FitzGerald, who will lead North Ballarat into battle with Ayres’ Port Melbourne on Sunday, said Ayres had a strong coaching record in both tiers and a strong core philosophy to step back up to the helm of an AFL club.

Ayres’ name has been bandied about in the media as a potential replacement for the embattled Mark Neeld at Melbourne — whether it be this season or next — to offer experience at the struggling club.

FitzGerald, a triple VFL premiership coach, has coached against Ayres in VFL clashes, including the 2008 grand final. He has coached alongside Ayres as head coach for VFL interstate footy and, the past two years, as assistant to Ayres in the VFL’s interstate campaigns.

He made clear he hoped the Demons honoured their contract with Neeld and that his comments were not an endorsement of Ayres to become Melbourne coach. Rather, that Ayres has still got what it takes.

“I’ve worked closely with him and coached against him. Yes, he could,” FitzGerald said.

“Gary’s got a very strong way with teams in how he wants them to play.

“He’s done a mighty job with Port Melbourne, he was successful with Geelong and Adelaide in the AFL - he has a proven record and will continue to coach very well in the VFL.”

FitzGerald said the main issue with Ayres returning to AFL was that he was not directly involved with an AFL club.

Ayres has coached the stand-alone Port Melbourne since 2008, the year he took the Borough to a grand final against the Roosters.

His VFL coaching record includes the 2011 premiership in an undefeated season and last year’s VFL grand final loss to Geelong.

Ayres, who took Geelong to the 1995 AFL grand final, last worked in the AFL at Essendon as an assistant to Kevin Sheedy in 2007.

FitzGerald said there was no reason to suggest that Ayres had not stayed in touch with the game at its top level. 

But FitzGerald doubted the on-field problems at Melbourne could be fixed with just an experienced coach.

“It goes deeper than that. The club needs to be looked at from the top, down,” he said.

“Melbourne needs to go back, look at its systems and make an extensive review of the entire operations of the club, not purely the coaching staff.

“It was an exhaustive process that led to appointing Mark Neeld. If the club doesn’t like it now, it should ask why rather than make a knee-jerk reaction.”

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au