Essendon are committed to putting "hurtful" criticism behind them to concentrate on getting back on the winners list against West Coast on Saturday night.

Assistant coach Gary O'Donnell says barbs aimed at the struggling side from former club figures sting but won't change their approach.

Long-time former coach Kevin Sheedy claims the club is no better now than when he left Windy Hill at the end of 2007.

O'Donnell said the club was committed to continuing on the same developmental path but admitted the criticism hurt.

"It does because you've been involved with the club for so long but we can't worry about that, we've just got to worry about doing all the hard work and all the things we can do to turn it around," O'Donnell said ahead of the clash with the bottom-placed Eagles at Etihad Stadium.

"Those people can have their opinions, it won't change the way we go about things and the way that we think is going to head us towards having our next period of success."

He praised senior coach Matthew Knights, who has borne most of the pressure as the Bombers ran up a five-match losing streak and has been forced to deny talk of unrest among the players.

"I think he's handled it very well, very professionally and very factually," O'Donnell said.

"Our main focus now is to get over this week and to concentrate on having a win against West Coast."

He said Essendon were not surprised by the remarks by outsiders.

"They all come pretty hard and if it's not us it's someone else," said O'Donnell.

"Sheeds had it when he was here. We're a big club and over the years we've been a successful club so a lot of people around are probably pretty happy about what's going on.

"But we just have to get back on the job, continue our development of our players and get back on the winners list more importantly this week.

"We're all under the pump at all 16 clubs - and you take the criticism when you're not scoring the four points each week."

Meanwhile, 35-year-old defender Dustin Fletcher is set to play on for another season after showing continuing good form.

"It's year by year at his age but there's a 20-year reunion of a premiership he played in in a couple of years - that would be freaky if he was still around," O'Donnell said.

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