Eaglehawk FC's new coach might be new to the club, but he is a familiar face within the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League.
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The Hawks have appointed former Tatura SC assistant coach and player Lewis Coyle to the top job of the senior men's team for the 2020 season.
Originally from England, Coyle has plenty of experience on the field, including time at elite academies as a junior.
"My grandfather always encouraged me to better myself all the time...while I was at the Leeds United Academy it was an eye opening experience," Coyle said.
"I then moved from Manchester to just outside Liverpool and started training at Everton's School of Excellence when I was seven until I was 14."
Coyle was then in-and-out of the game for years playing different leagues.
Eventually he decided to head south to Australia in 2017 where he started playing in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 with Goulburn Valley Suns FC.
Coyle might not have been able to go all the way to the English Premier League, however, he has learnt plenty along the way which he now applies within Australian leagues.
"The higher up you go in the English system the game becomes quite technical and the focus is on how to utilise the strengths and combat your opponents' strengths...it then comes down to who has the better players and that extra little sprinkle of magic, " Coyle laughed.
His overall goal was to be the best player he could possibly be, but he knew it was also essential to develop solid coaching skills.
Coyle will now take on a dual coach-player role with the Hawks.
"This season I will focus on how we can utilise our strengths against the teams and also apply my expertise while I am out on the field," Coyle said.
It will be the most senior coaching position he has ever held, but he is ready for the challenge.
"Some of it is all still new to me, I will figure it all out as I go along," he said.
"But I am a people person and I know how to trigger players' better sides of the game and how to inspire them."
Eaglehawk FC president Ben Pengelly said Coyle was an exceptional addition to the team for the 2020 season.
"We are very excited to have Lewis here at Eaglehawk," Pengelly said.
"We have played against Lewis in the past and we know he is a fierce competitor, an attribute which is a natural fit for our club."
Pre-season at the Hawks is well underway.
"We're putting the miles into the boys' legs this year, they will come out for the season fitter than ever."
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