Chris McLaren said the time was right for Koroit to bring in an outside coach.
KOROIT'S outgoing leader Chris McLaren says he will coach again one day but his beloved Saints need a fresh outlook.
McLaren, who in his two years at the helm took Koroit to a preliminary final in 2011 and the elimination final on Sunday, said he was disappointed he had not been able to lift Koroit into a grand final.
"Footy is all about premierships," he said after the Saints' season ended on Sunday with a 15-point loss to North Warrnambool Eagles.
"That's why we play the game. It's something that will eat away at me (not winning a premiership) if I don't ever coach again. But I think I will coach again at some stage. I haven't lost the desire."
McLaren said the time was right for Koroit to bring in an outside coach, former Terang Mortlake and Warrnambool premiership coach Adam Dowie.
McLaren said he would measure his success on the development of some players in the past two years.
"I look at where players like Benny Walsh have come from, Marty Gleeson and Haydn Drew. I think there are some boys who are better players than they were a couple of years ago.
"I think there were seven or eight in the team today who played in last year's reserves grand final side. All those guys were branded as reserves players and now they have kicked on and hold their own," he said.
McLaren intends playing on with Koroit next season but admitted his limited time on the field in the past two years while coach had contributed to him suggesting the Saints look for a coach from outside the club.
The Saints' reserves also lost an elimination final on Sunday, meaning new coach Dowie can get to work, with all the club's football sides now finished.
grbest@standard.fairfax.com.au