By David Nagel
CRANBOURNE’s 2011 premiership coach Doug Koop is back in the fold of the South East Football Netball League after signing a two-year deal to coach the Officer Senior Football Club.
Koop, and his loyal assistant Billy King, signed on the dotted line tonight (Friday) -ending a three-year hiatus from the league.
Koop’s last game as coach of Cranbourne came in the 2013 grand final, a one-point loss to Narre Warren inflicted with the last kick of the season. Koop coached Dromana in the Nepean Football League in 2014/15, before taking a break from coaching this year.
Koop said he was delighted to be back.
“It’s great to be back in the league and to come to a club that I believe has a very exciting future,” Koop said.
“There are a lot of good kids on the list and I think we can mould them into better players and move a few places up the ladder. Part of our plan is to bring some players with us and hopefully push for finals next year.”
Koop takes over the Kangaroos in an eerily similar situation to his first season at Cranbourne in 2008.
The Eagles, who had finished tenth, tenth and ninth in the three years preceding Koop’s appointment, finished seventh in his first year before finishing top three for the next five years. Officer has not made a finals appearance in the 12-year history of the Casey Cardinia-South East Football Leagues.
Officer president Barry O’Loughlin said the club was thrilled that it had got their man.
“We put together a panel who profiled the type of coach we think can take us forward and Doug filled the bill perfectly,” O’Loughlin said.
“We actually approached him because we believe he has the experience and the credentials to do something special with this playing list. He took over Cranbourne in a very similar situation to what we believe we are in right now, hopefully we can get similar results.”
O’Loughlin said Koop’s appointment would bring great excitement to the club.
“Of course it will create excitement, to bring someone of the stature of Doug Koop to Officer is going to bring real enthusiasm to the group. He came with a plan, he has a vision, and we’re more than happy with his appointment.”
O’Loughlin wanted to thank outgoing coach Brad Jones for his three years at the helm, saying: “Brad came in with the vision of improving the culture of this football club and has been successful in achieving that.”
