EDFL 2021: Airport West searching for replacement for Jimmy House
Airport West’s coaching vacancy is attracting no shortage of interest as the club looks to return to the Essendon District Football League’s top flight.
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Airport West will not rush a decision on a new coach and is confident Jimmy House’s exit from the top job will not impact its bid to keep its senior squad together.
House secured a line coaching position at VFL club Sandringham earlier this month, vacating the position without leading the Essendon District Football League Division 1 club in an official match after the 2020 season was canned.
Airport West football operations manager Julian Zoccali said the job had attracted “quite a bit of interest”.
“We want the best (coach) available,” Zoccali said.
“We can make a quick decision or we can make the right decision. We’re happy to wait for the right person.
“Hopefully that will be quick, but we’re prepared to wait.”
Zoccali said the Eagles were content to focus on securing their next mentor before searching for potential recruits.
He said the club had the ability to “bring in a couple” of players despite cuts to the salary cap and expected to retain its existing players for next season.
“We’ve got the luxury that our playing group is a pretty tight group,” Zoccali said.
“Although we’re disappointed Jimmy’s moved on from an Airport West point of view, we wish him the best.
“Our playing group is pretty much intact going into 2021.”
Star goalkicker Dean Limbach (Diamond Creek), ex-Gold Coast rookie Zak Saad (Mallee Eagles), Liam Forbes (Pascoe Vale), Adam Meiorin (Oak Park) and Patrick Balta (soccer) joined the Eagles for the 2020 season.
Pascoe Vale football operations manager Justin Cannon said last month that Forbes and Corey Le Favi would be at the Panthers in 2021.
There had been speculation Limbach, who is friends with House, would depart but Zoccali said he expected the experienced forward to stay put.
“He hasn’t confirmed to us that he’s moving on,” he said.
“We expect him to be a part of the footy club next year.”
Premiership player and joint 2019 Calder Cannons best-and-fairest winner Ned Gentile has returned in a boost after he was set to take the field for Essendon Doutta Stars this year.
Zoccali said Airport West was in a strong position for what is set to be hotly-contested competition next season, with East Keilor, Tullamarine and Westmeadows all boasting strong lists.
The Eagles were relegated from Premier Division last year and are keen to re-join the EDFL’s elite.
“The playing group has still got that (feeling of) sour grapes about being relegated from Premier,” Zoccali said.
“We want to play finals footy and win our spot back up, but there’s a lot of hard work to do before that happens.
“(Division 1) is one of the best competitions in local footy. The players, the coaches are getting better and the whole league’s getting better.
“We need to do that as well if we want to become a serious football club.”
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