Bring Back Gordie
Tagged in: NBL
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Former coach Gordie McLeod has been targeted by Century City Wellington Saints as they prepare for the 2008 Dominion Finance NBL season.
The closing date for coaching applications passed last Friday with 25 applications arriving before the deadline.
Of the 25 applications received, only two were New Zealanders, with the remaining applications coming from Europe, USA, and Australia.
ìThere have been a number of extremely qualified candidates sending applications from the States with either NBA or NCAA Division One coaching experience,” says Saints owner Nick Mills.
“I think the New Zealand NBL is seen as a good stepping stone towards a coaching career in the Australian NBL and explains the high level of interest from coaches in the States.
ìWe do have concerns about hiring a head coach again from overseas, based on not truly knowing what you are going to get till they step of the plane. It is for this reason that we have made the decision to put an offer to Gordon McLeod.î
McLeod started a three year contract with the Saints in 2006, guiding the team to play-offs that season, but was then given the club’s blessing to take up a position with the Singapore Slingers in the 2006/2007 Australian NBL.
McLeod guided the Slingers to the play-offs in the clubs inaugural season in the ANBL and was named as the Australian Boomers assistant coach this year.
ìGordie takes the risk out of it for us,” says Mills. “We know what he is about, he loved his time in Wellington and we were building something special in 2006.
“He is at the top of our list and we want him backî.
Of the 25 applications received, a short list of three has been made and Saints management will now go through a rigorous vetting process of the three resumes to find a back up should McLeod not be available.
The three applications left are vastly experienced with extensive coaching experience at the highest levels.
