Woombye Snakes technical director Gareth Thomson says new coach Matt Park has rejuvenated the soccer club’s premier men’s team and he expects them to re-emerge as a contender in this year’s Sunshine Coast competition.
The Snakes were a force from 2009 to 2016, winning three grand finals and a regular season premiership.
But they’ve struggled to make an impact in recent years and finished last of nine teams in 2020.
The appointments of Thomson, who coached Sunshine Coast Fire in the state second tier, and Park, a successful player and coach, are set to propel the team back into the mix.
“The pre-season has been fantastic,” Thomson said.
“We’re working really hard to play some good football and we’re heading in the right direction with the youth teams and the senior teams,” he said.
“Matt’s really experienced, and he’s breathed some fresh life into the team.
“He’s doing a fantastic job.”
Park represented Australia at under-17 level and played professionally in Scotland. Most recently, he coached Victorian side Myrtleford in the Albury-Wodonga league.
“He was pretty successful and now he’s keen to work with Woombye and help us develop,” Thomson said.
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He said they linked with the Snakes because of the culture there and because of the opportunities to forge an affordable, high-quality program and pathway for players.
Thomson comes to the club with plenty of experience, after working within Celtic FC’s development centre and holding academy coaching roles at Dumbarton FC and Queens Park.
He then moved to New Zealand and was head of youth teams at Tauranga City FC, before relocating to the Sunshine Coast, where he was technical director and then coach at the Fire.
He is now helping to build the Snakes’ academy, with two youth teams training three times a week.
Strong squad building
And the men’s squad has had more than 40 players at training.
“A lot of players have returned, who were here previously when the club was successful,” Thomson said.
Woombye boast the likes of sharp-shooter Luke Alderson, ex-Fire player Alex Newcome and former Snakes player Nick Close.
“We want to be around the middle (of the table) but hopefully higher,” Thomson said.
“We want to re-establish ourselves in the local league and then we want to develop our own players and build a young first team.”
The Snakes have had two trials at Woombye, including a 2-2 draw with Brisbane suburban team North Pine and a 1-0 loss to state league team Sunshine Coast Wanderers.
The Sunshine Coast league foundation club of 1968 is also set to field women’s teams in division two and three.
“They’ve had great numbers at training,” Thomson said.
