Newly appointed Jets coach Gary van Egmond is looking forward to his return to the Newcastle Jets, which officially starts on Monday.
Newly appointed Jets coach Gary van Egmond is looking forward to his return to the Newcastle Jets, which officially starts on Monday.
“I feel very privileged to come back and have a second opportunity coaching the Newcastle Jets,” van Egmond said in the press conference on Thursday.
“A lot of people advised me that it-s not advisable to go back to a club that you-ve been to before but I don-t see it as the same club. I see it as a totally different club.
“I see a completely different administration, completely different as far as the outlook for the football club is concerned.
“There-s stability within the club now, which from a sense of administration, from a sense of commercial, is not comparable. The opportunity to, not only with the football team but the whole community, to build something here is looking very, very favourable.”
Returning to the Jets wasn-t about an easy decision but the right decision for van Egmond.
“I don-t know how you guys feel but when I drive over the Swansea Bridge for me it feels like I-m home,– van Egmond added.
“I have that feeling here. It was very important that it wasn-t convenient for me. It wasn-t a convenient decision.
“It was one that I felt was the best coaching position to do, and for me that was very important.”
Van Egmond believes his role at the Jets isn’t just about coaching the A-League side.
“I-m not just going to be a person who is within the Newcastle Jets- first-grade squad,” he said.
‘‘I will be looking to get involved with the Jets- youth team, looking to get involved with the coaching of coaches and definitely forging a real tight relationship with Northern NSW Football Federation as far as their coaching is concerned.”
Van Egmond will watch Sunday-s game from the stands before commencing his new role with the Jets on Monday.
