South East Melbourne coach Simon Mitchell unsure about future after loss

Losing a final despite being up by 13 points in the last quarter has earnt criticism and questions for one NBL team.

Simon Mitchell is unsure of his future. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Out-of-contract South East Melbourne coach Simon Mitchell isn’t sure if he wants to be the man that leads the Phoenix next season and beyond.

Speaking after Thursday’s loss to Perth in the play-in qualifier, which Mitchell described as “one of the most disappointing losses” he had been a part of after Phoenix squandered a 13-point last-quarter lead, the foundation coach intimated he was a long way off signing a new deal.

“We’ll let the dust settle … review the season forensically and we’ll go, ‘Am I the best man for job?’ If so, we’ll move forward maybe,” Mitchell said.

“Do I want to do it again? I’ll discover that over the next coming weeks as we review the season and then if the club wants me back, so there’s a few machinations there and a few things to ponder over.”

If it was up to captain Mitch Creek, he would re-sign Mitchell as soon as possible.

“People don’t realise what he sacrifices from his family, from his wife, his kids, he coaches with such passion and such a level of intent that he just wants the best for everyone, he wants to check all the boxes,” Creek said.

Mitch Creek wants coach Simon Mitchell to stay. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

“He knows he’s not perfect, he knows he doesn’t make every right decision but he’s man enough to stand in front of the group and say, ‘Hey, that’s me boys, I stuffed us on that one’.

“Day one he brought me in here and I’ll stick by him … I love the guy.”

Despite their stunning capitulation in their cutthroat match against the Wildcats at John Cain Arena in their first home post-season match, and admitting the result “hurts” and “sucks”, Creek didn’t view their season as a failure.

“People jump online and say all this stuff and will say it’s a failed season for the Phoenix and blah blah blah and you suck and you’re this and whatever,” Creek said.

“I just think people need to take a step back and understand it’s not a failed season for us – I don’t view it as that.

Mitch Creek gives his shoes away post-match, before heading to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/sErfbzf0bw

— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) February 9, 2023

“I think we’ve progressed every year, and I think even with the setbacks we had, we had one of our most ‘winningest’ seasons without one of our stars in ‘Rowdy’ (Ryan Broekhoff for large chunks of the season), we had Gary (Browne) out for extended periods of time, Trey (Kell) out for long periods.

“Backs against the wall we fought really well and I’m really proud of that, so it’s not going to be a long off-season, it’s going to be a short one because we’re going to get time to rebuild this thing and do it properly.”

To go the next level and contend for the championship, Creek said his team had to improve their professionalism.

“A standard of excellence every day needs to be required to be a champion – no drop-off, no lag, no gaps, sacrificing for the guy next to you,” he said.

“Doing the little things – not being on time (but) being early, applying yourself with great measure and great intent to be the best every day and not take that day off, not take that half-rep.

“Maintaining your body, your physical, your mind, everything – doing all of that is what makes high-performance teams successful and I don’t think we had that throughout the whole year.”

Originally published as South East Melbourne coach Simon Mitchell unsure about future after loss