Legendary local coach Simon Goosey will return to a coaching role in 2023

Local footy’s greatest goal-kicker will make a quick return to the coaching box in 2023. Here’s the latest.

MPNFL Division 1: Frankston Bombers v Mornington at Baxter Park. Mornington coach Simon Goosey. Picture: AAP/Chris Eastman

Legendary local coach Simon Goosey will step back into the coaching box this year with Southern Division 1 club St Kilda City.

Goosey stepped away from coaching last year when he called time on a two-decade stint with Mornington, Frankston Dolphins and Cranbourne.

But he will back in 2023, signing on as the Saints’ senior assistant to head coach Richard Houston, who is also the club’s president.

While Goosey has only signed on for one season, Houston is hopeful that his impact will have an everlasting effect.

“I really want him to develop the team... we are so happy to get him on board,” he said.

“When you reach out to coaches like Simon Goosey and he’s available, you would be a silly man to not try and get him on board.

“His job will be to assist me in building this side into a three to five year very, very competitive team and assist with the culture to make it as strong on the field as off it.”

Richard Houston has bold ambitions for his side this year and beyond. Picture: AAP/ Chris Eastman

Houston says the signing of Goosey as an assistant is a positive for the club moving forward, as previous senior coaches have been left without such high-quality support.

“We have a mature group, once they win a flag, whether that be in one, two or three years, they may decide to hang up the boots, so they really want to make it happen this year,” he said.

“They want to bust their guts and make it happen, they fell short in the preliminary final last year and they’ve asked how can we build this club to be better.

“I am going to learn heaps from Simon, he will help the players, and then the junior players coming through will also develop into senior players.

“Poor old Matty Hoy (previous coach) had literally no support staff and when I was in there, I had no support staff (either), so we needed that strength of coaching ability to come in and teach other coaches and make us a better club overall.”

St Kilda City begins its season with St Paul’s McKinnon at McKinnon Reserve in Round 1.