EFL 2022: Forest Hill coach Justin Scicluna backflips on decision to step down

The Zebras’ coach had called time on his stint at the EFL Division 4 club – but a stunning backflip has him locked in for next year. Here’s what happened.

Forest Hill’s Justin Scicluna was out.

The Eastern league Division 4 coach was set to step down from his post of four years at the end of the season – but a subsequent meeting with the club has convinced him to continue.

Scicluna, who has led the club since 2019, believed the “timing was right” to “take a step back” from a coaching career spanning 18 years across juniors and seniors.

A change of heart followed with the backing of the Zebras’ committee.

Scicluna and the club agreed he was the right man to lead the club again after the decision to step away. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“I’ve had a chat with the club a couple of weeks ago and just sort of thought my time wasn’t done yet,” Scicluna said.

“I’ve really only had this group for a year-and-a-half if you include the half a year we had last year.

“The club was keen for me to stick around and go again, and I sat down with them and said if they believe I was the right person to keep taking the club forward I’d be more than happy to continue on.

“We both agreed that was the right decision for the club going forward.”

Reassurance from club president Shane Rudd sealed the deal after the playing-coach cast doubt over his capacity to continue.

The extension will only be “for next year at this stage” but “won’t be in a full-time playing capacity”.

“When I made my decision previously it was more around that I thought the results weren’t looking good and I’d let a few people at the club down,” Scicluna said.

“Our president Shane reassured me that wasn’t the case and I had the backing of the committee and the playing group and I’m looking forward to another chapter in the coaching career moving forward.”

Finals remain a chance for Forest Hill as it sits a game and 10 per cent behind Kilsyth (fourth) in fifth spot ahead of the last round this weekend.

The Zebras face a winless Nunawading on Saturday and would need to bank a percentage-boosting victory – as well as have Croydon North-MLOC (sixth) defeat Kilsyth – for finals to eventuate.

Forest Hill has a 6-9 record and a percentage of 84.42, while Kilsyth sits 7-8 at 94.78.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what the results are at 5pm on Saturday – where there’s hope we’ll try and hold onto it as much as we can,” Scicluna said.

“We can only control what we do on Saturday, we can’t control what happens at Croydon North so we’ll come out and do what we can hopefully do.”