It's no secret that the Bombers have been abysmal this season.

They've been consistently underwhelming for the best part of 15 years, and it's hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel.

With John Worsfold all but out the door, it's up to assistant coach Ben Rutten to clean up the mess left behind.

So how will the ex-Crow steady the ship? Here are five things that Ben Rutten has to do to begin the long rebuild.

2. Create a winning culture

The morale around the Essendon Football Club is at rock bottom.

With two back-to-back floggings at the hands of Geelong and Port Adelaide, there seems no end in sight for the heartache of Bombers fans.

But with a new coach means there is ample opportunity for optimism, and more importantly, the potential for a backroom shuffling.

Caroline Wilson reported on Footy Classified in mid-August that Richmond Senior Club Advisor Neil Balme was attracting interest from other teams.

Wilson stated that Balme's role had "diminished" off the back of the Tigers' recent dominance, and he did not travel to the Queensland hub.

Many attribute the Tiger's resurrection in 2017 down to Balme and his input, and his track record at Geelong and Collingwood in similar roles supports this belief.

Essendon need to desperately change their philosophy, and if anyone in the business can turn around the mindset of a club, it is Neil Balme.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 07: Neil Balme, Football Manager of the Tigers speaks with media during the Telstra AFL Trade Period at Marvel Stadium on October 07, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)