One NPL NSW winner replaces another as Rockdale Ilinden usher in new era

Rockdale Ilinden have appointed championship-winning coach Abbas Saad for the 2027 NPL NSW season, with Paul Dee to depart the club at the end of the current campaign.

Dee will leave after four seasons in charge, having overseen one of the most successful periods in Rockdale’s history.

The former Ilinden player guided the club to their maiden first grade Premiership in 2024 and two Grand Final appearances, establishing Rockdale among the competition’s leading sides.

His departure will pave the way for Saad, who arrives with significant NPL NSW pedigree of his own.

The former Socceroo famously led Sydney Olympic to the Premiership-Championship double in 2018, a campaign that also saw him crowned Football NSW NPL Men’s Coach of the Year.

Saad has since continued building his coaching resume, most recently serving as head coach of the Central Coast Mariners Academy, where he worked extensively in player development. He also holds a Football Australia Pro Licence.

Rockdale believe his combination of experience, development credentials and proven success makes him the right man to build on the foundations laid during Dee’s four-year tenure.