EFL Premier Division: South Croydon coach Marcus Buzaglo reappointed for 2023

South Croydon has made an early call on its coach for 2023 as it hunts a fourth consecutive finals campaign in the EFL’s top-flight.

Eastern league Premier Division club South Croydon has cast an eye to the future locking in its senior coach for 2023.

The Bulldogs today confirmed the reappointment of current mentor Marcus Buzaglo for a further season.

Buzaglo has steered the club since early 2021, which currently sits fifth on the ladder with a 7-5 record.

Locked in: Marcus Buzaglo will coach South Croydon again in 2023. Picture: Davis Harrigan

South Croydon president Steve Duke said the early contract extension would allow his club to focus on hunting a fourth consecutive finals campaign.

“In his short time here, Marcus has really embraced South Croydon, not just in the senior coaching role, but as an integral part of the whole club,” Duke said.

“He provides excellent leadership across the board and after a couple years of Covid interruptions, followed by our redevelopment challenges, we feel Marcus fully deserves an uninterrupted run.

“An early decision on extending his tenure allows us to finish the season strongly, as well as looking forward to the future needs of the group.”

Buzaglo enjoyed a decorated playing career with East Ringwood which included the club captaincy and its 2002 top-tier premiership, winning multiple Team of the Year gongs along the way.

He later served as the ‘Roos’ coach from mid-2014 in the top-flight, stepping away at the end of 2019 when the club competed in the second tier.

He landed at Cheong Park as an assistant to ex-East Ringwood teammate Luke McCormick in 2020 before winning the senior role in February 2021, following McCormick’s resignation.

Buzaglo recently told Leader his side’s “best footy is certainly good enough to match it with the best” following its 15-point defeat to ladder-leader Rowville last Saturday.

South Croydon pushed Rowville in the second-half last week. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Bulldogs coach remains steadfast in his declaration as he casts a keen eye to the final six weeks of the home-and-away campaign.

“It is a great honour to coach at this terrific community club and after a couple of disrupted years and the difficulties encountered with the pavilion redevelopment this season, my focus now is squarely upon finishing this season strongly and ensuring the Doggies are in a position to launch a bold challenge for this year’s flag,” Buzaglo said on Friday.