Picture: JAMES MURPHY
FALLING at the final hurdle last year, Gambier Centrals will be out with a vengeance when Limestone Coast soccer returns to the South East in the upcoming 2019 season.
The Lions will see a shuffle of management in the top-order, with David Beaman taking the reigns as coach of both the A Grade and Reserves.
He will take over from Nathan Fleetwood, who made an impact in his first year with the club.
Fleetwood will now focus more on playing, with the potential of an exciting new position in soccer in the region.
However, not too much should change from last year, as Beaman was on the scene in 2018 and was the decision-maker on the sidelines while Fleetwood was on the ground.
After living and coaching in Adelaide for 14 years, Beaman returned to Mount Gambier last year after retirement.
Before that, he was both a coach and player for Centrals and Apollo, before heading to the city in 2003.
But Beaman always had intentions to return to the Blue Lake city and said he looks forward to the season ahead.
“I was here last year and I have been around for a long time,” he said.
“It is not unfamiliar territory.
“Unfortunately Nathan has had to step down, he’s doing something else.
“But he is definitely going to be playing and I think he is a little bit more determined this year as a player to step up and take it one step further.”
In charge of both senior grades at this stage, Beaman said the plan is to have them both playing a similar brand of soccer.
But he will not be alone, with 2017 league best and fairest Cameron Saint taking on the assistant role in the Reserves and another assistant for A Grade in the works.
“Cameron has shown an interest in starting to coach – he is only 28,” Beaman said.
“He is club captain and he has put his hand up while myself and Nathan are still there to learn from.
“He will start in the Reserves with me and as the season progresses he will hopefully have taken over most of the role.”
Saint will also be a part of the leadership group for A Grade.
Though Beaman is excited for the season ahead, it will be his last year in a senior coaching position.
“I have already told the club this will be my last one,” he said.
“Next year I will focus on doing some junior stuff.”
Centrals showed it had the potential to go all the way last season, with a win over Inter in the qualifying final, but fell to the black and blue in the decider.
“It was disappointing,” Beaman said.
“The beginning of the season was a learning curve for us and new systems were put in place and we picked up a few players as the season went on.
“It was the end of the season and unfortunately we just did not quite get it right on the day.”
Like many clubs in the modern era, the team was complemented by its future stars, with plenty of junior talent in the lineup.
These players will be a focus again in 2019.
“Some of those lads are seniors this year,” Beaman said.
“Last year we were toiling between them playing Under 17’s and seniors.
“Brayden Coppick, Calen Sheedy and Rhyleigh Holands are all (permanent) seniors this year so it should be good.
“And Ronan Mckenzie, who did not play seniors last year, is now eligible for seniors so hopefully we can get him on track.
“He was in the premiership team (in 2016) as a 15 year old.”
Another aim for the season ahead is to return some of those players who were part of the 2016 premiership side to the lineup.
“There were a lot of players who left, still at a good age,” Beaman said.
“We brought some back last year and they played in the Reserves for a little while and they enjoyed it.
“There are a couple others who are coming back this year.”
Mitchell Cutting is one such player who has shown interest to return to the Lions’ den, while Beaman said there are one or two more who may also don the orange strips again.
In terms of losses, goal keeper James Kipping will be hard to replace, with talk he is returning to Inter this year.
“We still have a very good goal keeper in Steven Hughes who played last year in the Reserves and I think the hierarchy is looking for a possible replacement as well,” Beaman said.
A couple have been lost from Centrals 2018 Reserves champions, but the reigning premiers should remain competitive.
The club will kick off its pre-season on Januray 29, with Tuesdays and Fridays to be training nights and new players welcome to attend.
“We had a kick around last Friday, it was very spasmodically arranged, but we had 23 just on a Friday night,” Beaman said.
“So that is good at this stage.”
Centrals is sure to remain around the mark this year and should be raring to go when the Belgiorno Cup kicks off the season in a couple of months.
