Interim GWS coach Mark McVeigh is not willing to declare if he wants the Giants’ job full-time as the spectre of James Hird looms large.

McVeigh will coach his first AFL game on Sunday when the Giants host struggling West Coast.

The 41-year-old became the Giants’ third coach after Leon Cameron departed following last Sunday’s loss against Carlton.

McVeigh has bolstered his coaching stocks by bringing in former Essendon teammates Hird and Dean Solomon to part-time assistant roles.

Hird has been involved with the Giants since the start of the year as a leadership advisor but is now back into an official coaching position for the first time since his tumultuous exit from the Bombers in 2015.

The Hall of Famer’s name has been raised as a contender to be the Giants’ next full-time coach.

Essendon coaching legend Kevin Sheedy, who was GWS’ first coach in 2012, believes Hird deserves another chances at leading an AFL club.

But McVeigh is not concentrating on his own long-term coaching ambitions or Hird’s prospects.

“I love coaching and the opportunity that’s been presented to me is amazing. I’m very fortunate,” he said.

“My job right now is to stabilise everyone in the football department and make sure that we’re building in the right direction.

“Whatever happens at the end of the year, we’ve got to be in a position where we finish off really well. 

“(Hird) just said ‘I’d love to help you in any way I possibly can’ and would like to step up.

“I think he’s had a lot of self reflection and he’s gone away and done some pretty amazing things (since leaving Essendon). 

“He’s exposed our leadership group to mindset situations which they’ve taken on board.

“It’s not a broken club, I’m taking over a club that’s got fundamentally some really good stuff going on. 

“I’ve just tried to do it my way, put a new spin on it, improve a couple of things, make things a little bit better.”