Words: Staff Writers
Image: Albert Perez/Football Queensland

Brisbane Strikers have announced Kevin A’herne-Evans will return as head coach until the end of the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland 2017 season.

The Welshman has agreed to a two-year deal with Strikers, who he guided to their first ever PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Grand Final in his first season with the club in 2015.

A’herne-Evans previously coached Strikers’ PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland rivals Sunshine Coast FC after a high profile playing career in the United Kingdom.

He has won more than half of his 70 matches as a coach across both clubs since the launch of PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland in 2013.

A’herne-Evans said he was delighted be part of Strikers for another two seasons and that his short-term intention were to start moulding his squad for the 2016 campaign - including some possible new recruits.

“There are a couple of players that have shown an intention to want to come and play for us that’s perfect for us,” he explained

“It’s that kind of environment that we want to create - where we are not the ones going out and chasing players with cap in hand.”

“We want players to come to us because they clearly identify that when they come to play for the Brisbane Strikers it’s a completely different aura and expectation around it in professionalism and standards."

A’herne-Evans added that he intends to integrate into the senior set-up a high performance unit that commenced working with the club’s youth and junior ranks this year.

“When players get into the senior ranks it doesn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, mean they are finished in their football development,” he explained.

“And that’s what possibly holds us apart from some of the other clubs – the care and detail that we want to put into the place to make sure that we create the best environment possible to make them the best players possible,” A’herne-Evans concluded.

Strikers Chairman Bruce Atterton-Evans said the club's board had concluded A’herne-Evans was the right person for the role - which includes a strong focus on promoting young players to the senior set-up.

“We’ve looked at everything, and at what we want to implement for the progress of our young players and, in the senior squad, we think we need some stability – another couple of years - to bring them to fruition,” he explained.

“We’ve been pleased with the results Kevin has achieved since his initial appointment and the Board is looking forward to just how much Kevin and his senior coaching team can achieve in the future,” Atterton-Evans concluded.