Newcastle Olympic parting ways with coach Joel Griffiths

The club announced the news in a statement in which they acknowledged the former Socceroo and Newcastle Jets star's "valuable contribution" as coach over the past three seasons.

Griffiths is two games through a five-match suspension for calling Broadmeadow's Uruguayan goalkeeper Cesar Serpa a terrorist post match on June 4. The ban means Griffiths cannot attend games but he can still coach and train the side through the week.

The club confirmed Griffiths would return on match days for the last two regular-season matches, and potentially the finals. Olympic have lost their past four NPL games to drop to seventh on 24 points, now seven points off the top five with five rounds remaining.

"Joel has been head coach for the past three seasons, and was in charge when the club made it through for the first time, in successive years, 2021 and 2022, into the round of 32 in the FA [Australia] Cup, as well as the 2022 final series," Olympic president George Sofianos said in the release.

"The club acknowledge the valuable contribution Joel has made as the head coach at the club, bringing through a number of promising youngsters to the senior squad.

"The club wish Joel and his family all the best in the future.

"The process for selecting a new head coach for 2024 has commenced, and an announcement will be made in the near future."

Olympic was Griffiths' first senior coaching appointment and came after Peter McGuinness stood down on the eve of the 2020 season and was replaced by technical director Alex Tagaroulias for the shortened, COVID-affected year.

Assistant coaches Harry James and Glen Chapman, a former Adamstown and Broadmeadow head coach, have taken the reins for the past two matches.

The pair loom as potential candidates for the top job next season, along with reserve grade boss Blair Newham, who is a former Newcastle Jets Academy coach, and the club's NPL women's technical director, Paul DeVitis.

Newham has guided the Olympic reserve grade to second spot, four points off first place, while DeVitis was in the running for the Adamstown 2024 men's top job that went to Weston's Daniel Dawkins last month.

Meanwhile, leaders Charlestown Azzurri have been unsuccessful in their challenge of the send off of defender Callum Bower at the Obvious Error Panel.

Bower was given a straight red card on Saturday in the 60^th minute of the 4-0 loss to Cooks Hill for off-the-ball contact on Alex Hilton at a corner.

In their finding, the panel said the referee's report stated there was contact from Bower with the throat/neck of his opponent with moderate force. They said that, based on the footage available, there was insufficient evidence to determine that this was not the case and the two-match ban would stand.

Azzurri skipper Nigel Boogaard was also sent off against Cooks Hill and he gained the mandatory one-match ban for two yellow cards. He was marched in the 64^th minute for comments to the referee.

Charlestown, who are on 37 points - four clear of second-placed Maitland - play Weston (31 points) away on Sunday in what looms as a crucial match in the premiership race with five rounds remaining.

Olympic goalkeeper Adam Pearce was also sent off on Saturday, after copping a second booking for dissent, in the 2-1 loss to Adamstown. He also received the standard one-game suspension.

Pearce and Joey Langlois, who is out on card accumulation, will miss the home game against Valentine on Saturday. Brock Beveridge (Cooks Hill), Sam Webb (Lambton Jaffas), Ty Cousins and Charlie Cox (Maitland) will also miss out this weekend because of yellow cards.

IN THE NEWS:

To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.