AFTER an “underachieving” season, Bayswater City coach Chris Coyne says his team will enjoy a seven-week break before returning to Frank Drago Reserve in mid-November to prepare for 2017.
Coyne said he and the players were disappointed with their NPL WA season, which saw them finish fifth on the ladder and miss the end of season Top Four Cup.
“We are not playing finals football for the first time in five years and that is not acceptable at a club with the ambition and status of Bayswater,” he said.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“We had the best team and played the best brand of football but when the run in came we were caught short when we needed to do things properly. We lost the desire and stopped doing the one percenters that win you championships.
“We as a coaching staff need to take the blame, we should have made changes and freshened things up slightly but what it has done is educated us and we will be better for it next year.”
Coyne said winning the Night Series at the start of the season was a highlight but the season contained more lows than highs.
“Also the fact we got the chance to put some of the younger boys in for extended spells which will aid there overall development for next year,” he said.
“Lows were numerous, losing a five point lead at the top, serious injuries to Hayden Doyle and Jack Allen and not making the top five.”
Coyne said players would come back from their break ready for the pre-season.
“We will have a number of players back year and we will definitely have the boys in better physical and mental shape,” he said.
“The players will be doing a lot of strength and conditioning work along with the football fitness that I believe in so they will be bigger, faster and stronger next year to be able to mount a massive challenge for all honours next year.”
In terms of bringing fresh faces, Coyne said the club would be “very active” in recruiting to strengthen the squad.
“We need to evolve and get better as a club and a group but that is not to say that we will look to release players as we are more than happy with the group we have got,” he said.
“We will add to that group to make it stronger.”