SKIPTON president Graham Layley admits the club changed its mind on a senior coaching appointment after an “out of the blue” phone call from Adam Brookshaw.
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Brookshaw has signed a two-year deal with the Emus, which will see him take over at the helm for the 2015 and 2016 Central Highlands Football League seasons.
The 38-year-old arrives with a strong coaching background, which has included senior jobs at Glen Orden – where he was joint coach in the premiership year of 2006 – and Rockbank, where he served in 2010 and 2011.
Brookshaw, who was on Port Melbourne’s list as a young player, has also spent time as reserves coach at Werribee and as an assistant for the senior VFL side.
Layley told The Courier the club had all but settled on a replacement to former coach Matt Rea when Brookshaw called.
And after a couple of meetings, the Emus had found their man.
“I think if Adam had have rang two days later it would have been too late,” Layley admitted.
Layley said a non-playing coach had been on the club’s radar.
And Brookshaw, whose on-field career was cut short by two knee reconstructions, will be the club’s first non-playing leader since Garry Lofts in 1998.
“(That focus) was mainly because our playing group is so young and we just think a non-playing coach is going to be beneficial to those guys,” Layley said.
Brookshaw, who played a handful of games and was an assistant coach to Dale Schumann at Gordon more than a decade ago, said he was offered two senior positions within the Central Highlands competition, but had decided to go with Skipton because of the attitude of three young players that accompanied Layley to an initial meeting.
One of those, he said, was gun Emu Tyrone Ross.
“Those three kids sold me the dream,” Brookshaw, who admitted missing out on another CHFL coaching job, said.
Brookshaw said football wasn’t the only part of his role.
“If I can create a better man that becomes a good footballer, then that’s just as important to me,” he said.
“I’m so keen to get started. I can’t wait to meet all the boys. The committee and Graham have embraced me and my family with open arms.”
Brookshaw said his goal with Skipton – a team which won four games in 2014 – was simply to improve.
“I’m not going to put a cap on anything,” he said.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
