Inner West Hawks Look To Kick Start Their Season With Gus Cerro

League Two outfit, Inner West Hawks have confirmed the appointment of the experienced Gus Cerro as  new head coach.

Cerro joins the Hawks with a wealth of experience, both as a player and with his near 18-year coaching and player development career.

The Hawks have had a difficult start to the season, but have shown vast improvement with Cerro at the helm in the last two games.

Sitting just seven points off a promotion spot to League One and with 12 games remaining, Cerro remains optimistic of the Hawks chances in 2022.

“I would of preferred to come in at the beginning of the season with a good two or three months to have a good plan and prepare things, but as it happens I found out on the Friday and on Monday I was at training,” Cerro said.

“I think it’s going to take a bit of time to impose my style and philosophy to the club, but in terms of where the club is, it didn’t really bother me, the conversations I had were about building for the future and trying to improve the club long term.

“I’m hoping to help the club Improve the standards and work with the entire club to think about structuring a technical plan, to try and promote as many young players as we can,”

Cerro noted that promotion is still a target for this year and will continue to be target in the years following.

“There’s still quite a few games left, we’re not that far away from that elusive eighth position, that’s the goal and if it happens it happens, but if it doesn’t we will go back to the drawing board and we’ll continue to try and improve.

“In a short period of time that’s what I’d like to do, I’d like to improve the performances enough to get the club over the line by the end of the year.”

The former Marconi Stallions player admitted he had to step away from the game in recent years due to a cancer diagnosis.

“During the pandemic I closed down my business and I got cancer along the way, so things changed a lot for me, for the last 15 years I’ve focused on youth development, I’m getting older now and I can’t throw my body around like I used to with the kids.

“I’ve been itching to get back into senior football and pursue that pathway, even though I really enjoy the youth, it’s almost like a craving I’ve been getting, so I started finding out what options were available.”

In a statement released to Football NSW, the Hawks added their happiness in the new appointment.

“Inner West Hawks FC are delighted to confirm the appointment of Gus Cerro as Head Coach of the club’s First Grade team,” the statement read.

“Gus brings with him a vast amount of knowledge, experience, and passion to our senior teams.

“Gus is well known and highly respected coach and previously as a professional Player, having played for 5 years in the top tier of football in Malaysia and the NSL.

“He will continue to build upon the strong foundations established by coach Ross Anton, who has moved into a new role as Head of Football Operations.”

By Football NSW Men’s League Two Writer, Dominic Criniti @DominicCriniti