South Morang club legend Gary Hall will coach the club’s senior side for the rest of the Northern Football League division 3 season.
The Lions announced to the playing group on Monday night that Hall would take over the role from Dean Grainger. The club parted ways with the second year coach on Sunday.
Lions’ senior president Alex Dayoub said the decision to change coaches wasn’t a results based decision, but one about the future direction the club heading forward.
He said the club was still in a good place on and off the field.
The Lions are 3-1 after four rounds. Grainger took the side to a preliminary final last season.
“I’ve come in as a new president and we have a vision that we wanted to introduce,” he said.
“We [the committee and Dean] didn’t seem to be on the same page and didn’t see eye to eye on a few things so we made the decision.
“It was nothing against Dean and his coaching. We’re just on different terms on where we want to go.”
Dayoub said Hall, who had coached at both senior and junior level, was respected by the playing group.
“Gary is a life member at the club,” he said. “He’s down at the club nearly week watching.
“We wanted to have stability going forward and the playing group is comfortable for him. He’s coached several of the boys at junior level.”
Dayoub said he didn’t expect any departures after the change of coach. He said the players just wanted to get on and focus on playing.”
The Lions next match is on April 20 against Reservoir.
