AJAX look for successor of ‘very good’ coach

A three-time VAFA Coach of the Year will finish his tenure as coach at AJAX after steering the club to promotion in his first season.

AJAX have parted ways with coach Adam Andrews on “good terms” after spending four seasons at the club he steered to promotion in his first season.

Andrews, a three-time VAFA Coach of the Year began with AJAX in season 2019 where he took the club from Premier C’s to B’s.

Club president Ronny Lewis said the decision was well received from both parties.

“We leave on great terms, it‘s really good,” Lewis said.

“Adam was very good, took us from C grade to B grade in his first year.”

Lewis said Andrews was looking forward to spending more time with his family without the coaching commitments.

Adam Andrews speaking to his side during their 23-point loss to minor premiers University Blacks in round 14. Picture: Stuart Milligan

AJAX were in the top four halfway through the season before they lost their last five games.

Lewis, who has been president at AJAX for nine years said the club was searching for a new coach who could build their younger players.

“We are looking for a very strong development coach, we have quite a young team,” he said.

“Someone that has experience with a young group that can develop them and keep us competitive in B grade.”

Lewis, who works at a recruitment company said the bulk of the candidates for the coaching position would likely come through the club’s network of people.

He hopes the next coach can take the club to Premier B finals, something that hasn’t been achieved in 40 years.

“Our goal is to try and play finals in B grade,” he said.

“I think if we played a B-grade final, I think that would be a really good effort.

“It’s a very hard competition to win because you have the strong A-grade clubs that come down but if we can make a B-grade final and have an impact there, that would be a really good short term goal.”

The club has been in the B-grade competition in 10 of the last 11 seasons.