Bombers assistant coach Mark Harvey will remain with the Essendon Football Club after today withdrawing from the race for coaching positions in Perth. Senior coaches are still to be appointed at Fremantle and West Coast and Harvey's name had been linked with both jobs. Harvey said family reasons had been a major factor in making the decision. ""I have a young family and to ask them to move would have been difficult,"" Harvey said. ""I still have ambitions to be a senior coach but the timing isn't right just at the moment."" Harvey said he also felt the club had some unfinished business to complete after losing the 2001 Grand Final and that he wanted to be a part of the 2002 premiership push.

Essendon chief executive Peter Jackson was naturally thrilled that Harvey has decided to remain at Windy Hill. ""I have no doubt that one day Mark Harvey will make a very good senior coach and when that time comes we certainly won't stand in his way,"" Jackson said. ""But that said, we are really pleased he will be remaining at Essendon Football Club. He is a high-quality coach who is greatly respected by the players.""

Harvey's announcement comes at a good time for the Bombers with trade week having an unsettling effect on the club. Harvey's decision to remain with the Bombers will have a stabilising effect in what has been a very difficult week. At just 36 years of age, Harvey still has plenty of time to move into a senior coaching role.