Coach demands hard work

Incoming Rockingham City coach Tim Slack has promised to forge the club’s 2013 season on commitment, hard work and loyalty and says no player will receive a starting position based on reputation.

Slack, who oversaw pre-season training at Lark Hill at the weekend, will take control of the first and reserve teams, as well as the region’s development squad.

An uncompromising player whose resume includes stints in England, the United States, Malaysia and Australia, Slack has promised to bring the same attitude which defined his career to his new role as coach.

“It’s the ones who get down and put in the hard yards and really knuckle down, who’ll get the opportunities,” Slack said.

“I’ll be keeping an open-door policy where players can come in and hopefully prove themselves.

“You might not be the most skilful player, but if you’ve got self-discipline and you do the right thing by the team, then you’re going to get an opportunity.

“That’s the sought of ethos I had as a player and it’s what I hope to pass onto the players.

“The best coaches for me were the ones who were really approachable, but at the same time wanted you to work hard.”

Slack was a talent scout with former English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers for three years, a youth coach at League One side Oldham Athletic and a former State junior coach.

He joined Rockingham City as a player in 1990, shortly after a professional spell in Malaysia.

The striker later played for a host of Perth clubs, including Fremantle Benfica, Bassendean Caledonia, Osborne Park, Kwinana and Kelmscott.

Rockingham will launch preparations for the 2013 season against Fremantle in next month’s Football West Night Series.

The side is also pitted against regional rivals Mandurah and Premier League side Bunbury Forum Force in the group stage.

Far from seeing the series as a warm-up tournament, Slack wants his side to be approaching full fitness for the opening game against Fremantle on January 25.

“I think some managers use the Night Series as way to get ready for the season, but I think really you should have started preparing well before that,” he said.

“We might not be 100 per cent at the start of the series, but we at least want to be well prepared.”

Asked what game style he would look to bring to Rockingham, Slack replied:

“It’s nice to get the ball on the ground and play football.

“If we can do that and play through midfield, that’s great, and if we can go wide and down the wings, that’s great as well.

“But at the end of the day, we all want to play like Barcelona, but we’re in a results-based competition and it’s all about getting results.

“I’m sure the committee at Rockingham would rather me win 70 per cent of the games 1-0 perhaps not playing absolutely brilliant football.”

President Brian Kennedy said Slack’s appointment formed part of the club’s push to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2006.

“We’ve got a three-year plan and Tim’s got a three-year contract and within that time we’d expect to be pushing for promotion,” Kennedy said.

“Next season will be about trying to get into the top half of the league, then it’ll be about consolidating that position and hopefully gaining promotion in the future.”