EFL: Knox hunts new senior coach following shock split
‘A bit of a kick in the guts’: First-year mentor Wayne Van Der Ross’ surprise after EFL Division 2 club Knox opens up coaching role. Here’s how the split unfolded...
Local Footy
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Eastern Division 2 club Knox is on the hunt for a new senior coach following the shock split with first-year mentor Wayne Van Der Ross.
Van Der Ross was appointed to the gig in October last year and described the pairing at the time as a “match made in heaven” and a “dream come true”, after playing his junior and senior football at the club.
But he didn’t get the opportunity to coach the Falcons on match-day due to the coronavirus crisis-forced season shutdown this year.
Knox president Scott Woodward said the club had a duty to “explore its options” for 2021, and Van Der Ross was welcome to re-apply but “chose not to” upon being told his position would be advertised.
“We just did a review at the end of the year as we would normally do anyway,” Woodward said.
“We’ve heard different rumours about different people and coaches not having jobs in the AFL and VFL, potentially opening up and different people falling down to different levels.
“As part of that and the review, we basically said that well we want to open it up and do some targeting.
“It definitely wasn’t a sacking — he was welcome to (re-apply) and he chose not to.”
While Van Der Ross acknowledged the club’s position, he felt his efforts warranted another contract for next season.
“It was out of the blue, I really did not expect it … it was a bit of a kick in the guts,” Van Der Ross said.
“I only signed a one-year contract and I understand that under their constitution they have to re-open it, but I just thought I’ve done all the pre-season, done all the work and thought I should be alright.
“While being disappointed, it’s football and I’ve got to move on.”
Van Der Ross said his biggest regret was not being able to coach the Falcons on match-day.
“I didn’t get the opportunity to coach, a practice match against an opposition, and all that to showcase what my skills were, my knowledge, my game-plan and all that,” he said.
“That’s why I felt that I didn’t want to re-apply — I felt that I deserved an opportunity, simple as that.”
Woodward said the club had made every effort to be “as open and honest as we possibly could”.
“We had that conversation with Wayne, there’s nothing wrong with Wayne at all, he’s a good bloke and everything like that … we’ve got to try and put the club in the best possible position moving forward.
“I couldn’t wish him anything but the best in the future with whatever he wants to do.”
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