Western Australian soccer nice and former West Coast coach John Todd has died aged 86.
Todd was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003, and made a legend within the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
He was the youngest-ever winner of the Sandover Medal as a 17-year-old with South Fremantle in his debut season in 1955 and carved out a powerful taking part in profession earlier than a knee damage in the end reduce it quick.
Todd then made his mark as a coach.
Todd claimed six WAFL premierships – 4 with Swan Districts (1982, 1983, 1984 and 1990), one with East Fremantle (1974) and one with South Fremantle (1997) – and likewise coached WA in State of Origin and Australia in International Rules matches.
He was West Coast’s second-ever coach (after Ron Alexander and earlier than Mick Malthouse), main the Eagles from 1988-1989, together with their first-ever finals look in his first 12 months.
“John Todd was successful in every aspect of his football journey and influenced so much of West Australian football to demand the highest standards and seek for constant improvement,” AFL chair Richard Goyder stated. “To win premierships at three different clubs is an extraordinary achievement. He moulded players into great teams but I want to acknowledge too that John had an unbelievable love of the game and football people across his entire life. “In the privilege of having the ability to spend time with him in recent times, he was nonetheless a daily attendee at video games, engaged with everybody throughout soccer and was an important advocate for the sport and what it might do for individuals and communities.”He was incredibly tough, building his career after injury took away his playing days, and he had the highest standards as a coach, but he was also incredibly generous and he was a person who made our game great, particularly in WA in the time when state league football was the pinnacle of the game.”
Todd’s reminiscence will probably be honoured on the Australian Football Hall of Fame inductions later this month.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
