Gotch eyes Coburb role28 Sep 09 @ 11:17am by Paddy Higgs
COBURG’S search for a new coach has taken a twist after highly-credentialed Brad Gotch signalled his interest in pursuing the role.
Gotch was moved on from Williamstown earlier this month after eight years as its head coach.
The Tigers must replace the outgoing Craig McRae, who has joined former teammate Michael Voss’ coaching department at the Brisbane Lions.
Tigers general manager Ryan O’Connor told the Leader his club had put together a shortlist of candidates for the coaching position, and hoped to make an appointment “within the next month”.
Coburg has already conducted a handful of interviews, but O’Connor expects more contenders could yet throw their hats in the ring.
“(The interview process will) be conducted by ourselves and our aligned partner Richmond, and then the last couple of candidates will actually be interviewed by the full board and ratified,” he said.
“We’re in that process now, and we’ll take it from there.”
One of those candidates could be Gotch, who revealed to the Leader last week that a pursuit of the Coburg job “may be an option”.
Gotch is a career coach who led the Seagulls to the 2003 premiership, while aligned to Collingwood.
He also took them to three straight preliminary finals in 2006-08, and the semi-finals in 2009, the club’s second season as the Western Bulldogs VFL partner.
Gotch has been offered a short-term, part-time contract at the Dogs, but will take stock of his options before a decision.
“Whether it’s assistant-coaching jobs, development jobs, VFL jobs I’ve just got to see what’s available and move from there,” he said. “But certainly (the Coburg role) would have some interest.”
The Bulldogs announced it would look elsewhere for Williamstown’s senior coach after the VFL side was bundled out in straight sets in this season’s finals series.
After being on top of the ladder for much of the season, the Seagulls lost to the Northern Bullants at home in the qualifying final and then Collingwood in the semis.
Gotch was disappointed not to be continuing on at Burbank Oval.
“I love the Willy footy club,” he said. “It wasn’t hard for me to get behind the people and get behind all the different players and officials down there, plus you feel like you’re getting satisfaction out of developing young players from the TAC (Cup) or out of local competitions that want to play AFL or top-level footy.
“My record will show one premiership in eight years, but there are three preliminary finals there. You’re one win away from a grand final, and I potentially could have been a higher premiership coach. But that’s the way it goes.
“The results weren’t good in the last two finals games. They (Williamstown and the Bulldogs) expected more this year.
“I just didn’t realise things were going to happen like it did in the last couple of weeks.”
http://maribyrnong-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/gotch-eyes-coburb-role/
