After guiding Lake Albert to two premierships in three seasons, coach Craig Footman is looking for a new challenge.
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Initially signed to a three-year deal, Footman decided against putting his hand up for another season and won’t be at the helm as the Bulls look to back up their premiership success next year.
Instead he believes the time is right for a new person to step into the role.
“When you take on the role as a coach it is quite easy extending and extending, but the important thing for me is hopefully the legacy I would leave is structure,” Footman said.
“I think the boys understand that and there are times were a coach can overstay him or her welcome.
“What you are doing is not allowing those players to grow and sometimes a change of face actually reinvigorates the club and a fresh set of eyes come in.”
Footman helped Lake Albert end a 26-year premiership drought in their 125th year, but he didn’t want to get too stale and let the playing group experience a new style of coaching.
“The easy thing would be to have another go, but I think it’s time for the boys to stand on their own two feet,” Footman said.
Footman also wants to concentrate of his junior cricket coaching business.
He believes not being a part of one club will help develop it further in the Riverina.
“It takes a bit of a priority for me at the moment but I have enjoyed my time at Lake Albert,” he said.
While the two premierships are the obvious high, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
There was plenty of controversy in his first season at the helm with the covers debate from their clash with South Wagga.
The Bulls also struggled to defend their title in the 2016-17 season and missed the finals.
Footman rues how the Bulls couldn’t win a club championship during his time there, but remains proud of what the club has achieved with him there.
“The last three years have been amazing and I have learnt more from club-land than I would have ever expected to learn,” he said.
Lake Albert vice president Simon Blacka thanked Footman for his large contribution to the club.
“We wish him well and he’s done really well,” Blacka said.
The Bulls are also on the hunt for a new captain with Alex Smeeth set to move away before the start of next season.
However Footman doesn’t believe there will be too many more changes to the side won the premiership after a rain interrupted grand final against South Wagga.
