Former Adelaide Comets NPL SA coach Theo Tsiounis unveiled as new Para Hills mentor
Unearthing new talent while challenging for trophies is Theo Tsiounis’ goal, as he returns to top flight soccer coaching six months after leaving Adelaide Comets.
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The potential to unearth new talent and challenge for silverware has lured Theo Tsiounis back to senior coaching at Para Hills.
Tsiounis was unveiled as the Knights’ mentor on Monday night, replacing the departed Barney Smith at the helm of the National Premier Leagues SA club.
The appointment came just six months after Tsiounis resigned as boss of fellow top-flight outfit Adelaide Comets, citing burnout as he juggled soccer and work commitments. But the 36-year-old, who is also assistant principal at Roma Mitchell Secondary College, said he was primed to lead the northern club into a new era.
“It was good to have a bit of a break,” Tsiounis said.
“I managed to spend a bit of time with my family and enjoyed the first few months off.
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“But I really missed managing my own team and being in control of a senior set-up.
“The Para Hills people are fantastic and they’re really serious about moving the club forward.
“Working with like-minded people is the key for me and Para Hills is that kind of place.
“The vision is long-term and I’m happy to be back involved.”
Tsiounis became the youngest top-tier coach in the state when he took over at Comets in 2015. He won the FFA Cup SA – the club’s first major honour – last year, but stepped down in March before working as an assistant with Adelaide United’s title-winning NPL reserves.
Tsiounis said he was better placed to handle the demands of the Para Hills role, given he had been in his work position for a year and the club was located just 4km from the school.
The ex-Western Strikers, Adelaide Cobras and Comets midfielder was committed to maintaining the Knights’ youth development success.
Socceroos Ryan and Dylan McGowan, Michael Marrone and Daniel Mullen were among the club’s star products.
“We want to be in positions where we can try to challenge for things (trophies),” said Tsiounis of Para Hills, which finished ninth this past season.
“The initial goal is trying to finish in the top six, but the thing that excites me is the young boys coming through the ranks.
“The club has a strong reputation for developing players and it’s credit to the people involved that they’ve done that better than anyone else. We want to build a squad that can fast-track these players.”