They say that change is needed when a team finishes with the wooden spoon and it is usually the coach that bears the brunt of it, but that is not the case with the Bellambi Rosellas, who have announced this week that they have re-signed their head coach Steve Dimitrievski for next season, despite the side being relegated to the District League.
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During a COVID-interrupted season, the side were hampered massively by injuries and illness, accompanied with the stop start nature to the campaign due to months of ongoing rain which almost threatened to derail the men's premiership.
The side started with 48 players registered across three grades, but during some weeks had only 19 fit bodies to select from on the weekend.
The Rosellas had a tough time of it in the Illawarra Premier League last season, picking up the solitary win, which came over Corrimal, in their 16 games, finishing with just 15 goals scored and 46 goals conceded.
The low point of the campaign for the side was an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Bulli, however the side were on the ends of other heavy defeats to Wollongong United, Coniston and South Coast United through the season.
By his own admission Dimitrievski said the side were not good enough in the IPL last season, but he told the Mercury that he is looking forward to leading a youthful team into a successful campaign next season.
"We had a very limited squad [last season]," he said.
"The pleasing thing is we gave a lot of young boys their chance in first grade and reserve grade this year and they did fantastically well in trying circumstances.
"I hope that a few boys hang around for next season but if they don't we will recruit a few young boys so we should be in good stead.
"I've already put the feelers out there and we're trying to get a few boys there.
"Obviously we need a few experienced boys there but I'm hoping a lot of them will stay on and support the club but there's no dramas with anyone if they want to persue a higher league, I'm all for it."
The side were the last District League side to be promoted to the IPL in 2019, before the COVID pandemic put a halt to promotion and relegation.
Dimitrievski said he is thrilled that the club have backed him and hopes to not only push for promotion next season, but unearth some new talent, something he prides himself on as a coach.
"I re-signed early and I had a couple of other opportunities but I think I'm doing the right thing by the club," he said.
"They have stood by me and at the end of the day, it's been a disrupted season and we never really got going.
"Out of the last 20 weeks of the season we probably trained four to six sessions so it's just unheard of and you can't just stop start like that.
They have stood by me and at the end of the day, it's been a disrupted season and we never really got going.
- Steve Dimitrievski
"I know other clubs got belted as well but we just didn't have that depth, experience or quality that we needed.
"I've already reached out to some of our youth grade boys from this season to sign them for first grade next season.
"Playing with the men [in District League first grade] is going to put them in good stead," he said.
Dimitrievksi brings a wealth of experience to the Rosellas. He played for the Wollongong Wolves at NSL level, where he was in the 2000/2001 squad that won the league.
He is a former U-20's Australian schoolboys captain and has coached in the IPL for Albion Park, Port Kembla and Bellambi since 2013.
He added he loved being involved with the people at the club and that was one of the reasons why he wanted to stay on for another year.
"We [the committee] met up last week and they are fantastic, the volunteers are excellent and the facilities are first class," he said.
"I've got no reason why I wouldn't stay on really."
The Rosellas will begin its pre-season before years-end.
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Jordan Warren
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
