Branko Culina – still passionate after all these years

Rockdale City Suns most experienced player Paul Reid can’t speak highly enough of him, nor can star striker Richie Cardozo who credits much of his side’s success this year to the great man, and I guarantee that any red-blooded football fan that is fortunate enough to sit down for a one-on-one chat with Branko Culina will walk away wishing that they too had the 25-year coaching veteran at the helm of their club.
But be very careful when using the term ‘veteran’, because he’s undoubtedly one of the most experienced coaches in the country too.
“When people say that the older coaches are past it and they’re not up to it, that really tends to annoy me,” Culina points out with that ever-calming presence in his voice.
“Brain Brown [Bonnyrigg coach and the man who will be in the opposing coach’s box for this Sunday’s grand final clash] and I are probably the two oldest coaches in the Premier League so experience really does mean a lot. I believe that as long as you are prepared to continue to challenge yourself and evolve and be passionate about what you do then you’re never too young or too old to coach.
“I started coaching when I was 29 and I was lucky enough to start straight away in the Victorian Premier League and in those days all of the players who played in the old National League came through the various State Leagues.
“I remember thinking to myself at the time that this coaching caper is easy as I’ve gone straight from a player to a coach. From memory we finished third or fourth in that initial season and made the cup final and I thought ‘give me the world’ – that was in 1988 and little did I know some 25 years later I’d be still learning to this day.”
After a senior playing career that spanned some 17 years coupled with his lengthy coaching career, you could easily be forgiven in thinking that time might have mellowed Culina’s approach to his coaching style.
“I’m always very passionate about what I do and I will always give it 100% whether it’s the A-League, the National League or the Premier League because at the end of the day it’s not about how much you get paid it’s about making a commitment and then giving it everything you have,” admits Culina.
“When I stopped coaching in the A-League I thought that if I ever did get back into coaching I’d be much more relaxed, but no, I still get the sleepless nights. Sometimes I wish I could just switch off, but that’s just not who I am.”
Upon his return to coaching after a 12-month hiatus, Culina’s main priority at the Suns was to change the players’ perceptions. 
“One of the first things I did when I came to the Suns was to tell both the First Grade players and the 20s players that there were now ‘no Firsts’ and there were ‘no 20s’ squads – you’re all Rockdale City players and where you choose to play is up to you,” explains Culina.
“It’s not a group of 40 players divided into two – we had to change that belief of ‘I’m a 20s player or I’m a senior player’ and I think that this is a big part of the reason why our 20s made the preliminary final and our Firsts made the grand final this season.
“I’ve had a great amount of satisfaction being involved this year with Rockdale City Suns, and I didn’t go to one of the bigger clubs like Sydney Olympic, Sydney United or Bonnyrigg – I went to a mid-table club who at best had finished seventh or eighth in the short time that they have been involved at this level, and to achieve what we have is very pleasing for the players and the club and I’m delighted to have been a part of it.”
By Gary McDonald