The 24-year-old takes over as senior coach at Main Street Reserve following four tough seasons which have seen the once Division 1 club fall into Division 3 for the first time in its history.
But rather than dwell on the disappointments of the past, Krstevski chooses to look to the club’s future with optimism.
“I sort of see going down to Division 3 as an opportunity for the club to rebuild and establish itself back in the Northern Football League,” Krstevski told NFL.org.au.
“It was very disappointing that the club went down but when you look at the bigger picture it brings the opportunity to win a lot more games in Division 3 and actually get that winning feeling back in the place.
“Hopefully we can now get back people who have supported us in the past.”
Thomastown has won just 13 matches since defeating Macleod in the 2008 Division 2 Grand Final.
It was relegated in its first season in Division 1 following a winless 2009 before winning just five, five and three games respectively in each of its three years in the second division – culminating in a last-place finish in 2012 and demotion to Division 3.
Krstevski said one of his first objectives as coach was to instil a winning culture that had eluded the club of late, but was wary to depict any misconception that a drop to Division 3 would bring immediate success.
“We’re not going to just come down to Division 3 and have the flag given to us,” he said.
“There are other sides out there that have been in Division 3 for a couple of years who understand what it’s all about. It’s a different style of footy altogether and we now become the hunted whereas in the last couple of years we were the side who wanted to beat everyone else.”
A teachers’ aide at Lalor Secondary College, Krstevski took over as senior coach following George Lattouf’s departure to Parkside after two seasons in the top job.
He won’t turn 25 until early next year but dismisses any suggestions he is too young to be a senior coach, believing his teaching background holds him in good stead for the new challenge.
“I’m really big on being very organised. Our whole pre-season structure has been planned so players get an understanding on how everything is going to work,” he said.
“It’s been a really good start and I’ve had a lot of support from the guys at the club and we’ve started really well.
“We started training on November 19 and numbers have been pretty good. Over the first three sessions we had 60 different blokes train so we’ve had some really good numbers at training.”
Krstevski’s love for the game began as a youngster playing with Lalor Junior Football Club but his playing days were cut short when he tore his ACL as a 17-year-old.
Rather than give the game away, he ventured into the coach’s box.
In 2008 he took charge of Lalor’s under-17s and guided the side to the premiership in his third season at the helm before joining Thomastown in 2011 as under-19s coach.
“When I first got to the club in 2011 the big thing was to change the culture of the under-19s at that stage,” he said. “My main goal when I took over was to get that winning feeling back at under-19s level.”
Thomastown’s under-19s finished in second place on the ladder in 2011 but were bundled out of the finals in straight sets. However, they reversed their fortunes this season when they surprised Diamond Creek in the Grand Final to claim the premiership.
Krstevski said it was important those youngsters now got their opportunity at senior level to help build a successful new era at the Thomastown Football Club.
“We’ve got some good young kids coming though which I am going to push through,” he said.
“I understand that it is very important to start blooding these young kids and over the next couple of seasons trying to get 30 or so games into them so they can get good senior experience under their belt.”
The rookie coach earmarked under-19s captain James Mercuri and fellow youngsters Nathan Sammit and Steven Cadby as players who would play regular senior football in 2013.
He also revealed the club had already made three off-season signings with Glenn Holmes (Lalor), Tristain Harrower (Glenroy) and Adem Bektash (Glenordan) all committing to the Bears for next season.
The vast majority of Thomastown’s 2012 senior list will also continue with the club, with Michael Thompson the only likely departure after the ruckman opted to follow former coach Lattouf to Parkside.
Krstevski confirmed Michael Manley would retain the captaincy and will also take on the added responsibility of playing assistant.Krstevski said Manley had already been a tremendous support off the field, along with fellow assistant coaches Pino Furlano and Tony Cupo.
Manley missed almost the entire 2012 season after severely injuring his shoulder against North Heidelberg in Round 4 and is itching to return to the playing field, according to his new coach.
“He wants to see the side succeed,” Krstevski said.
“But as the old cliché goes, we have to take it game by game and do a big pre-season.
“I’m very confident that if our structures hold up we can be very successful but we need to make sure that all the players understand our game plan and the whole club need to be on the same page and have that common goal of winning games.”
