Former Broadbeach co-coach Damien Barker says there’s no bad blood with club despite Surfers switch

Respected coach Damien Barker insists there is no bad blood with Broadbeach United as he begins plotting their demise with Gold Coast Premier League rivals Surfers Paradise.

RESPECTED coach Damien Barker insists there is no bad blood with Broadbeach United as he begins plotting their demise with Gold Coast Premier League rivals Surfers Paradise.

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After two seasons as a player and eight as a coach, Barker left Broadbeach at the end of the 2019 campaign and weighed up numerous offers before deciding to take up a role at Lex Bell Oval.

While his official title is yet to be confirmed, the 42-year-old will work alongside head coach Alex Morrison as Surfers look to improve on runner-up finishes to Burleigh Heads for the premiership and grand final last season.

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The messy exit of Lee Vernon, with whom Barker had co-coached at Broadbeach since 2014, from the Dolphins in September had sparked talk the latter had also fallen out with club hierarchy.

However, Barker said he had already informed the club of his intention to leave prior to Vernon’s exit as he explored opportunities to further his career.

“I was at Broadbeach 10 years - eight years as a coach - and it probably just got to a stage where maybe there were too many cooks in the kitchen and it was time for us to do our own thing,” Barker said.

Respected coach Damien Barker has joined Surfers Paradise after 10 years at Broadbeach United.

“I was finishing off my (coaching) A Licence so the club and I spoke about doing a TD (technical director) role but nothing ever came of it. I made it known I wanted to do something like that and down the track coach in the QPL or NPL or something like that.

“I’ve still got a very strong relationship with the club and the board. I’ve got some really good friends still there and people trying to help rebuild the club and I wish them well.

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“There’s no dramas between me and (Lee), it’s all good. I was always under the impression I was going to do a TD role and he was going to continue coaching but then a bomb’s hit the club and everyone’s jumped ship.

“I was never going to be coaching at Broadbeach next year anyway and the club knew that. All the drama, I know very little about it.”

A “fresh start” at Surfers may now help re-energise Barker’s coaching career.

“I was offered various different coaching roles but the Surfers one appealed to me the most because they really want to push the club forward. I’m actually pretty excited about it,” he said.

“They’ve got good foundations there. I like what players they’ve got and I did honestly feel they were unlucky not to win the league (last year).

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“(Alex) is very attacking-minded and I’m very defensive-minded. Working together like that, I can bring things into the team and he can bring things into the team and we can work together like that.

“I’m really looking forward to playing everyone this year.”