By RUSSELL BENNETT
FORMER Gembrook Cockatoo Football Club stalwart Steve Goodie is moving on with the next chapter of his footballing life – as the new coach of Southern Football League Division 3 side the Sandown Cobras.
The 44-year-old’s time in footy has been varied and successful as a player (around 400 games), coach (Level 2 accredited) and administrator (Brookers club president for a decade), bringing with him a wealth of experience on and off the field to assist the club as a whole to go to the next step.
He’ll make his first foray into the Southern Football League in 2015 when he takes the helm of the Springvale-based Cobras.
He has had stints at Eastern Football League powerhouse Vermont, Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup, Yarra Valley Mountain District Football league (YVMDFL) giants Upwey-Tecoma, ROC in Casey Cardinia, and Ellinbank and District club Cora Lynn. He’s a many-time premiership player and a five-time senior best and fairest award winner.
Cobras general manager Brett Phillips welcomed Goodie’s arrival, saying: “We are really pleased to have landed someone with the knowledge and experience of Steve Goodie, who has come highly recommended for his football nous, intellect and being a student of the game.
“I want to thank Phil Dickson, Mark Scott and Ross Tiller who joined me on the selection panel as we worked our way through a field of quality candidates over the last month.
“We went out to identify the most appropriate person to lead us through our next phase as a football club and we are confident Steve is the right man to deliver what we are after. Whilst his primary job and love is to coach, he will be a very valuable resource for us off field and will help us drive a number of initiatives to secure the club’s future.”
In accepting the position at the Cobras, Goodie said: “I am really looking forward to the challenge of taking the club to the next level, on the back of the work done on and off the field over the last few years, and really bringing together further the strength of numbers the club has had. I will be looking to bring an attractive modern brand of footy to advance the club forward.”
