New Essendon president David Barham has admitted mistakes were made as the Bombers left embattled coach Ben Rutten in the dark during their botched pursuit of Alastair Clarkson.
The Bombers this week audaciously attempted to lure Clarkson, the four-time Hawthorn premiership coach, as Rutten's position hung in the balance.
However, North Melbourne announced on Friday morning that it had landed Clarkson's signature on a five-year contract.
Rutten is contracted for the next season but his position now appears untenable after a week of chaos at the Bombers.
The 39-year-old's future will be decided after the Bombers' final regular-season match against Richmond on Saturday night.
Barham — who replaced Paul Brasher as Bombers president on Monday — described the situation as "really horrible".
"I should have called [Rutten on] Monday, and I apologise for that," Barham told reporters in Melbourne.
"I called him Tuesday, went and saw him at his house on Wednesday. I got that wrong.
"Players are disappointed they weren't more consulted and, again, I have to live with that."
Barham would not be drawn on speculation that Bombers hierarchy are floating the idea of James Hird returning as coach, seven years after the Bombers great left amid the fallout of Essendon's supplements saga.
Rutten addressed a media conference this afternoon, conceding he had experienced "a more challenging week than normal".
He said his desire to coach the Bombers against the Tigers had not wavered.
"I made a commitment to the football club, the members, supporters and my players to coach them as hard and as well as I can and I'm not going to let them down now," Rutten said.
"Now is the time where they need strong leadership, strong direction and I need to provide that for them."
Rutten said he understood his future at the Bombers was set to be decided following the match against the Tigers.
"I'm the coach of this footy club and I made a commitment … and I'm going to continue to do that until someone tells me otherwise," he said.
Clarkson – speaking at a North Melbourne media conference – said he felt sympathy for Rutten.
"It really disappoints me with what has unfolded with 'Truck' (Rutten) out at the Bombers," he said.
"He's a good man, a good football person, and I hope somehow that can be resurrected as a result of the decision today."
Rutten's manager, Adam Ramanauskas, had earlier hit out at the treatment of the Bombers coach.
Ramanauskas — who played in Essendon's last premiership back in 2000 — said he was staggered by how his former club has handled the situation.
He labelled the treatment of Rutten "poor" and "really disappointing".
Ramanauskas claimed the Bombers had failed to inform Rutten of their intentions.
"It's fair to say Monday and half of Tuesday were pretty difficult days because no one was telling [Rutten] what was going on," Ramanauskas told RSN radio.
"He was reading on Monday he was sacked, and there was nobody who was telling him otherwise."
AAP/ABC
