Demise of Cairns FC surely Edge Hill’s gain
FOOTBALL EDGE HILL has wasted no time in bolstering its stocks this off-season, picking up a trio of Cairns FC castaways.
Experienced midfielder Crios O’Hare will take up a player-coach role on the premier men’s team, with fellow former Cairns-based NPL players Josh Taylor and Josh De Nittis also offering their services to the club next season.
Forming strong connections during their days at Cairns FC, their future as teammates was uncertain after the club handed back its NPL licence in August.
“We were speaking about what to do next year,” O’Hare said. “We wanted to stay together and we were speaking throughout the whole process.
“In the end, I think we were all really happy with what we saw at Edge Hill and the fact we’d be playing together again.”
O’Hare said he was approached by 2018 Edge Hill premier men’s coach Paul Fitzgerald about the role in the wake of Cairns FC’s demise.
“He asked me what my plans were for next year,” O’Hare said. “I had a few offers from other clubs, but the more I thought about Edge Hill, the more I wanted to be a part of the club.
“I have always heard good things about them and speaking with them it was clear that we had similar visions and goals – not just for the club, but for football in the region as a whole.”
Edge Hill president Glen Waddingham said signing O’Hare was a “natural” process.
“Speaking with Fitzy, he’s decided to focus on the kids for 2019. He’s got a good relationship with Crios so he actually made the initial contact,” said Waddingham.
“We sat down and had a chat about the vision for the club. We thought he’d be a fantastic fit because of his experience, and we were able to reach an agreement that worked for both of us.”
Despite Edge Hill’s miraculous turnaround in the past two seasons – going from a zero-win team in 2017 to winning this year’s grand final – O’Hare said the club had its sights set on further improvement in 2019.
“I think it’s pretty simple really – you play to win trophies as a player and as a coach it's the same,” O’Hare said. “The goal this year will be to go one better by finishing on top of the table and winning the league.
“We also have a reasonably favourable FFA Cup draw through to the round of 32, so doing well in that is also a big goal for us next year as well.”
Waddingham said while Edge Hill had appointed coaches in “every other division”, the premier women’s coach was a “work in progress”.
“There’s talks of other successful coaches we’ve had in the past and players that are in the mix as well,” the club president said.
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