Ken Morton reveals what’s next after announcing departure following 16 years as South Hobart coach

One of Tasmanian sport’s longest serving and most successful coaches has revealed his next steps are announcing his tenure would end at the conclusion of this season.

Legendary South Hobart coach Ken Morton announced season 2024 will be his last, bringing to an end a 16-year stint at D’Arcy Street. Picture: Richard Jupe.

One of Tasmanian sport’s longest and most successful coaching careers is set to come to an end.

Legendary football manager Ken Morton has called time on a 16-year stint as South Hobart coach with the mastermind behind multiple premier league and state trophies announcing his decision late last week.

His last game will be on September 7.

Arriving at Darcy Street in 2008, Morton led South to an unprecedented five consecutive premier league trophies between 2008 and 2012 while they also won state titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Morton led South to silverware in his first five seasons at the club. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

Recent success and numerous Australia Cup appearances have also followed under Morton who has spent time coaching across the globe, including Vietnam, Maldives and Ethiopia.

While securing a final NPL trophy may be a tough ask after a 2-1 loss to Devonport Strikers last weekend, Morton is both proud of what he’s been able to achieve and sad the journey has reached its end.

“I’m sad,” Morton said.

“It’s been a big part of my life, the last 16 years at South Hobart. It’s been a super journey, which I’ve really enjoyed. While I am sad it’s coming to an end, I know in my heart that I’m only going to be more and more involved in the academy space, and that’s important to the development at South Hobart.

“Along with my work at the Morton Soccer School, I’ll still be around and I think I’ve got something left in me to help out the club in those spaces.”

Morton’s replacement has already been announced with highly credentialed young Tasmanian coach Max Clarke stepping into the role.

“He’s a 30-year-old young coach, a young man with a lot of coaching experience, and I’m very positive he’ll develop into one of the best in Australia,” Morton said of his successor.

After being involved in the football scene in Tasmania for well over a decade, Morton is well placed to offer a perspective on the overall health of the game across the state.

While he is proud of where football currently sits in terms of participation numbers, he admits more needs to be done to ensure its long-term future.

“I think we should get more funding out of the government for the work that soccer does within the communities,” he said.

“It’s a major participant sport and we’re a little bit underfunded, I think, at club level. And I think the federation (Football Tasmania) could support the clubs better. For me, the federation should work around competitions and developing those programs correctly and leave the clubs to get on with the coaching and preparing teams because that’s the most important thing.

“We spend a lot of money to develop coaches and we don’t get that support back, in my opinion.”

Morton will now spend more time in the academy space at South Hobart and the Morton Soccer School. Picture: Zak Simmonds

With just two matches now left in a caper he’s spent a large portion of his life in, Morton is unsure of how he will feel come the final whistle against Launceston City next Saturday but was overwhelmed by the support he had received since announcing his decision.

“I think until that 90 or 95 minutes are up, I’ll be pretty focused on the job at hand, but I might get a little emotional after that,” Morton said.

“I’ve had some lovely messages from past players and while there’s been a lot of good memories, to be able to coach my own son and Nick was something I really cherished.”