New coaches for Tasman Youth
The new coaching team behind Tasman United’s National Youth League squad has been revealed.
Rob Anderson, a physical education teacher at Nelson College, has been appointed as the team’s head coach with Gary Calderbank his assistant. They take over from Andy Morris, who has moved to Wellington, and Davor Tavich, who has progressed through to become head coach of the ISPS Handa Premiership team.
After eight years of teaching in Golden Bay, Anderson has relocated Nelson to further pursue his football coaching career.
‘‘The excitement of working with young aspiring players and with the national league team starting up, I thought this would be a great opportunity to link up with Gary and to develop these players and try and play an attractive style of football,’’ he said.
‘‘It was one of those things you couldn’t say no to. The young players coming through, it’s nice to give them a pathway now and the ultimate aim is to play for Tasman United as a franchise and we are providing the platform for them to become better players.’’
During the days of the Nelson Marlborough Falcons, the focus was heavily weighted on trying to win the National Youth League.
But with the introduction of a Premiership side last year, Calderbank said their No 1 priority is to develop future Tasman United players.
‘‘Rob and I have got fairly similar philosophies, and as does Davor, that this needs to be the mechanism for producing a more local national league team longterm,’’ Calderbank said.
Tasman will be holding trials for the National Youth League squad on August 24 and 27.