Sheedy lured to Sydney!

Four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy has been formally unveiled as the inaugural head coach of AFL club-in-waiting Western Sydney.

Sheedy has signed a three-year deal, including the new franchise's first season in the AFL in 2012.

"It's a great opportunity the AFL has given myself and my family to continue on a pathway in my life that has educated me, to have an opportunity to come and look at developing opportunities for young people in this area of Greater Western Sydney (GWS)," the 61-year-old Sheedy said at a media conference at Blacktown Olympic Park's AFL Precinct.

"It's a pretty exciting period in the history of our game.

"It's taken too long to get here, too long.

"It took too long for a lot of other things that have happened in this country, but we're here now and we're going to get this right.

"I'm very, very fortunate and very humble to be given that chance to build a new club."

Sheedy said it was awkward to answer whether his appointment was more about marketing.

"When I left Essendon there was 100 press people there and I was leaving the club," he said.

"That wasn't really good marketing.

"What it really is about is that I'm a development person, I'm a development coach and that's what coaches do.

"We're sort of like a foreman on the floor on a building site, trying to get the deal done.

"It's great to see this establishment is built because it creates opportunities and jobs for people.

"What we're going to do here is grab an opportunity for 40 to 50 kids who are contracted at around $200,000.

"What an opportunity that is.

"To be the coach and perhaps a path finder to give them the knowledge I've been given, to share that knowledge with all my coaches, to get these kids up and running, is pretty exciting."

Sheedy coached Essendon for 27 years, leading the Bombers to four flags. He also played 251 games for Richmond from 1967-79 and was a member of the Tigers' premiership teams in 1969, 1973 and 1974.

After being dumped by Essendon in 2007, Sheedy was overlooked for the vacant coaching positions at Richmond and Melbourne. He has spent the last two years working in an ambassadorial role for the AFL and has also done some promotional work for the Tigers.

Sheedy is one of the sport's top spruikers and his ability to sell the game is seen as an important asset as the AFL attempts to win support in rugby league heartland.

"In 2010, Team GWS will enter the TAC Cup (elite Under-18 competition) to fast track local talent," said AFL general manager of development David Matthews, who also chairs the Team GWS football sub-committee."Alan McConnell will coach that side under Kevin's direction as Kevin concentrates on the broader components of the football build including developing the plan to take advantage of the recently-announced list establishment rules that Team GWS has been granted." Western Sydney will then progress to the VFL the following year, the same process being followed by the Gold Coast franchise. http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/sheedy-signs-sydney-coaching-deal-20091109-i444.html

Sheedy was the quintessential self-made player. Not blessed with great skills, he was able to carve out a brilliant career with dedication, perseverance and thoughtfulness. Sheedy is an innovator whose ideas shaped the modern style of Australian football coaching, taking it away from the hard training style and into the realms of a science. He has been at the forefront of many changes to the game in the last 25 years is always sought for an opinion on any matter concerned with football.

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