No point to prove for Lane at NPL rivals

SACKED Gold Coast United coach Sean Lane says he has nothing to prove to his former club after joining soon-to-be NPL rivals Gold Coast Knights.

In a move that prompted the resignation of chief executive Troy Bingham, Lane was last month informed by United hierarchy his services as men’s and under-16 NPL coach would not be required in 2019.

After steering Brisbane Strikers to the 2017 NPL title, Lane endured a turbulent first season at United, with injuries and mid-year departures consigning the men’s team to a 10th-placed finish.

While he would not be drawn on his dismissal, Lane said he had other motivators in his new roles as under-16 and 20s coach, and assistant to Grae Piddick with the Knights’ senior side.

“With my own competitive spirit, you want to be the best you can be. Sometimes these things happen (in coaching) but it doesn’t matter whether it’s going to be Gold Coast United or any other team in the competition, you’re going to want to win,” Lane said.

“One of the key things (about the Knights) was the facility. The facility is as good as anything in the state … and that allows you then to develop professional footballers. That’s what we’re here for.

“A lot of other clubs live and die by their national curriculum. We’ll take the best bits out of the national curriculum but we’ll be looking at what’s good internationally as well and what’s best practice.

“We’ll be getting those practices through the club so we can eventually have a conveyor belt through to the first team. It’s just going to be ideal for good young footballers to come to the Knights and improve.”

Lane said he had no issues serving as Piddick’s right-hand man. “My job here is to make sure I give him as much support as I can,” he said.