Image: Jason Heidrich
Recently relegated Richmond will be without Rick Mensink for the 2017 NPL 2 season after the head coach announced his departure.
Mensink, after a rollercoaster season, announced his departure from Richmond after their loss to North Geelong on Saturday in the play-off game.
“I was always going to pass on the reins to someone else after tonight’s game,” he said.
“I have enjoyed my last four years at the club and would like to thank all my support staff and players for the season. Also, a massive thank you to Dave [Foster] the club president for all his support through this very difficult year.”
Mensink admits he made his decision to step down from the head coach role midway through the 2016 season, as he felt it was time for a change in the coaching department.
He took over the senior coaching role after only four rounds of the NPL 2 season in 2014. Richmond was struggling with only one win from their opening four games, which included a 5-0 home loss to Kingston City, at which point Mensink replaced the outgoing Grant Brebner.
The former youth coach had previous coaching experience at Bulleen, where he worked with Socceroo Mathew Leckie in the Lions’ Under-21 side.
He had a great impact as coach as Richmond ended the 2014 season strongly, finishing fourth on goal difference. In 2015 Mensink made key signings at the start of the season to bolster the squad, and Richmond edged past Melbourne Victory in the final round of the season, which gave Richmond the NPL 1 East championship and also promotion into the NPL.
Mensink said: “I would like to wish all the players in this changing room all the best for the future, hopefully we can stay together and come straight back up into the NPL.
“I wish all the best for this club.”
Richmond now commences the search for a suitable replacement to take the reins for the 2017 season, where the club will look to bounce right back into the top flight of the NPL.
Fausto De Amicis and Nick Crivelli are potential candidates to take over the coaching roles at this stage.