Coach plans change from the bottom up

By David Nagel
BRENT CLINNICK will return to coach his home-club Devon Meadows next year after two seasons away coaching Poowong in the Ellinbank and District Football League.
Clinnick, 28, started his football journey in the Panthers’ under-12s and plans to bring a fresh new approach to last season’s wooden spooners.
“It’s a fresh approach right through the whole club, on and off the field,” Clinnick said. “We’ve got a young committee, young coaching staff and we’re gunna be backing the young kids on the field as well. For too long we’ve recruited name players instead of bringing the youth through, but that’s changing now, the committee like my ideas in that regard.We’ll give the kids a football education and see where it takes us.”
Devon Meadows face a tough challenge to improve in the Casey Cardinia Football League and have recently had talks with league officials about the possibility of switching back to the Nepean Football League. Clinnick has mixed views on the proposed change.
“We’re under no illusions about the challenges ahead, it is going to be tough,” he said
“Look its weight of numbers; we’re up against towns the size of Narre Warren and Cranbourne, it is hard to compete but you never want to give up.”
Clinnick will have the Panthers players back on the training track on Monday 21 November and the youthful committee has its big day on Wednesday 30 November for the club’s annual general meeting.