Departing Lalor coach Angelo Lamanna’s surprising reaction to winless tenure

Angelo Lamanna didn’t get a win as Lalor coach but has a surprising attitude to his tenure and praised his players’ character in difficult circumstances.

Departing Lalor coach Angelo Lamanna. Picture: Hamish Blair

Lalor is on the hunt for a new coach.

After two years with the Bloods, Angelo Lamanna is stepping down from arguably the toughest job in the Northern Football Netball League.

Lalor didn’t win a game under Lamanna and is winless in its past 41 matches, dating back to May, 2021.

However, the credentialed coach said the club’s struggles had brought out the best in him.

“It sounds funny but there’s things I haven’t done in the past that I’ve had the opportunity to do,” he said.

Departing Lalor coach Angelo Lamanna. Picture: Hamish Blair

“I found it better for me, there were certainly a few areas that I wasn’t working on before, which gives me another part to my coaching.

“You’ve got nothing to lose but it allows you to try new things and ideas, which you might not think of at a higher club.”

Lalor’s losing streak is the fourth longest in Victoria.

The Bloods came agonisingly close this season, going down to Reservoir by a single point, with a missed kick just before the siren, and three points to Fitzroy Stars.

The club has won three reserve grade games this season but also forfeited three games.

While the list has been unsettled from year-to-year and sometimes week-to-week, Lamanna had nothing but respect for the players that turned up every week.

“I give the boys credit, I told them every week, I respect their character,” he said.

“Showing up and, probably knowing what the scores are going to be, willing to turn up and try and be better.

“It shows strong character, not many people would have put up with that for two years and stayed strong.

“Lalor Football Club has struggled and that’s due to the demographics of the area.

“It’s an older area but the wheel will turn, it will take time but the base is there, it’s just about getting some recruits in and retaining it.”

There has been improvement this season.

Lalor is conceding fewer points per game and has already bettered last season’s points for, in four fewer matches.

As a result, the club’s percentage is also healthier.

Bloods president Silvano Baldasso is also moving on after this season and thanked his coach for his determination to make the club better.

“Ange is a great person and a great coach,” Baldasso said.

“It’s a shame we didn’t get the wins that he deserved.”

Lamanna is confident if the club can retain its list and build upon it in 2024 then a win isn’t far away.

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“It’s been unfortunate for the club, we didn’t get a win on the board,” he said.

“What we were aiming for was to get a good base and blokes that were capable of playing senior football.

“We probably had 50 per cent (of players) playing their first season of senior football so it was more about trying to fast-track a few blokes to keep at the club and be better next year.”

Lalor and Heidelberg West are the two Division 3 clubs on the look out for a new coach for 2024.