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Gareth Turnbull (football coach)

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Gareth Nevin Turnbull (born 16 February 1983 in Auckland) is a New Zealand association football coach, who is currently the senior assistant manager of the Melbourne Victory A league women team, as well as Football Pathways Manager.[1]

Gareth Turnbull, Melbourne Victory

Playing career

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Turnbull played in the NZ National League for Canterbury United from 2006-2009, winning the team's golden boot award in 2008/09 season.

Turnbull played multiple seasons in the Mainland Premier League for both Western and Coastal Sprit, winning the golden boot and striker of the year on two separate occasions. He also played in the US college system for Catawba College for two years from 2004-2006, earning all State, Regional and Conference honours.

Coaching career

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Turnbull began his coaching journey whilst completing his playing career. Initially working with Mainland Footballs youth teams it was once he began working as a Football Development Manager for Coastal Sprit Football Club he took over as the premier womens head coach.[2]

He went on to lead that side to multiple regional and national titles before landing the Mainland Pride in New Zealand Women's National League from 2012 to 2014. Turnbull and his staff lead the Pride to win their inaugural National Womens League title in 2013[3] and then defended it in 2014[4]

Turnbull also coached the NZ Secondary Schools team from 2013-2015.[5]

New Zealand Football (2015 - 2019)

Turnbull was announced as head coach of the New Zealand under 17 womens national team [6] in preparation for the 2015 OFC U16 championship. The side went on to win the tournament [7] and qualify comfortably for the 2016 FIFA U17 womens World Cup in Jordan. Despite not progressing out of the group at the World Cup, New Zealand recorded a 5-0 victory over hosts Jordan,[8][9] which is the greatest ever victory margin by any NZ Football National team (mens or womens) at any age at a FIFA event.

In 2017 Turnbull was appointed the Manager of the Football Ferns Development Programme [10] as well as the New Zealand Football under 20 womens national team [11] in preparation for the 2017 OFC U19 championship.

The FFDP as it is referred to was a centralised academy environment for the best domestic females players in NZ. Operated in line with any professional academy, Turnbull oversaw all areas of the programme as well as acting as the head coach. The programme is viewed by many as a success as it has helped eight players graduate into full-time professional football contracts [12] in Europe, as well as supported the performances of the NZF U17, U20 and Football Ferns teams. Six of the starting XI from the NZ U17 womens national team in 2018 who finished an incredible third at the FIFA U17 Womens Cup in Uruguay [13] were involved in the FFDP in 2018.

The NZF U20 went on to win the OFC qualification tournament and qualify [14] comfortably for the 2018 FIFA U20 womens World Cup in France.[13] The 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squads whilst despite not progressing out of the group at the World Cup, New Zealand recorded a 0-0 draw [15][16] hosts & tournament favourites France, which is regarded as a significant result at this level.

In November 2017, after the resignation of then Football Ferns coach Tony Readings, Turnbull was appointed Interim Head Coach of the Football Ferns [17][13] for their upcoming tour of Thailand. The Ferns achieved a 0-0 draw in the first game of the tour followed by a 5-0 victory [13] in the second. This result is the largest victory recorded by the Football Ferns outside of Oceania opposition. After the successful tour, Turnbull was appointed as the full-time assistant coach [18] of the Football Ferns, in addition to his existing FFDP and U20 roles. Turnbull, who also attended the 2016 Summer Olympic Games as a development coach with the Football Ferns would complete tours in February 2018 [19] against Scotland and in July against Japan, before resigning from the assistant coach role to focus on his duties with the FFDP and U20s head coach.

Turnbull would leave NZF to take up an opportunity with Melbourne Victory in July 2019 [20]

Melbourne Victory (2019–present)

Turnbull was appointed the A league women assistant coach, working with Jeff Hopkins, ahead of the 2019/20 season. This was a joint position, alongside Football Development Manager.[21] The team would also complete in the AFC womens club championship in Soul this same year [22]

The Melbourne Victory women team won the A league women championship in his second season, defeating Sydney FC 1-0.[23][24]

The team would go back-to-back, again defeating Sydney FC 2-1 in the 2021/22 season.[25][26]

Turnbull would continue to serve as the assistant coach for another four seasons, totalling over 100 games, ending up at the end of the A league women 2024/25 season, where the team went 15 games undefeated.

He continues to serve as the club's Football Pathways Manager [27][28] leading the junior boys academy and female pathway program.

Honours

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STRIVE 365

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Turnbull established the STRIVE 365 podcast,[30][31] a medium form podcast (approx. 60 mins) where Turnbull connects with well respected athletes, coaches and parents of aspiring athletes, to share their insights around developing from amateur to professional, domestic to international or HPAD to High Performance.

The mission of the podcast is to Inspire the player, Organise the parent & Educate the coach.

References

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  1. ^ Lynch, Joseph. "Victory not haunted by past ahead of Mariner re-match". www.jdlmedia.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Our Staff - Coastal Spirit NZ -Staging". GameDay. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Mainland secure maiden league title". Oceania Football Confederation. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Mainland Pride retain ASB Women's League title". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  5. ^ "NZ Secondary Schools Football". www.nzssfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Gareth Turnbull appointed NZL U-17 Women's coach". Oceania Football Confederation. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  7. ^ "New Zealand claim title in style". Oceania Football Confederation. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  8. ^ "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup: New Zealand 5-0 Jordan". the-AFC. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  9. ^ FIFA (7 October 2016). Match 17: New Zealand v Jordan - FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2016 1. Retrieved 30 April 2025 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "Inside the Football Ferns programme that aims to close the gap to the world's best". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Tag: Gareth Turnbull". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Ferns duo go pro". Oceania Football Confederation. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d "New Zealand Football". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  14. ^ "New Zealand make it a clean sweep". Oceania Football Confederation. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  15. ^ FIFA (8 August 2018). France v. New Zealand - FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018 - Match 9. Retrieved 30 April 2025 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ "U-20s hold France for remarkable result". Oceania Football Confederation. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  17. ^ "Football Ferns seeking a positive finish to a year of change as they take on Thailand". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  18. ^ "New Football Ferns coach open to a return for retired defender Abby Erceg". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Football Ferns take stock after 'disappointing' tour ends in second defeat". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  20. ^ "New Zealand Football". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  21. ^ Staff, KEEPUP (21 April 2021). "Victory strengthens Tasmania grassroots". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  22. ^ Staff, KEEPUP (26 November 2019). "Melbourne Victory hosted at the Australian Embassy for AFC Women's Club Championship". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  23. ^ Staff, KEEPUP (11 April 2021). "Road to the W-League championship". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  24. ^ a b A-Leagues (22 March 2022). Melbourne Victory's dramatic victory in the 2021 Grand Final. Retrieved 1 May 2025 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ A-Leagues (19 April 2022). Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory - Liberty Mini Match | Grand Final 2021/22. Retrieved 1 May 2025 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ a b "Melbourne Victory claim back-to-back A-League Women championships". ABC News. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  27. ^ apavlidis (29 August 2022). "Mt Albert Grammar School (NZ) joins as a Pathway Partner". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  28. ^ ljames (4 January 2023). "Victory offers Youth Selection Opportunity". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  29. ^ "Marian College strikes gold". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  30. ^ "STRIVE 365". YouTube. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  31. ^ "STRIVE 365". Spotify. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
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