EXCLUSIVE: Bonney to leave Rosslyn Park (From Croydon Guardian)

EXCLUSIVE: Jan Bonney to leave Rosslyn Park at end of season

5:52pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in Sport Exclusive By Graham Moody, Sports Reporter

Jan Bonney is to leave Rosslyn Park at the end of the season.

The head coach has been in charge at Priory Lane for two years after replacing Florent Rossigneux with the aim of lifting Park into the Championship for the first time their history.

But, after a strong start last season they faded to finish fifth and, despite topping the table this year, they are now fourth, 20 points behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders and facing another season in National One.

The decision is a mutual one with Bonney, whose coaching team will also be leaving, admitting it is something he has been considering and talking to managing director Shaun Justice about for some time.

“It’s something I have been looking to do,” he said.

“It’s been on the cards for quite a while and I have been speaking to Shaun about it.

“I don’t want to be stuck in this league as a coach and I am looking ahead at quite a few options.

“I am happy about moving on but obviously disappointed that we haven’t performed as well as we could have done with where we are in the league.

“The disappointing thing is that we are not a little higher and not been pushing a lot harder this season.

“I have had a good time here and I want to finish this season off as best we can and as high as we can.

“Even though we lost again at the weekend we are still capable of getting second place.”

Justice added his thanks to Bonney but admitted they might look at a different coaching approach when searching for Bonney’s successor.

“The full-time coaching team hasn’t worked quite as we would have liked it to have done,” he said.

“We will learn from it and look at finding something that works better for us.

“Jan has done a really good job and he would say it is probably the right time for him as well.

“This season is another improvement to the club, we cannot forget that. Last year we were fifth and this year fourth, hopefully we can continue to push on.”