Recently appointed Boroondara Eagles coach Shaun Ontong says he is ready to hit the ground running at his new club.
The former A-League player and assistant coach at Dempo S.C in India takes the reigns from Fil Simao, who was forced to step aside due to increased work commitments away from football.
The 28-year-old said that when the club – which he had previously coached at – contacted him about the vacant position, he had no second thoughts about accepting the opportunity.
“I knew [technical director] Manny Kotroulis and [club president] Graeme Smith previously when I was working down in Melbourne a year ago now, I was doing some specialised coaching with some of their groups of players,” he said.
“On a weekday they were doing some technical work and stuff like that, so that’s how I knew them already at the club and that’s how I was linked with them when coming back from overseas.
It’s been a whirlwind footballing journey already for the former young Socceroos captain, whose playing career – spanning Adelaide United, Newcastle Jets and Oakleigh Cannons – was cut short due to injury, before he took up coaching and spent time last year as former Oakleigh colleague Arthur Papas’ assistant at Dempo S.C.
“[Injuries] had a big part, it’s why I stopped playing with all the injuries and that, but I still wanted to be involved in football and I enjoy coaching,” he said.
“I’ve been in India for about the last 10 months to a year with head coach Arthur Papas, working with him doing video analysis work and coaching with him there.
“There’s demand and pressure to do well there, so it’s very similar in that sense to any Australian league, but it’s a different footballing culture there and culture in itself.
It was a matter of right place, right time for Ontong upon his return, who was working at Maribyrnong Sports College before being approached by Eagles Technical Director Manny Kotroulis about the vacant head coaching role.
“My main reason to move to india was to work with Arthur, and with him moving back, for me it was time to come back as well,” he said.
“I wasn’t really in contact with other clubs, I was back and working with Maribyrnong Sports College, that’s the main reason I moved to Melbourne and then I got this opportunity just came up.
“I’ve had a couple of sessions with them, so I’ve met most of the girls down there so we’ll see how we go.”
Despite having a short time to acquaint himself with the league and his squad, the new coach is confident he can lead the Eagles to success.
“I’ve obviously been doing research about the league and its players and structure, I don’t know a lot, but I’m learning as we go along,” he said.
“Boroondara had a successful season there, so success is building a good culture there with the first team and improving the girls and having a successful season in that sense.
“But finals is a big goal this year, we want to be involved in finals football.”
Club technical director Manny Kotroulis said Ontong was the first name on the club’s wishlist and believed the young coach was the best man to take the club forward.
“I know Shaun quite well from when he was last in Melbourne at Oakleigh Cannons, through that I had him do a little bit of specialised coaching at Boroondara Eagles,” he said.
“The strong association stems from last year and as a result of seeing his work and being very impressed with him, and when I was aware Shaun was back in Melbourne for me there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this person was who I wanted to bring in.
“The feedback has been fantastic, the girls are happy with the content used at training and how he goes about his business, it’s been no surprise to me that he’s a very good coach.”
Ontong will face a tough initiation into the WPL, with his Eagles taking on ladder leaders South Melbourne on Sunday.