NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 12/05/2010 10:02 -
Updated: 12/05/2010 14:09
Vince Macaulay is stepping down from his role as head coach at MK Lions to concentrate on off court matters.
He has spent three years managing the team since the departure of Tom Hancock in 2007, however the plan was for it to be a short-term solution.
But now the Lions, who have booked thecentre:mk for the 2010/11 campaign, are settled in a new home Macaulay believes he is able to continue his work as owner rather than coach.
His first job is to recruit his replacement something he hopes to do in the next two weeks.
Macaulay is currently mulling over a short list of three although the favourite for the job is Lions player, and assistant coach, Mike New.
New, 42, retired at the end of the season and has already helped the academy to success in the national championships and the college cup.
Speaking exclusively to MK NEWS Macaulay said: “It’s just been so difficult and time consuming that we now need to restructure properly because we know where we are and what we’re doing.
"I wouldn’t have stepped down if we didn’t know where we were playing but because we are I want to push the club forward, we have to be the most unique basketball club in the world let alone the country.
“We have a very strong internal candidate in Mike New who is in the frame for the job.
“Mike’s got a head start on anyone else for the job because he knows our system and works with the academy programme. He knows what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to achieve.
He’s been here six years now in his second stint so he’s in a great position for the job.”
Despite no experience of coaching at British Basketball level Macaulay believes New, who has been his go-to-man for the past three years, will succeed.
He said: “It’s a natural progression for him for some players coaching isn’t an option but I think for Mike it’s definitely an option.”
He has spent three years managing the team since the departure of Tom Hancock in 2007, however the plan was for it to be a short-term solution.
But now the Lions, who have booked thecentre:mk for the 2010/11 campaign, are settled in a new home Macaulay believes he is able to continue his work as owner rather than coach.
His first job is to recruit his replacement something he hopes to do in the next two weeks.
Macaulay is currently mulling over a short list of three although the favourite for the job is Lions player, and assistant coach, Mike New.
New, 42, retired at the end of the season and has already helped the academy to success in the national championships and the college cup.
Speaking exclusively to MK NEWS Macaulay said: “It’s just been so difficult and time consuming that we now need to restructure properly because we know where we are and what we’re doing.
"I wouldn’t have stepped down if we didn’t know where we were playing but because we are I want to push the club forward, we have to be the most unique basketball club in the world let alone the country.
“We have a very strong internal candidate in Mike New who is in the frame for the job.
“Mike’s got a head start on anyone else for the job because he knows our system and works with the academy programme. He knows what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to achieve.
He’s been here six years now in his second stint so he’s in a great position for the job.”
Despite no experience of coaching at British Basketball level Macaulay believes New, who has been his go-to-man for the past three years, will succeed.
He said: “It’s a natural progression for him for some players coaching isn’t an option but I think for Mike it’s definitely an option.”
