A FAMILIAR face will once again be taking the reins as head coach of Oxley Vale Attunga during the 2020 Premier League season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tim Coates will step into the role for the first time since 2018 after he sat out of the 2019 season.
Former coach Mitchell O'Keefe was elected as the club's president, forcing the search for a new head coach.
Read Also:
O'Keefe said he was looking forward to the challenge of leading the club.
"We had been searching for a new coach for a couple of months and Tim was the candidate that really stood out," O'Keefe told the Leader.
"His experience with our club in particular, really holds him in good stead and I'm sure he will do a good job."
Among the changes in the Mushies leadership structure will be the introduction of a team manager, a role O'Keefe said would be vitally important.
"Josh McGann will be taking on the team manager's role," he said.
"Personally, I think he is the perfect fit for us and for the role in general.
"He has been a team manger for Australian water polo teams in the past and has done a fantastic job.
"I'm sure he will be great at keeping morale high, getting us organised and helping us stay on track."
This season, the Mushies will make up part of the revamped Premier League competition, alongside cross-town rivals North Companions and Tamworth FC.
"It's going to be a pretty interesting season, given how different the competition will be," O'Keefe said.
"There's going to be a few unknowns for teams like us that will be coming up against what would normally be Tamworth first-grade sides.
"As well as that, there's also the prospect of playing against teams in the finals that you haven't played all season, which will be interesting."
As for his own side's chances, O'Keefe believes "the sky's the limit".
"I think if we can get good buy-in from everyone in the playing group, then there's no telling how far we could go," he said.
"We've certainly got some talented players, but it will be about putting it all together consistently.
"If we can do that, I'm sure we will do well."
O'Keefe said the side would now shift its focus to upcoming trial games.
"We have nominated for the FFA Cup, so we will wait and see what that brings," he said.
"Last year we won the Johnson Cup and we will be really keen to defend that title once the tournament rolls around again.
"We're also in talks with a team from Kurri Kurri, Gunnedah FC and Northies about possibly playing some trial matches against them."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
