Southern league: Josh Johns senior coach of Doveton Eagles at age 22

When battling Doveton Eagles couldn’t find a coach, Josh Johns put his hand up. And he’s doing ‘wonders’.

Doveton Eagles coach Josh Johns with president Jenny Davis.

Josh Johns has a simple explanation for how he has come to be senior coach of the Doveton Eagles.

“No one else wanted to do it, so I thought I’d do it,’’ he said.

Never mind that he’s only 22.

Never mind that he had no coaching accreditation.

Never mind that the Eagles had few players and were close to folding when he put his hand up to coach.

Never mind that the Eagles will be starting the 2021 Southern league season eight points in arrears.

After Dean Warren resigned just before Christmas, only a couple of weeks into his tenure, Johns phoned club great Jenny Davis and said he was willing to step in.

“I thought we’d be packing up when that happened (Warren’s departure),’’ John was saying at training at Power Rd Reserve on Tuesday night.

“I didn’t really want to go somewhere else and start afresh.

“I was talking to my stepdad (Chris Sephton) and I jokingly said I’d do it, and after a couple of weeks they couldn’t get anyone. So I thought, I’ll just call Jenny and I’ll just do it. So here I am.’’

Josh Johns (middle) with his brother Zakk (left) and his ruckman Daniel Webster.

It’s believed Johns is the youngest senior men’s coach in Victorian football this year.

He’s also one of the least concerned coaches about wins and losses. As he sees it, just putting a senior team and maybe reserves on the field and keeping everyone together will make for a successful season.

What a rise and fall it’s been for Doveton Eagles in the past two years.

They won the Division 2 premiership in the Southern league in 2019, defeating Springvale Districts.

Two months later they were in disarray, with most of the senior players moving on and a number of debts revealed, including to the league.

Southern officials decided they would not be promoted to Division 1 (after the exodus of players, they were in no position to be competitive anyway) but dropped to Division 3. And for breaches of “proper governance and reporting’’ they were disqualified from playing any higher than third division until at least 2023. They were to start 2020 on minus 16 premiership points and 2021 on minus eight.

Responding to another crisis at the club, Davis returned to scrape together a committee. Other life members came forward too.

After premiership coach Clint Wilson resigned, Richard Houston was installed as his successor. He stepped down after two months.

Club stalwart David Morison agreed to take over for 2020. When he stood aside, a long search ended with the appointment of Warren last November. But Warren thought the player numbers weren’t there and decided to move on.

He was right. The numbers weren’t there. But Johns has improved them, hitting the phones and spreading the word about the Eagles’ predicament.

“I reckon I reached out to everyone I’ve ever played football with,’’ he said with a chuckle.

“I messaged a bloke I haven’t played with for six or seven years and he’s decided to come down. He was a pretty good footballer back in the day. After I messaged him he said, ‘Mate, I was just about to go looking for a club when you sent me that message’. Got lucky with that one.’’

As for his expectations, “I like to win every game I play. But this year, we could not win a game and I’ll still be happy, as long as we stay together as a group. We can regroup next year and hopefully get better.’’

Veteran Darryl Thomas is playing on for Doveton Eagles.

Johns will have some family support at his side: Sephton is his assistant coach and his father, David Johns, is also helping. Meanwhile his brother Zakk will play under him.

Johns had played football at St John’s before joining Doveton Eagles in 2018. He didn’t train and played only in the Thirds team in 2019, and he said he never really felt part of the senior premiership.

“Now, that’s the main thing I want to do, for us to build a good culture and for everyone to feel like they’re a part of the club,’’ he said.

The Eagles will be a young side – only the ageless Darryl Thomas and Matthew Carter remain as senior regulars from 2019 – and Johns will be out to have them playing a running game.

“We’ll be trying to move the ball and play on at all costs, using our speed,’’ he said.

“It’s going to be speed over strength and trying to outrun ‘em.’’

Johns fits in his coaching around working in airconditioning. He also has an understanding girlfriend.

“I try not to get too much involved in the footy club when I’m not here,’’ he said. “But I end up talking footy with someone from the club every night on the way home.’’

Davis said it was no exaggeration to say Johns had saved the club.

She said the Eagles couldn’t find a coach and the longer it went on the less chance they had of keeping what players were left.

“When Dean Warren pulled the pin, we thought, ‘What the hell are we going to do now?’’’ she said.

“Then young Josh rang me. It was like an angel spoke to us. I said to him, ‘Look, I’ll give you a go, come down’.’’

David added: “If we didn’t have him, we would not have a team, because you have to have a coach.

“He put his hand up at exactly the right time, young Josh, and he’s doing a great job. We’re very proud of him. He’s doing wonders with these boys.’’