NPL 1 club Port Melbourne Sharks has announced Dominic Barba as Eric Vassiliadis’ successor to the senior coaching position for 2017. Port’s announcement follows on the heels of Barba’s resignation from NPL 1 club Bulleen Lions, where he was senior coach over the last two seasons.
In his first season at the Lions in 2015, he led the club to an NPL 2 title and promotion to the NPL 1, where in the season just passed, the club struggled but eventually survived relegation, finishing in 10th position, just one point behind the Sharks.
Barba’s 2015 success with Bulleen Lions was the second time he’d led a team to the top tier of Victorian football, having also coached Moreland Zebras to promotion from State League 1 in 2011 to the VPL in 2012, where he was replaced early in the 2012 season by current Melbourne City Youth team manager Joe Palatsides.
The Sharks will be the second Greek-based club that Barba has coached. The former VPL referee took up coaching at Altona East Phoenix (PAOK) in 2007 when the club was playing in State League 2. He spent two- and-a-half seasons there, finishing fourth in 2008.
Port Melbourne Sharks released the following official statement on its Facebook page, regarding Dominic’s appointment. “The board is pleased to announce the appointment of Domenic Barba to the role of senior head coach at Port Melbourne Soccer Club.
“Dom will be taking over the reins from Eric Vassiliadis, who has been with the club for the past seven seasons. This provides a unique opportunity for the club to step outside its comfort zone and take a new direction in this challenging environment of top-flight NPL.
“We welcome Dom to the club and look forward to what the 2017 season will bring.”