By Tara Murray
Mo Kaakour will step into the senior coaching role at Westmeadows next year.
Kaakour will replace Grant Smith, who after two seasons in charge of the Essendon District Football League division 1 club, had decided to step down.
Kaakour who joined the Tigers coaching panel earlier this season, said it was always the plan for him to take over from Smith, with one eye on the future of the club.
“It is exciting and there’s exciting times ahead,” he said.
“It was always planned and this season was more of a transition role. It has panned out the way we wanted it to.”
Kaakour has played a massive role at the Tigers this season, with Smith spending a lot of time interstate with work.
Smith, who is stepping back due to work commitments, has been spending Sundays to Thursdays interstate, leaving Kaakour to run a large part of the program.
“It was good for them to get used to my voice, the game plan and the structure,” he said.
“Obviously coming from a long way back, we needed a game plan and structure that you could use with the younger group.
“We finished bottom two last year… It’s been a good year so far.”
Having been an assistant coach elsewhere and a premiership winning under-19 coach, Kaakour brings plenty of experience to the role.
He said Smith and captain Robbie Castello had provided him with plenty of guidance in his first year back at the club, having been an assistant coach under David Connell.
Kaakour said it was an exciting time for the club, with a talented young playing list.
He said the goal was focused on moving into the premier division in the next couple of years.
“They are a good group,” he said.
“They’re young and talented and they want to learn.”
Kaakour’s focus in the short term is helping Smith hopefully guide the side into a finals series this year.
Westmeadows sit fourth, with Hillside a chance to go even on points if they win this week.
The Tigers have a bye, with Kaakour saying it come at a good time after a disappointing 12.10 (82)-6.6 (42) loss to East Keilor on the weekend.
“We’re not that far off,” he said. “We’ve got to regroup as we’re hit a wall on the weekend against East Keilor.
“Credit to them they played some good football. We’ve got to get back on the horse and find form again.”
