OUTGOING Western Jets coach Steven Kretiuk says more needs to be done to bridge the gap between the club and the TAC Cup in the western suburbs.
Kretiuk will step down from the coaching post after five years in charge and says the biggest hurdle facing the Jets is a lack of preparedness of players entering the elite under-18 system.
This stems from a win-at-all-costs mentality adopted by some local coaches in favour of player development through their formative years.
Kretiuk says more resources need to be put into coach development in the west.
“In terms of educating coaches in the western suburbs, I think there needs to be a fair bit done,” he told the Weekly.
“What I see is, when the kids come into the Western Jets system they’re a fair way off where I think other kids from different areas are, not demographically, but in terms of the standard of the competition. We’ve got to try and cram a lot more into a short amount of time than what a lot of other clubs do and that certainly has to be dealt with in future.
“There has to be some sort of program in place because sometimes we focus too much on winning rather than development at the local level.
“I know it’s hard when you come from a club environment, but the main focus should be on developing these guys to make them better footballers, but obviously you’ve got to find the balance there, too.”
Kretiuk is an authoritative figure on football in the west.
The 40-year-old started his playing career with St Albans in the Western Region Football League. The hard-nosed defender was recruited by Footscray/Western Bulldogs and went on to play 170 games at the top level.
Kretiuk left the game as a player and returned as a coach, leading the Werribee reserves for two Victorian Football League seasons. An opening became available with the Jets when current Melbourne coach Mark Neeld was employed as an assistant coach at Collingwood and he jumped at the chance to guide the best young players in the region.
Kretiuk decided to stand down at the end of this TAC Cup season to look for opportunities at higher levels.
“You generally know when it’s time to move on,” he says.
“I’ve really enjoyed the philosophies of the competition and the club and everything involved with it.
“I think it’s the right time because I need to keep challenging myself. I’ve got to the stage, I suppose now in the TAC Cup, where I have learnt as much as I could.”
Kretiuk admits he’s playing “Russian roulette” with his career.
What he didn’t want was undoing five years of hard work at the Jets by leaving them high and dry. “I thought I would do the right thing by the club and give them that opportunity to get someone else,” he said.
“I’ve given myself a really good grounding in terms of what’s needed at the next level.
“At the end of the day, it’s up to clubs to see that and give me the opportunity, so now I’ve got to wait and see.”
