Favourite son returns
Queenscliff signs GFL premiership coach
QUEENSCLIFF president Andrew Conlan has described the coup of landing GFL premiership coach Steve Clark as coach as “a favourite son coming home”.
Clark coached Queenscliff between 2000 and 2006 before joining St Albans for three seasons and then Leopold from 2011, where he guided the Lions to a drought-breaking flag last year.
But yesterday’s announcement sees the Coutas life member return to the club in a senior coaching capacity.
Clark co-coached Queenscliff’s under-16s this year, where his sons Billy and Jhye play and have done since under-10s.
But Conlan believes his good mate had always considered returning to the BFL club.
“I think he wanted to come back to us in some capacity but I was never certain what that capacity was,” he said.
“But from my point of view, I always made it clear to him we wanted him back and he would tell us what he wanted.
“I think he did want to come home.
“His father was a life member, he’s a life member; he’s been involved with the club for 50 years or more.”
Leopold made finals again this year, but bowed out in an elimination final to Colac, while Queenscliff co-coaches Andrew Hodgson and Jono Casey stepped down after the Coutas missed the BFL finals.
It set up the perfect chance for the Coutas to welcome Clark back into the fold.
He led Queensliff to 52 wins, 74 losses and a draw, with one finals appearance and four sixth-placed finishes.
His three years at St Albans proved fruitless, but a move to Leopold saw Clark take the Lions to finals in his second year and to a grand appearance 2014.
Last year’s premiership was Leopold’s first senior flag since its 1990 Bellarine Football League win over Anglesea.
Conlan said Clark would bring a professional approach and “real passion”.
“They’re probably the two major things, and that’s not to be critical of (Hodgson and Casey); he’s just got some real professionalism and experi- final ence beyond anyone else we could have interviewed or expected,” he said.
“We’re just lucky as a club we’ve got someone of that calibre coming back to us.
“(He’s had) a decade more and obviously in a very powerful league; that experience and that level . . . what he’s built in there has been fantastic.”
Conlan said he believed the Coutas had underachieved this year in not playing finals.
“I think we should have made finals; I think we underperformed, and I think the players would agree,” he said.
“Given our list, I thought there were a number of games we should have won.
“There’s definitely a number of pieces he’ll start looking for now; he clearly wants to take the team to a premiership and I think he’s already assessed what he thinks we need to get it to there.”