The former Golden Square premiership coach and Bendigo Pioneers assistant will work with head coach Aussie Jones at the VFL club, it was announced yesterday.

While he’s under no illusions about the size of the task ahead in the Gold’s first season since severing ties with Essendon, Adamson is looking forward to the challenge.

“That’s what I’m keen about really, you just don’t get these opportunities at this level to get in on the ground floor at what’s essentially a new club,” Adamson said.

“(A club) with the history and with a foundation, but the opportunity to create a culture from the beginning. That’s what Aussie’s really big on and we need to be able to lead the way. I obviously had aspirations to get up to this level, so the opportunity came up here and it’s a fantastic one.

“I’ll learn a lot from Aussie and his experience, and learn a lot from the competition and what it’s got to offer.”

Adamson, 37, was an assistant at his old club Montmorency this season after a stint working alongside Mark Ellis in the TAC Cup.

What impressed him about the Gold was Jones’ positive approach.

“I think he is (aware of the task ahead), but he’s just a super-positive guy and I was impressed from talking to him from the word go,” Adamson said.

“I think I’m fairly positive in the way I approach footy and coaching, so to hear what he had to say, his demeanour and the way he presented himself, the fact that he’s got that level of experience, was  appealing.”

Jones said Adamson’s history of developing players and his links to the Bendigo football community will be vital for the Gold.

“When we were trying to build a quality coaching group, which is what we’re going to need to develop these young kids, ‘Addo’ fits right in the mix,” Jones said.

“Obviously, with his success at Golden Square, quality playing career as well then some time at the Pioneers, basically the boxes we wanted to tick as a coach coming in he just nailed it.

“Relationships are going to be massive for all of us. That’s where ‘Addo’ can help out having been around and more than anything, one thing that is probably the basis of my coaching, is positivity. 

“And ‘Addo’ as soon as you’re in a meeting with him, or you speak to him about anything, it’s all positive, it’s all about the right direction and that’s what we’re trying to work on.”

Bendigo Football Club general manager Graham Pratt said Adamson played a key role in helping set the foundations for Golden Square’s four consecutive premierships in the Bendigo Football League.

“We’re delighted to have someone like Mark, who has a lot of coaching experience,  come on board,” Pratt said.

“All the feedback I got was he was instrumental in setting up the structure that has got Golden Square to where they were in the last four years. Bringing that to our footy club is something that’s going to be enormous under Aussie.”

Meanwhile, the Gold will hold an information night at its Epsom training ground next Monday for about 60 potential players.

Adamson, who joins Daniel Schmidt as a Gold assistant, said it is imperative Bendigo puts a competitive list together for next season in the Victorian Football League.

“You want to have a competitive side in year one, that’s the reality. When you hit the second half of year one, if you’ve worked hard enough game plan-wise and if you’ve got a good group culturally, with the right approach, you can be competitive,” he said.