Piddick switches to NPLQ hopefuls
THE race for a place in the NPL Queensland soccer competition has taken a shock twist with news that Grae Piddick is set to coach the Gold Coast Knights.
Coach of Gold Coast City (previously known as Palm Beach Sharks) since the first NPLQ competition in 2013, Piddick confirmed he has signed with the Knights, one of two local concerns chasing an NPLQ licence.
The Knights are vying with a splinter group from the old City administration left to scrap for an NPLQ berth following Palm Beach Soccer Club’s surrendering of their licence. It remains to be seen if Football Queensland grant the Knights a licence to join the new Gold Coast United in the 2018 season but Piddick has taken on the coaching job confident it will happen.
And, in news that will disappoint Football Gold Coast officialdom, Knights president Adrian Puljich said the club will withdraw teams from local competitions to focus on state operations.
Doubts over the future of City, following the licence offloading by Palm Beach because of financial issues, led to Piddick’s emotional decision to switch clubs.
Piddick, who coached Palm Beach to the 2014 NPLQ championshippremiership double as well as to two FFA Cup quarter-final appearances, re-signed with City two months ago.
But that deal is null and void because it was made between Palm Beach and himself to coach in the NPLQ.
“Now I’ve had discussions I’m right behind the bid by the Knights,” Piddick said.
“They have the facilities which I think are the best on the Coast and they have plans in place to continue to improve those.
“At the end of the day I have to do what’s best for the program and for myself and I think this is the best option.”
If they win the licence, the Knights will play at the Croatian Sports Centre where Piddick is expected to be joined by “quite a number” of City players and coaches.
Puljich, who doubles as chairman of Football Gold Coast, confirmed the Knights will drop out of the Gold Coast Premier League concentrate on the NPLQ.
The Knights won the league championship this season.
“We have made a commitment to Football Queensland that if we are successful in getting a licence we will withdraw ourselves from the Coast senior and junior men’s competitions but continue on with the women’s program,” Puljich said.
“That was one of the reasons why Palm Beach had their issues – running teams in two competitions.”
Football Queensland is expected to make a licence decision in the next two weeks. to
THEY HAVE THE FACILITIES WHICH I THINK ARE THE BEST ON THE COAST AND THEY HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THOSE ... GRAE PIDDICK ON THE KNIGHTS