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Melton South dumps coach
Friday, 28 July 2006
MELTON South has dumped coach Julian Shanks with only five games remaining in the Ballarat Football League season.
Club president Devon Sproule confirmed last night that Shanks had been sacked and would not see out his first year at the helm.
Shanks, who earlier this month said he wanted to stay at Melton South for another two or three years, declined to comment last night.
The Panthers have appointed reserves coach Travis Chapman to the senior post for the rest of the season and for next year.
Mr Sproule said a "mutual" decision was made to part company with Shanks because the "marriage' was under strain.
"It's just like a marriage that didn't work," he said.
"A mutual agreement has been made with both parties and both have left with a mutual respect."
Shanks' season with Melton South had been anything but a honeymoon.
The Panthers, who played in the elimination final last year, have managed only two wins.
In a The Courier interview earlier this month Shanks said he had found the going tough as the replacement to Melton South's favourite son Matthew Sproule - the president's son.
"It has been tough, but what I say to people is don't judge me over 10 games, judge me over a couple of years," he said.
The past Melton premiership captain and Williamstown star of the 1990s admitted he had felt like an outsider coming into the club.
But he was confident that the side's on-field improvement in the second half of the season - including a win against Sebastopol and a draw with Melton - was proof he could take it further.
"I want to plant my feet here for two or three years ... because we're working our backsides off to get the club going in the right direction" Shanks said.
Mr Sproule said the team's poor on-field return was not the main reason for yesterday's decision.
"There's probably a number of things. I don't want to go any further into that," he said.
"He didn't get as much out of it just as we didn't get as much out of it.
"We left on good terms and that's the way we want to keep it. He's welcome back any time."
Mr Sproule said the appointment of Chapman was a popular decision.
Melton South dumps coach
Friday, 28 July 2006
MELTON South has dumped coach Julian Shanks with only five games remaining in the Ballarat Football League season.
Club president Devon Sproule confirmed last night that Shanks had been sacked and would not see out his first year at the helm.
Shanks, who earlier this month said he wanted to stay at Melton South for another two or three years, declined to comment last night.
The Panthers have appointed reserves coach Travis Chapman to the senior post for the rest of the season and for next year.
Mr Sproule said a "mutual" decision was made to part company with Shanks because the "marriage' was under strain.
"It's just like a marriage that didn't work," he said.
"A mutual agreement has been made with both parties and both have left with a mutual respect."
Shanks' season with Melton South had been anything but a honeymoon.
The Panthers, who played in the elimination final last year, have managed only two wins.
In a The Courier interview earlier this month Shanks said he had found the going tough as the replacement to Melton South's favourite son Matthew Sproule - the president's son.
"It has been tough, but what I say to people is don't judge me over 10 games, judge me over a couple of years," he said.
The past Melton premiership captain and Williamstown star of the 1990s admitted he had felt like an outsider coming into the club.
But he was confident that the side's on-field improvement in the second half of the season - including a win against Sebastopol and a draw with Melton - was proof he could take it further.
"I want to plant my feet here for two or three years ... because we're working our backsides off to get the club going in the right direction" Shanks said.
Mr Sproule said the team's poor on-field return was not the main reason for yesterday's decision.
"There's probably a number of things. I don't want to go any further into that," he said.
"He didn't get as much out of it just as we didn't get as much out of it.
"We left on good terms and that's the way we want to keep it. He's welcome back any time."
Mr Sproule said the appointment of Chapman was a popular decision.
