By Tara Murray
Hillside coach Steve Burns has decided his time as the Sharks coach will finish at the end of this year’s Essendon District Football League division 1 season.
Burns, who is in his fifth year of coach of the side, admits he had made the decision at the end of last year, that this would be his last season as coach of Hillside.
He said he felt the time was right to have a break from coaching, having coached Taylors Lakes and then Hillside for the past 13 years.
“I sat down with the president Scott Marsden [last year] and said that I wanted one more year,” he said.
“I wanted to get right the stuff that we didn’t get right last season.
“It will be a three to four year period needed with this group and I thought I wouldn’t be able to do that.
“Scott came to me recently to see I had changed my mind, I hadn’t.”
Burns said while he was enjoying game day and working with a young group, he was starting to struggle with the grind of going to training every week.
He said if they could keep the playing group together, the next coach would be very lucky.
“We had 16 guys under-22 against Tullamarine,” he said.
“They’re playing so well and following the instructions and rules. It’s been really good and I’m glad that I stayed the extra year.
“They’re making it hard for me [to walk away].
Burns said he was unsure if he would coach again and said it would be weird not to be thinking of football all the time.
He joked that his wife might be ready to kick him out of the house after three months.
“It might only take three months for me to want to coach again, or I might not want to coach again.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be interesting to see how I cope.”
The Sharks currently sit fifth, one game outside the top four.
Burns said that while finals were still the aim, the main focus was the increased improvement in the group.
Sharks president Scott Marsden said he had been in conversations with Burns over recent months about Burn’s coaching future.
He said the players told about the decision a few weeks ago.
“Steve has been really good and brought a good culture to the club,” he said.
“He feels the time is now for the club to have a new voice and I agree with him. Five years as a club as a senior coach is a long time.”
Marsden said they were thankful of the contribution that Burns has had at the club.
The Sharks have played division 1 finals the last two years and were five points off a grand final last year.
“He has driven the football club like his own baby,” he said.
“He’s laid the foundations and supported the juniors really well.
“It’s really fitting he could make the call to step back.”
Hillside has already advertised the coaching position for next season. Marsden said they wanted to get in early to try and get the best coach available.
“We want someone who can develop the team,” he said.
“We want someone who can take us to premier division and to build on the current culture.”
For more details on the coaching role, http://ow.ly/xQRF50uRjCl
