Matamata Swifts is pleased to announce that Bradley Rea has been appointed head coach of Comag Matamata Swifts for our 2024 WaiBOP League One campaign.
Rea will be a familiar face to Matamata footballers, having originally accepted this role twelve months ago, before an employment opportunity in early-2023 tempted him away from the Waikato. He has also been involved, over the years, with the club’s development programmes through his involvement with RH3.
So it’s a case of back to the future, for both Rea and the club.
“While I was only involved during the 2023 pre-season, I saw enough to know that this is an excellent club with some great people involved behind the scenes,” explained Bradley. “When the chance came to pick up the reins again, continue what we started, and hopefully build something to be proud of, I couldn’t say no. I’m looking forward to getting started, both as head coach and also as a player.”
Dwayne Barlow, head coach during 2023, is delighted to have Rea back on board with the club. “As a club, in many respects, we’re in a better place now than we were this time last year,” said Barlow. “Our 2023 season was a little bit chaotic, on and off the field, but I think we’re in a much better place now. The performances and results for our 1st team improved as the season advanced, so we have a solid base for Bradley to build on, while we’ve reviewed and tided up a number of off-field areas that should lead to a smoother experience for everyone involved with the club.”
Training will begin after Auckland Anniversary Weekend, with pre-season games set from early-March. New Plymouth Rangers and Claudelands Rovers are already scheduled to visit the Domain, while further games will be announced in due course.
Details will be shared directly with current players through team communication channels. Any other footballer interested in playing for the Swifts in 2024 can email us HERE or contact Bradley on 027 891 0000.