MPFNL 2024: Karingal coach Luke Forsyth ‘blindsided’ by club’s call to advertise

A Mornington Peninsula league grand final coach has expressed his disappointment after his club decided to advertise the coaching position.

Luke Forsyth has coached Karingal for the past four seasons. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The phone call came on Monday night, and it rocked him.

Karingal coach Luke Forsyth was told by the Bulls they would be advertising the coaching position.

“I was blindsided last night,’’ Forsyth said on Tuesday.

“I got a call at 8.30, saying, ‘we’ve had an execs meeting and we’ve decided to advertise the role for next year’, which essentially means you’re sacked.’’

Forsyth said he was unsure if he would coach out the season, which has four rounds to go.

He said he was committed to rebuilding Karingal after the loss of players and was “pretty disappointed with how it’s rolled out’’.

“We obviously lost 32 players at the end of last year and the conversation I had with the execs to go again was we needed to reset and set ourselves up for sustainable success after having a crack the two, three years prior,’’ he said.

“It was all about development. I was told a number of times it wasn’t about wins and losses. Unfortunately for me somewhere along those lines that changed and they think that it’s time for a change.

“Yeah, disappointing, because I love the footy club and I’ve grown up around there since I was a little fella.

“I’ve always loved the place but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed with it at the moment, with just how it’s played out and the decision that’s been made.’’

Luke Forsyth led Karingal to the 2022 MPFNL Division 2 grand final.

Forsyth said he had sought to be reappointed in recent months.

“I went to the club at the midway mark and said we need to get proactive and start talking to recruits now,” he said.

“I said, ‘I think now’s the time to create a bit of momentum by re-signing me then we can start recruiting’. That sort of dragged on for a month and yeah I was blindsided last night.”

Forsyth added: “We debuted another kid on the weekend and that was our 18th debutant for the year. I’ve done everything that I’ve needed to do and could do with limited opportunities. It’s just frustrating that’s the decision that’s been made without consulting the playing group and coaching group.’’

Forsyth will decide on Tuesday if he’ll see out the season.

Karingal played in the 2022 MPFNL Division 2 grand final and a first semi-final last year.

Karingal was contacted for comment.