Wilkshire to step into Wolves hot seat
Luke Wilkshire is set to replace Jacob Timpano as the head coach of the Wollongong Wolves for the 2019 NPL 1 season. This will be former Socceroos first foray into senior coaching and he will be assisted by former Sunderland and Newcastle Jets striker Michael Bridges.
Wilkshire joined the Wolves as a player and assistant coach in May after his contract expired with A-League giants Sydney FC. Wilkshire played 11 matches for the Wolves as the side failed to make the playoffs for the second season running.
The 36-year-old will be tasked with rebuilding the side after a number of significant departures including Japanese duo Yuzo Tashiro and Takuya Nozawa. It is also unlikely veteran midfielder and fellow 2018 assistant coach Nick Mongomery will stay involved next season due to his commitments with the Central Coast Mariners. At this stage, it is unclear whether Wilkshire will continue playing next season.
Wilkshire will be able to call upon a wealth of playing experience including over 400 games in Europe across six clubs as well as 80 caps for the Socceroos where he was a member of the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup squads. Wilkshire has played under the likes of Steve McClaren, Dan Petrescu and Graham Arnold.
Since joining the Wolves, Wilkshire has also been the face of their A-League bid. A decision on which two of the 10 bids will be successful is due to be made on October 31 with the bids from south-east Melbourne and the newly-merged Macarthur South West Sydney seen as the two favourites for selection.
