New Beerwah Glasshouse coach Marco Fichtner is determined to steer the side into finals this year, with the ultimate aim to help the club win a long-awaited title.
The German has made an impact as a player at Beegees for the past two seasons but is now ready to take the reins, following the departure of Daniel Carew.
The latter helped the Green Machine re-emerge as a contender on the Sunshine Coast, after years of struggle, and Fichtner is eager to continue the momentum.
“With the ideas we have and hopefully with the quality of personnel we can re-sign or bring in, we hope to achieve at least top four (this year),” he said.
“I think Daniel created a great foundation and I’m here to finish his project, which is, hopefully, winning the league.”
Beerwah Glasshouse have won more titles (15) than any other club in the division, but they haven’t tasted success since 1998.
They’ve been thereabouts in recent seasons, including second place in the premiership in 2020.
Impressive football background
Fichtner will player/coach the team and compatriot Daniel Maher will manage game day proceedings from the sideline while he is recovering from a serious knee injury.
He coached at the youth level in Germany, where he also played in the lower leagues as a semi-professional.
Fichtner spent five years in Iowa, United States, where he had success as a high school coach and played for Mount Mercy University in inter-collegiate competition.
He moved to the Sunshine Coast a few years ago.
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Building a strong squad
Fichtner is now busy recruiting players.
“We’ve started to have a few conversations with players and we’re hoping to retain the likes of Ryan Mawditt and Lachlan Kelly,” he said.
“We’ve also started conversations with other players who are wanted around the Coast.”
He said he wants the club to be favoured by players.
“We want to send a message out there, that hopefully people are aware that the Gees won’t have an exodus of players, we’re hoping to be a destination for players.
“Hopefully, we’ll attract people with the same idea that DK (Carew) had, to play attractive offensive football and keep pushing young people through the ranks … to play higher up the ranks in Australia.”
The season is set to start in March.
Meanwhile, Carew will coach Sunshine Coast Fire in the state’s second tier competition.
