FAREWELL TO MENTORS
TWO of Townsville’s footballing icons are moving on to a new chapter.
Northern Fury coaching specialists Ken and Bill Mitchell are leaving the football world behind after a lifetime spent helping the region’s youth score goals in the world game.
The pair have more than half a century’s worth of football experience, with Bill starting his coaching career in 1988 and Ken in 1990.
They have seen many of their proteges kick on to bigger things, and for Ken and Bill that is what their life work has been all about.
“It’s always special when you see some of your former juniors reach the next level,” Ken said.
“You’re glad to have played some part in their development, not only in football but in achieving things in the working world as well.
“I’ve seen two former junior players represent the Australian Joeys at a World Cup — that was a big highlight — and India Kubin playing for Australia at the AFC under- 16 championships was also special.
“There’s a lot of memories.”
Ken’s latest role was as goalkeeping coach for the Northern Fury, where he was also a technical director.
In between those roles was his time at the Mackay Crusaders, where he helped establish the club’s football program, and among other roles he was a coaching assistant at former A League club the North Queensland Fury and former coach of state league side the NQ Razorbacks.
Bill started coaching NQ zone teams at 25 and went on to coach with the Queensland Academy of Sport, be technical director of NPL side Wide Bay and technical director of the Northern Fury.
Possessing an encyclopedia of football knowledge, Bill has worked part- time and full- time in football and believes education is the key for any successful coach.
“Keeping up with new developments and ideas is very important, as with keeping an open mind,” he said.
“I’ve seen things change as lot during my time in football.
“There’s more opportunities for juniors now, that’s where the standard has really lifted.”
Bill is also a keen observer of Australia’s progress on the international stage, and despite Australia’s latest setback in World Cup qualifying he says a wider perspective needs to be adopted when viewing Australia’s progress.
“That last game against Thailand was disappointing, but other countries in Asia aren’t pushovers,” he said.
“Many countries in Asia have improved by quite a lot.”
Northern Fury chairman Rabieh Krayem said Ken and Bill would leave a lasting legacy on the region’s football community.
“You couldn’t find two people with as much passion for the development of junior players then those two gentlemen,” he said.
“They’ve laid the foundations and I hope NQ Football bring people in with the same passion.”