Eastern league 2021: Montrose parts ways with coach Peter Bastinac

Eastern league Division 1 club Montrose has parted ways with senior coach Peter Bastinac after four years. LATEST HERE.

Peter Bastinac’s time as Montrose coach will come to an end at the conclusion of this season. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Montrose will soon begin its search for a new senior coach after parting ways with mentor Peter Bastinac.

The Eastern league Division 1 club announced on Friday morning that Bastinac had not been reappointed for 2022, but confirmed he would coach out the remainder of the 2021 campaign.

Bastinac has led the Demons since 2018 when the club competed in the league’s top division. He previously served as Rowville coach from 2014-17, after a stint as assistant at the Dandenong Stingrays and as senior coach at Mornington Peninsula club, Pearcedale.

Montrose posted a 5-13 win-loss result in Bastinac’s first season at the helm after inheriting a group that had won just three matches in 2017.

But the club was relegated to the league’s second tier at the end of 2019 after finishing on the bottom of the Premier Division ladder with a 1-17 record.

Montrose captain Brendan Gardoll in action. Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

The Demons currently remain in the hunt for the Division 1 finals with a 6-5 record – Bastinac’s best win-loss ratio at the club yet.

Montrose president Damian White said while it had been a tough decision not to reappoint Bastinac, it was a call made in the long-term interests of the club. He confirmed Bastinac had wanted to continue on as Montrose coach in 2022.

“It’s always a tough call, especially with someone like Peter who’s done a really good job … it’s just time for freshen up in the club, that’s all,” White said.

“The decision wasn’t based on results at all – there’s still the potential that we play finals and I think we’ve got a group that could potentially take it all the way, and there’s no reason why Pete can’t coach that.

“It was a decision that we made as a club from an overall perspective … one of the reasons for needing a fresh approach is based on having a tough couple of years (through COVID) and we need to get some excitement back to the club.

“As a club we’re looking forward four or five years and overall, it was the right thing for the club.”

White paid tribute to Bastinac’s tenure but said no potential candidates for the role had been approached yet for 2022.

“He’s done a magnificent job at our club, especially from where we were,” White said.

“When he came along four years ago, we needed some solidarity and he was able to bring that, and stability, he’s done a fantastic job.

“We haven’t spoken to any potential coaches yet, out of respect to Pete – we wanted to go about this the right way.”