Shepparton South Soccer Club has made a coaching change ahead of season 2025.
The Bendigo Amateur Soccer League side is installing its third head coach in as many seasons after a 2024 senior campaign that only got tougher as it went along.
Replacing previous boss Lewis Coyle will be Luke Viney as South, much like the rest of the competition, continues turning stones and seeking avenues to stop the dominance of rival Tatura.
The defender made 12 league appearances in 2024 as well as playing all three league cup fixtures, though he was a substitute in the elimination final win over Epsom and the heavy 4-1 defeat to the Ibises in a semi.
He’s no stranger to the surroundings and was more than happy to assume the top job.
“I’ve been around the club for two years now,” Viney said.
“I coached the under-14s in my first year, then the under-16 and reserves sides in my second year. They approached me to see if I could play when I first came over here, but one of my main objectives was to coach as well as play.
“I had a phone call with (president Gino Cirillo) and he asked if I’d be interested in putting my name forward. Everything just fell in line after the previous two seasons and I was more than happy to take it.
“I’m very excited to get started and I feel like this is a good time to step in, going through a transition period.”
It proved a difficult campaign on the defensive end with South boasting no clean sheets and conceding one goal on just a single occasion, leaking exactly four in all but one of its final five league outings this year.
Viney is happy to explore incoming personnel, but has already formed his long-term view of the club’s future.
“I felt we had a few issues this year that we’d like to work on, but we had a lot of youth brought through without an established senior side,” Viney said.
“I want to try and build on what we already have, but we want to promote the youth and get them through.
“Our main aim is to get through this patch with some experience over the next couple of years, but I want youth to be our focus in the senior squad.
“I feel like I’ve got something to bring to the table and I feel we’ll be a team to be reckoned with. I wasn’t expecting it to come this soon, but I’m very comfortable with any coaching role and was keen to take this with both hands.”