Aaron Johnson has stepped down as Epping coach after three years

After three years at the helm Aaron Johnson has parted ways with NFL Division 2 outfit Epping with the search for a new coach well underway.

Epping coach Aaron Johnson. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Epping is on the look out for a new coach after Aaron Johnson decided to step down.

Johnson, a Pingers premiership player in 2012, decided not to reapply for the position after three years in the top job.

The position was advertised in July and interviews have already begun.

After taking the reins in 2019, Johnson oversaw an almost complete rebuild of the club’s list as it looked to cement itself in NFL Division 2.

Epping used almost 60 players across 2019-2021, debuted 10 players and had a total of 18 new faces this season.

After claiming the wooden spoon in 2019, the Pingers claimed two victories this season, defeating Watsonia and Panton Hill, and finishing ninth.

Epping coach Aaron Johnson. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Johnson said he and the club had different views on the club’s future.

“The club’s expectations and my expectations probably don’t align,” he said.

“They’re after wins and losses whereas my personal view of the side is it’s still in a developmental phase in terms of experience.

“I think the club needs to focus on the development of the players and the group, which will generally solve the problem of wins and losses.

“It’s a difficult decision to make but I think their KPIs are a little different to mine unfortunately.”

Epping didn’t face wooden spooner Fitzroy Stars during the season and only faced Watsonia once due to lockdowns, potentially impacting the club’s win-loss record.

The Pingers showed vast improvement offensively this season, averaging 60.58 points per game, up from just 40.44 in 2019.

The club’s percentage rose from 43.96 last season to 54.66 but defence continued to be an issue, conceding 100 points in eight of 12 matches.

Epping Football Netball Club is seeking applications for the role of senior football coach for season 2022.

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Epping president Kirsty Stilsby was disappointed to see Johnson depart but was confident the club was well placed to find a strong replacement.

“I’ve known Aaron for a long time, so it’s not just a club relationship but a personal relationship as well,” she said.

“There’s a core group of young kids and in due course they will – provided we can retain them all – peak but it’s not their time at the moment.

“We’ve had quite a few applications, we’ve started Zoom meeting due to lockdown.

“We were hoping to get (interviews) started as soon as Aaron told us he wasn’t going to reapply but then lockdown hit and we had to push them back but we’ve got to start getting a move on.”

Johnson said he hoped to return to senior coaching in the future but will concentrate on family and a new venture first.

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“It is something I’ll look at doing (coaching again) but at this stage it’s about spending time with the family,” he said.

“I’ve just started up a football academy, the Be Elite Academy, with Trevor Little.

“We did a bit of a pilot program earlier in the year with about 30 players, it was a good taste of it, but the COVID restrictions made it difficult.

“I was also involved in the Yarra Junior under-15 squad, under Vin Datoli there, it was good to open up a few doors and get that experience, keep learning.”