Outgoing Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy has met with Melbourne as speculation intensifies about his AFL future.

The hour-long discussion came only a few hours after the media had camped outside the Hilton Hotel, believing he was meeting with the Demons there.

But Sheedy said the earlier meeting was with publishers over an upcoming book.

The coaching legend told the Sportal website that the chat with Melbourne chief executive Steve Harris and Demons football manager Chris Fagan was only "a chat about footy".

"They didn't offer me the job, we just had a discussion about Melbourne and where they are at - those sorts of things," Sheedy said.

"I just wanted to have a discussion rather than talking about the coaching job."

Sheedy was among around 10 potential candidates that the Demons spoke to on Thursday and Wednesday as they enter the next phase of choosing a new coach.

Sheedy and the Demons will probably meet again this month.

Wright said he and Fagan spoke to Sheedy about their expectations of the new coach and how they will go about choosing him.

The Demons chief executive added he was among a number of possible candidates whose teams were in finals contention.

Sheedy doubts he would secure a new senior coaching job before the end of the season, but was confident it would not distract the Bombers.

"The players trust me, they will know I'm very serious about trying to win every match," he said.

"They know where I'm coming from and that's just an awkward situation.

"But I will just go and have a chat with one or two clubs, personally, and the rest will be left up to Brian Ward, my solicitor."

The Bombers told Sheedy a week ago they would not renew his contract at the end of this year, ending his outstanding 27-year tenure at Windy Hill.

Melbourne are among at least four clubs in the coaching market.

"I will coach, if I think everything is right to coach - but if it's not, I will take a year off and go and do some study around the world," Sheedy said.

Also on Thursday, Sheedy's former player and assistant coach Mark Harvey said he had not been consulted about the possibility of the duo forming a combination at Fremantle.

Harvey became the Dockers' caretaker coach after Chris Connolly left last month and he is one of the frontrunners to have the job full-time beyond this season.

Reports suggested Sheedy would meet with Dockers officials next week.

Harvey thinks Sheedy will secure a senior role next year.

"I know he will, he will bob up somewhere," Harvey said.

"Of course he will. Knowing the knowledge and what he brings to football, and how hard he works.

"I am very close to him ... but I have not even spoken to the football club about where they are heading in that direction, or whether they are heading in that direction.

"They have obviously brought it up, but I am not sure how close they are to pursuing it. They haven't spoken to me about it."

Dockers hierarchy reportedly intend to fly to Melbourne next week for talks with Sheedy about a coaching partnership with Harvey next season.

Harvey, who intriguingly will come up against Sheedy when the Bombers take on Fremantle in Perth next week, said Sheedy's position could change with positive results.

"What happens if Essendon win the next five games of football?," Harvey said

"All of sudden they are looking at a top four position - so there are a lot of things to consider asking these questions right now.

"By the way they probably won't win, and hopefully won't win five."

And when asked whether he had made contact with any other clubs, Harvey was swift and sure in his answer.

"How would that look from a playing group point of view if I did that," Harvey said.

"Me, being the person I am and the loyal person I am and committed to where I am, I don't do that.

"If blokes want to put their hands up for jobs and they are at other clubs then that's their problem."

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