DAVID WEINER

HAKOAH-MACCABI has promoted reserve grade coach Paul Watkins to the first grade position for 2010.

Watkins, 42, is no stranger to the club, having assisted Andrew Prentice in 2009.

Senior club president Jon Pillemer told The AJN that the players’ high regard for Watkins was a key factor in his appointment.

“Originally the club was considering whether we go for a marquee coach,” he said.

“I believe we could’ve attracted the big name that everyone would have known … but the key criteria was ensuring we were making the right long-term decision in terms of a coach who had the respect of the players and who we felt could take us to the next level. Sometimes you can look at all these names, but the best candidate is under your nose.”

Watkins, who enjoyed a distinguished career in NSW state leagues including two years as Ryde City’s club captain, is relishing the opportunity to begin his first foray into first team coaching.

“With the way the club is looking to go forward, it is a good way to start a coaching career in first grade,” Watkins told The AJN.

“There will be a fair level of support given to the YDL [Youth Development League] and seniors, [who are] now combined on the one day.”

Watkins will be responsible for blooding the right players from the YDL into senior football and will liaise closely with the junior sides.

His nurturing of young players in the club’s reserve grade side in 2009 caught the eye of the committee, and he said continuing that process was one of the attractions of the job.

“Working with some of the younger guys coming through -– you get to have some influence over young guys with a bit of talent and potential,” said Watkins.

“There’s also plenty of experience in the squad and it’s going to be good to be working with them. They take some of the burden off you in the leadership aspect.”

This past year has been a well-documented disappointment for the side. Pillemer hopes Watkins’ appointment will provide a clean slate for the players, revive the stalwarts, and also continue to attract the best Jewish talent to trial for spots in the squad.

“We certainly hope it’ll make players excited about the new season,” Pillemer said. “Hopefully it’ll freshen things up, but it also puts them [the players] on notice. Positions are up for grabs.”

Watkins, who was brought to the club by former teammate Prentice, has set a top-half finish as a “minimum expectation”, but with the quality players he believes he will have, he said it is a “reasonable expectation” to aim for the finals.