Former Western Springs women’s coach Ryan Faithfull has returned to the dugout with his appointment as head coach of Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship side Hibiscus Coast.
Faithfull (31) will step up to the role, replacing Coast’s Technical Director of Football, Nathan Cranney, who is away for the final stages of the season.
Faithfull was listed as head coach for Coast’s 1-1 draw against North Shore United on Saturday, his first game in a coaching capacity since his final match with the Western Springs Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League team, a 7-1 win at Ellerslie on May 7.
Soon after, he and Western Springs parted company, triggering a series of actions between the club’s women’s players and their committee.
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The parties have since said they have resolved their differences, following independent mediation.
Faithfull, who coached Springs to last summer’s Women’s National League grand final, has not been idle since leaving Seddon Fields.
He managed to find time to enjoy some NRF Division 3 football as a player with Albany United, before joining Coast as their men’s first team coach.
After a strong start to the season, Hibiscus Coast’s form has tapered recently, but the side remains in fourth place on the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship table.
The club was promoted to the Championship after winning the Lotto NRFL First Division last year.
Result
Game played on Saturday July 1, 2023
North Shore United 1 (Tinashe Marowa 45+3′)
Hibiscus Coast 1 (Julian Stevenson 57′)
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