Patrick Jackson in action for North Footscray. 62786 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
NORTH Footscray’s new coach is likely to be announced by the end of the week, according to out-going coach David Battistella.
Battistella, who is stepping down from the coaching role to take a break from footy, said there were at least six strong applicants for the job.
“I definitely think they’ve got to get someone who’s fairly modern, who has a bit of experience from elsewhere and can teach,” he said.
“Maybe come in with a different style, a different game plan, because the players might take to that and go with that.
“It’s got to be someone who can continually teach them about this level of football, and if they can do that they’re definitely moving forward.”
Battistella, who still has a passion for coaching but wanted to spend more time with his wife and two daughters, said he has signed 22 of the club’s best 30 players for next year, but needed to recruit
well to stay competitive next
season, particularly with Division
Two invincibles Deer Park likely to go up to Division One.
“No doubt we need a key forward, who can kick 50 goals in Division One,” he said.
“I think their pass mark next year has to be six wins, and they should be aiming for eight or nine. You can’t aim for anything less.”
Battistella was torn on how to judge his side’s first season in Division One.
On one hand, the Devils survived relegation. On the other, they only won three games. Battistella thinks it should have been at least five.
He cited the round 13 game against Port Melbourne, when North Footscray was 16 points up midway through the first quarter, and the seven-point loss to St Albans in round 15 as two games the Devils should have won.
“Maybe we lost to St Albans and Colts more possibly because of inexperience, or just not being in those winning positions enough this year where mentally maybe we were a little bit fragile,” he said.
North Footscray also had a disastrous run with injuries this season.
“I know sides have injury problems, I understand that totally, and I know you can’t use that as an excuse.
“But at the end of the day we don’t spend a lot of money, so when our top players are missing so many games of football, it hurts us more than what it does a top side.”
Captain Nathan Richardson and top-line players Sam Kater and Jarrod Arnott played less than half a season, while the side’s two best big men Ross Stewart and Rob Davis missed half a season between them. Sean Curtis, Daniel Neville and Todd Miller all missed at least four games each.
“If we had a year like we did last year (in Division Two), and we had the majority of our team … we’ve got no doubt we would have won five or six games. If we won five or six games on our budget, I think anyone would have said that was a phenomenal effort.”
Increasing the budget will be one goal Battistella will continue to work towards next year, albeit not in an official capacity.
Because of the club’s relatively small budget, club success relies on footballers playing for loyalty rather than money, but bigger clubs will always be circling.
“We won a Division Two flag with less than $30,000.
“I don’t know how many clubs could say that. And budget’s not much more this year.
“I’d love to make it a bit easier for the new coach and say ‘your budget’s a bit bigger than that’.”
Battistella has not ruled out returning to coaching. He has coached for 11 years straight, the past seven of them at North Footscray, and said the fire still burns.
“I’ve got two girls, they’re 8 and 10, and my wife, and between the three of them, none of them love football. So it makes life a bit tough.
“It’s not as if they want to come to the local footy. They’ve been pretty supportive and I just thought it was time.”
