The Brown clan joins Olympia

Photo (L-R):  Rob Clarke, Andrew Brown, George Mamacas, Callum Brown, Lachlan Brown and Declan Brown [PlessPix]

Olympia Warriors have achieved a major coup by signing the Brown family for the 2020 NPL Tasmania season.

Andrew Brown, who coached Hobart United to the 2019 Southern Championship title, has joined the Warriors as senior coach.

Rob Clarke, who coached Olympia to second place this past season and who was named as coach for 2020 after the clubs’ final league game of 2019, will move sideways to the position of football manager.

Glenorchy Knights players, Callum and Declan Brown, have also joined their father, Andrew, at Olympia, as has the other Brown sibling, Lachlan, who was coaching and playing with University in the Southern Championship this past season.

Photo:  A beaming Olympia president, George Mamacas [PlessPix]

“There’s no doubt that bringing over to Olympia FC for the long term a high-performance football family can only be fantastic for Olympia FC,” said Olympia president, George Mamacas.

“Andrew will be head coach alongside Rob Clarke, who will be the football manager, so they’ll work in tandem.

“Andrew will pretty much have the final say, but in consultation with Robert.

“Callum and Declan, obviously, are up-and-coming superstars in the NPL and we’re very, very happy to have them in our NPL squad.

“Lachie wants to continue his coaching career and some time in the future he will do that will Olympia FC.”

Mamacas said the signings had been in the wind over the past three weeks, culminating in today’s announcement.

“I’ll be helping Andrew with the first team, but I’ll also be looking at the rest of the teams and working with Nick Taylor and the youth teams,” said Rob Clarke.

Photo:  Rob Clarke coached Olympia to second spot this past season [PlessPix]

Clarke said he had been looking for a succession plan and contacted Andrew Brown.

“The way it turned out and with everyone coming on board, it was just too good an opportunity to miss out on,” Clarke said.

Andrew Brown, 54, said he’d enjoyed his year with Hobart United and had left with the club’s blessing.

Photo:  Andrew Brown coached Hobart United to the 2019 Southern Championship title [PlessPix]

“We were all happy at our other clubs and we loved our other clubs, but family for us was something we were missing,” Andrew said.

“Thankfully, Olympia gave us that opportunity to actually be together and to do something we love.

“We took a bit of a punt, and it’s a hit and hope and banking on the fact I get on really well with Rob [Clarke].

“We grew up 10 miles apart in Yorkshire.

“I don’t really know a lot of the players personally, but I’m sure if you finish second in the NPL there’s got to be some quality there.

“I agree with Rob that there may be other players that wasn’t to come and see what we’re doing, but conversely, there might be players that want to leave.

“Let the players choose because it’s the players’ game.”

Photo:  Callum Brown hopes to out his injury woes behind him [PlessPix]

Callum Brown, 23, said it had been a family decision to move to Olympia.

“We needed to find a place where we can all be together because that was really important to us at this stage in our lives,” Callum said.

“Olympia facilitated that and so here we are.”

Callum Brown had an injury-plagued season in 2019 but said his aim was to be fit in time for the 2020 season.

When asked what his role in the team would be, he simply replied:  “I want to play.”

He said he hadn’t played against a lot of the NPL teams and he was keen to play.

He said injury had enabled him to see other aspects of the game from the side-lines, including the mental side of things.

Photo:  Declan Brown will be missed by Glenorchy Knights [PlessPix]

Declan Brown, 23, said he and Callum had spoken to the Knights and the club respected their decision to leave and join Olympia, even if they didn’t necessarily agree with it.

“I think they’ll be fine and just recruit and do the best they can,” Declan said.

Photo:  Lachlan Brown will find his role at the club after finishing studies and other commitments [PlessPix]

Lachlan Brown, 27, said it was a wrench to leave university and that he was unsure of what his initial involvement would be at Olympia.

He was completing his PhD and had other commitments but it was important for the family to be together at the club.

“We’re closer than we have ever been and that’s how we can actually do this,” Lachlan said.  “Christmas will be good this year.”

Photo:  The Brown clan (L-R), Andrew, Callum, Lachlan and Declan [PlessPix]