Northern Championship coach Marshall Pooley has been forced to take over the reigns of Northern Rangers’ premier league side now left in disarray.
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But Pooley’s role may be temporary, as the club searches for a replacement for the rest of this season since coach Dane Hudson sensationally walked out on the club on Wednesday.
Rangers had released a statement over Hudson’s departure on Wednesday night.
Hudson wasn’t his usual effusive way on Thursday, declining to comment further on his shock resignation other than to reiterate: “Just personal reasons”.
His side was coming off a 4-0 loss four days earlier to Clarence United, who had won just one other game all year, also against Rangers.
But a week earlier, Hudson’s men had put up their best spirited performance in a 3-3 away draw with title challengers Hobart Zebras.
Rangers now face the monumental task of taking on South Hobart at home on Saturday.
Interim president Mark Jefferson admitted the club was not prepared for Hudson’s sudden decision to quit.
“We were shocked by his resignation,” Jefferson said.
“We can’t say we had a plan B.”
The club seemed to be out in the cold over the move.
Hudson had joined the club in 2014 as an assistant coach and has been at the helm for the past one-and-a-half seasons, overseeing a strong fourth-place finish last year.
“He has made the decision for his own reasons and we will have come to terms with this,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson described Pooley as the ultimate clubman in accepting to take on Rangers’ premier league position.
Pooley, who was unavailable for comment, will continue to balance the role with his current Northern Championship duties.
He only took over that reserves’ role when Brian Oman stepped down as coach last month.
Pooley has played similar saviour-type positions in the past 12 months, helping salvage George Town’s NTCA first-grade cricket side that looked like folding during last year’s preseason.
Rangers are hoping to announce a long-term appointment that could include Pooley next week.
Jefferson recognises that most quality coaches are locked in to clubs around the state, but remains hopeful the club that sits at the bottom can lure a big fish.
“There’s probably not a lot of depth of coaches sitting around on the sidelines,” he said.
“So we will cast our net far and wide.”
Assistant Stephen Pitchford was confirmed on Thursday he would remain in his role that he had held under Hudson.