He played at a World Cup. Now Leo Bertos is returning to lead his former NPL club

Newcastle Olympic have turned to one of their former players to lead the NPL NNSW club into a new era, appointing New Zealand international Leo Bertos as head coach from the 2027 season.

Bertos returns to Olympic having represented the club between 2016 and 2018, adding another chapter to a career that has taken him around the world.

The former midfielder earned 52 caps for New Zealand and represented the All Whites at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while making almost 300 professional appearances across England, Australia, India and his homeland.

Since retiring, Bertos has built his coaching career in Northern NSW football through senior roles with Northern NSW Football, Weston Workers Bears, and the Newcastle Jets A-League Women program.

He also holds the AFC/FFA Professional Coaching Diploma and will now return to a club he already knows well to lead its First Grade program from 2027 and beyond.

From wearing the blue and white to leading Newcastle Olympic from the dugout, Bertos is heading home for the next chapter of his football journey.