Former Port and Carlton star Nick Stevens to coach Glenelg for next two years
FORMER Port Adelaide and Carlton midfielder Nick Stevens will coach Glenelg for the next two seasons.
FORMER Port Adelaide and Carlton midfielder Nick Stevens will coach Glenelg for the next two seasons.
Stevens, who played 231 AFL games between 1998 and 2009, was appointed on Friday after impressing the Bays' board with his communication skills and his understanding of the modern game.
He will take up the position next month and comes to Brighton Rd after coaching TAC Cup side Gippsland Power to an elimination final last season.
"The way he presented was exceptional,'' Glenelg president Nick Chigwidden said.
"He was very clear on what his football philosophies are and how he feels he can build a program to make things happen …
"It's a fair jump coming from TAC Cup to SANFL but the set up at Gippsland was a bit different.
"Being a regional area, Nick had to manage five satellite teams and bring them together to play as one side.
"He had a staff of about 40 people that he had to manage.
"He's also previously owned his own landscaping business where he employed about 15 landscapers.
"To us he's got really strong people and managerial skills as well as a really strong football background."
Stevens inherits a Glenelg side which won the wooden-spoon after losing 14 of its last 15 games in 2013 under Kris Massie.
Chigwidden said Stevens' challenge was to quickly rebuild the side, and adapt the Bays' game plan to cope with the modern trends that were led by out going back-to-back Norwood premiership coach Nathan Bassett.
Stevens famously missed out on Port Adelaide's 2004 premiership after moving back to Melbourne to play for Carlton, citing homesickness.
Chigwidden said the club has no reservations about his commitment to moving back to Adelaide.
"We certainly don't have any issues there,'' Chigwidden said.
"That was a fair while ago, and without putting words in Nick's mouth, I think he learnt a lot from that move…
"We don't have any reservations there. He's committed to a two-year contract at Glenelg."
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