think Pyke is the best man for the job.”

Cummings: “So do I.”

Gossage: “Please take this for what it’s worth, I’m not convinced that Don Pyke is a great CEO just yet.

“Everyone tells me he’s a great businessman. 20 years ago he might have been, he’s been doing footy ever since.”

Cummings: “If ‘Pykey’ was still assistant coach at Sydney he’d be the number one person for the job.”

Despite what Gossage feels, he does believe that if Schofield finishes the season strongly then he could be the man to take over on a full-time basis.

The Eagles face a depleted Carlton side in Perth on Sunday and a win there would make it three in a row and perhaps hand the Port Adelaide premiership player the job.

“If Schofield wins a third game in a row then his chances are almost unbeatable,” Gossage said further.

“But if they lose in a pretty average display - and it won’t happen so we’re looking at possibles and probables - so we are banking the four points (for the Eagles).

“If you’re an Eagles fan and you’ve won six games this year, you’re damn happy.

“If they win the Carlton game then Schofield may as well move into the office.

“But Don Pyke needs to step up now and say, ‘can we stop the chatter about me being the coach’.”