The former Manchester United reserves player officially assumed the mantle at the club yesterday following a successful campaign under predecessor Brett Wallin.

Marsh remains realistic about the challenge of maintaining the quality of a side which has won the past three NSW Premier League titles, but believes he can extract more improvement.

"I certainly have a long-term vision and a long-term plan to stay with the Stingrays for some time," said Marsh, the father of regular first-grader Jordan.

"I'm pretty fortunate that my daughter actually plays in the first team and I've taken the opportunity to watch the team play week in, week out."

The Camden-based coach has shifted much of the onus on the players themselves to succeed, counting on crucial lessons learned during his time coaching in Australia and abroad.

"I was privileged to play in Manchester United's B team when I was 17 years old, was never quite good enough frankly, and that's the reason I moved into coaching," Marsh said.

"Since coming to Australia [in 1997], I've coached at the Institute of Sport where I helped some young Matildas players in that program, and then moved onto the Marconi Stallions where I helped the women's program there ... winning the women's premier league and championship twice."

Marsh lauded the club on its new academy for nurturing young players and he believes it's only a matter of time before the region boasts a W-League team.

"This is the important thing we need to provide in the Illawarra; stepping stones for young players to aspire to playing at the highest possible level, not only within the region but nationally as well," he said.

"I'm continuing to look at the potential of major signings ... certainly at international level."

The Stingrays took another major step in securing their long-term future yesterday by agreeing terms on a two-year major sponsorship deal with Collegians Rugby League Football Club.

Collegians CEO Michael Wilkins said he expected the deal to allow the Stingrays to continue expanding the region's W-League credentials.