Karingal banking on sharp improvement after appointing former Frankston VFL assistant

KARINGAL has locked in Frankston Dolphins assistant Andrew Sharp as its new coach.

Andrew Sharp has been appointed coach of Karingal Football Netball Club.

KARINGAL has appointed Frankston Dolphins assistant Andrew Sharp as its new coach.

The 45-year-old says he’s “genuinely excited’’ to take charge of a young and emerging Bulls outfit.

“I’m a Bull now,’’ he said enthusiastically.

“I am genuinely excited. I think the club really wants success and I think they’ve got a pretty good young group.’’

Sharp, who has been appointed initially for a one-year term, has vast coaching experience. He’s been a playing-coach at three different clubs - Springvale Districts, Ferntree Gully and Upwey Tecoma (steering the latter two into grand finals).

For the past four seasons, Sharp has been an assistant coach in the VFL – he was Aussie Jones’s right-hand man at Bendigo Gold and had the same role at the Frankston Dolphins under Patrick Hill.

As a footballer, Sharp was a Melbourne Under 19s player, a Noble Park premiership player and a dual Springvale Districts best and fairest winner.

He takes charge of a Karingal side that failed to win a game in 2015, but improved this year, winning five games and a draw.

“I definitely think the club is headed in the right direction,’’ Sharp said.

“I’d like to get involved in a young group and I’d like to teach them the things I’ve learnt, especially over the last four years at an extremely high level and about what it takes to be at your best, and how we can work together.

“I would expect we could play a good brand of footy that’s exciting for our supporters to watch and hopefully we get results.’’

Sharp is married with three teenage children, lives in Narre Warren North and works as a finance adviser.

Asked if he planned to recruit players to Karingal, he said: “For sure.’’

“I have some really good contacts I’ve built up over the journey in regards to players,’’ he said.