EFL 2022: Wantirna South coach Steve Cochrane to step down

The EFL Division 1 club will begin its hunt for its next coach following mentor Steve Cochrane’s call to step down. Latest here.

Wantirna South has become the latest club to join the hunt for a coach following its mentor of four years stepping down.

Steve Cochrane last night advised the playing group of his decision to cease his tenure at the Eastern league Division 1 outfit at season’s end.

The former Vermont and Blackburn coach landed the role in October 2018 and could be on track to lead the club into its first finals campaign since 2016. The Devils currently sit in fifth spot with a 9-8 record with one match remaining.

Steve Cochrane will step down at season’s end. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Cochrane cited family reasons for his decision.

“It’s four years, a pretty big stint at local level. If you had told me that four years ago, I’d have said no chance,” Cochrane said.

“It is a little bit disappointing because the club’s going in the right direction and all the needles are pointing the right way.

“I’ve got a young bloke who’s 16-17, and pretty keen on his footy, so I want to go and start watching him a bit more ... he’s playing footy on Saturdays so I haven’t had a chance to watch him this year.

“I want to support him as much as I can.”

A win this weekend would secure the Devils a finals berth and Cochrane is keen to “finish off on a high note”.

“Hopefully we can beat (second-placed) Mooroolbark on the weekend and secure that last spot in the five,” he said.

“For the next person that comes in, the club’s in a really good position ... hopefully I’ve made a positive impression.”

Wantirna South president Steve Draper paid tribute to Cochrane’s time in the role, pointing to his development of the list.

“We’re ready to go forward with our age group ... we were pretty young when Steve got them all together before Covid hit,” Draper said.

Draper said the club would seek the “best available for what we can do with our resources” to succeed Cochrane as coach.

“We’re not set in stone of having to have experience or inexperience ... I don’t think you can be that black and white. You’ve just got to find someone that fits,” he said.

The race for fifth spot in the Eastern league’s Division 1 is set to go down to the wire, with Montrose (fourth) meeting Croydon (sixth) this weekend. A win to Croydon could see it leapfrog Wantirna South in fifth, while Montrose sits almost 16 per cent ahead of the Devils.