Hume City FC is proud to announce the appointment of James Snedden as the club’s new Technical Director, further strengthening the club’s commitment to elite youth development and long-term football success.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Snedden brings a wealth of experience across both Victorian and New South Wales football systems, having relocated to Australia after playing five years in New Zealand’s NPL leagues.

Snedden’s coaching career started at Port Melbourne Soccer Club, where he started with the U15s before taking multiple age groups. Following a three-year spell with Port Melbourne, Snedden moved to Sydney to he join Manly United FC for two years and worked full time in coaching across multiple programs.

Snedden later returned to Port Melbourne as Under 21s Head Coach, before rejoining Manly United for a transformative four-year period where he oversaw five major youth programs including being the Under 20s Head Coach and First Grade Assistant Coach, before later being promoted to Head Coach.

During that time, he also headed the Elite Program at Narrabeen Sports High School – steering the school to state and national titles throughout a three-year period.

Earlier this year, Snedden returned to Victoria in the hopes of finding work in football before the opportunity to join Hume City FC as an Assistant Coach became available, which soon saw him being identified as the ideal candidate to step into the role of Technical Director.

As Technical Director, Snedden will play a central role in shaping all aspects of Hume City’s football operations.

He will lead the development and implementation of the club’s overarching football philosophy, guiding the creation of a clear curriculum and establishing the club’s football DNA across every program.

Snedden will also oversee coach education and mentoring, ensuring consistent standards and alignment throughout all age groups.

A key part of his role will be managing player development pathways from the Under 8s through to the senior squad, embedding the club’s core principles and values at each step. By strengthening the connection between youth and senior football, Snedden aims to build a unified, long-term pathway that supports every player’s growth within the Hume City FC system.

QUOTES


James Snedden

Hume City FC Technical Director



“I am excited to come to Hume City FC as the new Technical Director and looking forward to the new challenge,” Snedden said.

“I’ve been the head of a number of different programs over the last few years and worked full time, and now I’m back in Melbourne because that’s where I want to live and here to make an impact.

“I was inspired to come to Hume after meeting Nick Hegarty and the team’s committee, as they had a lot of ambition and drive to meet the club’s high standards.

“I was also really impressed with the club’s amazing foundations in building a really solid football program, including the resources, facilities, and the space they have out here. It’s far more above a lot of other clubs in Victoria and the NPL.

“For me, the long-term goals for the junior program is to create young Hume City players that eventually go into the first team, get professional contracts here or within NPL clubs and even A-League clubs, to play youth or senior international football.

“The club plans to evolve our program by offering the elite player pathway, which means we’ll be taking the best-attitude, hardest-working, best-performing players, and giving them extra sessions with first-team coaches and first-team players, as well as giving extra guidance about how they can improve when they’re beyond the level of their teammates.”

Ersan Gulum

Hume City FC President



“James is an outstanding addition to Hume City FC and I have no doubt that his experience across both Victorian and NSW footballing systems will have a positive effect on him,” Gulum said.

“The many years spent working in youth programs across a range of football clubs undoubtedly ignites James’ passion for the development of future stars, making him the ideal person to lead our football program forward.

“We’re excited to have someone of his calibre shaping the next generation of Hume City FC players and looking forward to working with James for the future.”