Mario Bandera has been appointed as senior coach of the Eltham Football Club for season 2014.
Bandera has coached Epping for the previous four seasons, guiding the club to the 2012 Division 2 premiership.
Despite being relegated from the top flight at the conclusion of the 2013 home and away season, the Blues were highly competitive and recorded four wins for the year.
In a statement release on the club’s website, Eltham said it was thrilled with the appointment of Bandera as senior coach.
“It is with great pleasure and excitement that the Eltham Football Club announces the appointment of Mario Bandera as senior coach for season 2014,” the statement read.
“The coaching appointment panel – comprised of the president, vice president, captain and vice captain – was extremely impressed by Mario’s professional presentation, experience, philosophy and his enthusiasm to add several significant recruits to our current exciting list.
“Based on the current demographic of our playing list – highlighted by the improved performance of all our teams this year and the expected continued improvement in professionalism and commitment by each individual player – the club now believes we have the opportunity to enter a success window."
Eltham was the only club in the league to have each of its three senior teams (seniors, reserves and under-19s) feature in the Division 1 finals in 2013.
The club has arranged a meet the coach night for all senior, reserves and under-19 players at the clubrooms next Wednesday, October 2 at 7pm. There, Bandera will detail his plans for the upcoming 2014 season, including the pre-season training program.
Bandera replaces Brett Weatherald who coached the Panthers over the past two years but decided not to re-apply for the coaching position.
