Essendon chairman Lindsay Tanner is confident James Hird will return to the AFL club sooner than later.
Tanner also wants better relations between Hird and the AFL after the club's supplements debacle, but says that cannot be forced.
Hird has had no official involved in Essendon or the AFL since resigning two years ago as Bombers coach.
The 2000 premiership captain and 1996 Brownlow Medallist is one of the greatest players in the Bombers' history.
But he was also a key figure in the supplements debacle and the AFL suspended Hird for 12 months.
He returned from the suspension to coach again, but resigned in August 2015.
"I'm very confident we'll see James back in the fold in some form sooner rather than later," Tanner told ABC radio.
Hird attended an Essendon coterie function two months ago in Hobart.
The AFL has also invited him to present the Norm Smith Medal at this year's grand final and Hird has indicated he will accept the offer.
"He's obviously welcome at any time and there's still enormous emotional warmth for James right throughout the club," Tanner said.
"But he's had his own issues to deal with obviously and we don't want to intrude on that or put undue pressure on him.
"So that's an evolving story, but I'm very confident, as time passes, that you'll see those sort of difficulties fade away."
Tanner said he had told the AFL soon after becoming chairman that he was keen to help foster better relations between Hird and the league.
The supplements saga left deep-seated grudges between several parties, no more so than Hird and several key AFL officials.
"These things, you have to allow a bit of time," Tanner said.
"There's a healing process that has to be allowed to occur naturally.
"The last thing I'm sure James wants and certainly I don't want is some sort of fake Hollywood ... razzle-dazzle media circus exercise.
"These things need to be dealt with in a low-key and careful way."
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