WRFL 2019: North Footscray starts search for new coach for 2020
The Western Region Football League season is only seven rounds old, but Division 2 club North Footscray has revealed plans to secure a new mentor for 2020.
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North Footscray has started its search for a new coach for next season in a bid to get a headstart on rival clubs.
Current mentor Jonathan Miller said he would see out the year and insisted the WRFL Division 2 club was “not in turmoil”.
The pre-season flag fancy is languishing in sixth spot with a 1-6 record, three wins astern of fourth-ranked Parkside.
The Devils claimed the 2017 premiership and were knocked out in the opening week of finals last year.
Miller said he would continue in the top job in 2020 if a suitable candidate could not be found.
“Whatever we decide, I’d like to be there to support that and make sure that if there is some sort of handover, we can do that as fluently as possible,” Miller said.
“Everything is financial now. You can bring 40 players to your club if you’ve got all the money in the world, as we’ve seen with other clubs, but if you sit for too long people become unavailable.
“We believe we’re a good club with a good reputation, so we should be able to attract some strong candidates in my opinion.”
Miller said North Footscray was “on the verge” of tasting success, adding the side needed two more midfielders and a key forward.
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The loyal clubman also played a key role in initiating the move in the interests of the Devils’ future.
“It’s just about getting the club in the strongest position it can be to recruit,” Miller said.
“We’ve got a nice, young list and I think there’s so much upside.
“It’s just finding that right person to do the job.”
North Footscray is on a six-game losing run after defeating Manor Lakes in Round 1.
Three of those defeats have come by 14 points or less and it will meet the seventh-placed Storm again this weekend.
Sam Denby-Blake, Joel Richardson and Miller have been among the Devils’ leading performers.
“We’ve been in front at half-time in five of our seven games. You’d like to think you’d win at least four of those,” Miller said.
“We’ve been unbelievably unlucky this year I think. We’ve lost two games in the last 30 seconds.
“I haven’t given up on the season.
“(But) some of the results have kept me awake at night, that’s for sure.”
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