Six-time Narre Warren premiership play Nick Scanlon has been appointed coach of Clayton

DECORATED Casey Cardinia player Nick Scanlon has crossed to the Southern league as coach of Clayton.

s03bl957 Football, Cranbourne v Narre Warren at Casey Fields. Narre Warren's Nick Scanlon.

NICK Scanlon is changing football clubs but he’ll still be a Magpie in black and white.

Scanlon, one of the Casey Cardinia’s most decorated players after featuring in six premierships with Narre Warren, has been appointed coach of Clayton in the Southern Football League.

The Clays stoked Scanlon’s coaching ambitions after approaching him after Narre’s presentation night.

“The club decided they needed a playing coach and maybe someone who could come in and bring success,’’ he said.

“The last three years have been a little bit short of what they wanted … it didn’t really sort of interest me until they put out that challenge of lifting Clayton up the ladder. That’s when the bug hit me,

“I’ve always wanted to coach. I’ve been an assistant at Narre for the past three years and I wanted to stay there and one day take over.

“But the successful club that it is, I thought they may require someone with a bit more experience and obviously (coach Chris Toner) decided to stay on for one more year. So it was a good time for me to take on a coaching role.

“I’m aware the Southern league in the last few years has been a step lower than the Casey Cardinia but that’s where I might need to start my coaching career, to get a bit of experience under my belt.’’

Scanlon figured in Narre’s 2006-07-08 premierships, then appeared at senior level with Casey Scorpions in the VFL.

He returned to Narre for three more flags — 2010 and ’12-13.

The right-footer twice represented Victoria at the country championships and in 2012 was selected in the All Australian team.

Scanlon admitted it was difficult to leave the Magpies after this year’s straight-set finals exit.

“Very tough. The way the season finished … we lost both finals by under a kick and the way it was handled by opposition clubs after the games made it tougher.

“I stood up at the Narre presentation on the Saturday night before I met with Clayton and said we’ll be bigger, we’ll be better, we’ll get our revenge. At that stage I hadn’t even thought about coaching in 2015.’’

Meanwhile, Casey Cardinia clubs will decide this week if they will break away from the PCN Sports Alliance.

The league met the clubs at Narre Warren last Thursday to talk over their bid to form their own competition.

It’s believed the PCN Sports Alliance offered to direct more administrative resources to Casey Cardinia.