Southern league: St Kilda City appoints Richard Houston as coach

St Kilda City’s new coach knows all about winning premierships and he’s outlined exciting plans for the 2023 Southern league season.

Richard Houston (left) lifts the 2007 premiership cup with club captain Shaun Cotter. Picture: Dale Mann

St Kilda City made the preliminary final in Division 1 of Southern league this year.

Now new coach Richard Houston has outlined his desire to take the Saints “one step further” in 2023.

Houston will take the coaching reins at St Kilda City for a third stint in the job.

He coached the club to three premierships and a runner-up finish in a sparkling four-season reign from 2007-10.

The 2010 flag capped a dominant undefeated season for City.

Houston returned to coach St Kilda City in 2017-18, taking the club to the finals in his second season at the helm.

Now he’s back for a third go, and he says his passion for the role is as intense as ever.

“I love coaching and my boy (Stefan), he got me sparked up again when I watched him play at Hampton Rovers,” he said.

“I’ve never lost that love to coach.

Richard Houston.

“If you go with me to the footy all I do is talk about coaching, what they’re doing, what they’re doing wrong, what they should do. It’s ingrained I suppose.

“I’ve definitely got the passion again, I love interacting and teaching players how to play the game.

“I love learning as well. There are some really good players down there and they’ll teach me a few things, we’ve got Swanny (Dane Swan) down there, Aaron Edwards, Pottsy (Luke Potts).

“It will be great to try and get the boys one step further from the preliminary final they made this year to the granny.”

Dane Swan.

Aaron Edwards.

Houston said St Kilda City’s side was keen to stay together and chase a premiership, having seen how close they were this year.

“I think Swanny would love to win a flag,” he said.

“Obviously it depends on his commitments, his body, the whole lot. But to date the indication is that the whole group is willing to stay.

“All players want to finish on a flag and then retire.”

Houston said he hoped to secure an experienced football man as an assistant coach.

“I’ve got one particular bloke, I won’t name him…he’s a very knowledgeable bloke, knows a lot about VFL, will be very handy to have,” he said.

“We’ve got Swanny as well and Pottsy and Aaron Edwards so there’s a lot of knowledge already at the club so that’s going to be I think very easy for me to work with.

“I’ve got my own strategies and set ups but I’m very open minded to players and their input because they’ve all got to buy in…once you put it all together it can make a difference about winning that one more game.”