RETURNING Warrnambool Rangers mentor Cameron Pyke is eager to invest in the next generation of stars rising through the club’s ranks.
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The 26-year-old, who coached the club in 2017, returns to the role following former manager Rob Andrews returned to Perth after leading the Rangers to Ballarat and District Soccer Association glory in his first and only season at the helm.
But the Commonwealth Bank employee, who will return to goal keeping duties after the departure of Cameron Jennings, wasn’t fazed by the task of leading the club to hopeful back-to-back titles or changing his side.
Instead the focus for him and new playing-assistant Ryan Bail was youth.
“We have a few younger players who we are really excited about and having coached them last year it’s a good progression to keep them going,” he said.
“We will play pretty similar to how we did last year and we have a lot of the guys coming back to defend the title and we won’t change a lot.
“It’s good because we get that continuity and we can add a few younger players to get them experience.”
Pyke said 19-year-old Bail, who was one of the Rangers’ top scorers in their drive to title success last season, would be taking a more hands-on approach this season as he looks to improve his coaching skills.
“He has done a lot of training at higher level with FC 11 course and playing at NPL (National Premier League) level and coming back to Warrnambool,” he said.
“His experience just by doing things should be good to pass onto the younger kids of ‘This is what you can do if you want to go further’.
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
