Veteran coach Steve Piggott ready for challenge at Lake Macquarie in NPL

But more than anyone, Piggott knows there's no guarantees, or sustainable quick fixes, in the league.

"I'm looking to creep up the table one or two spots, reassess early and maybe things will develop and maybe they won't," Piggott said.

"The club wants me for three years, but whether that happens ... I've been sacked a few times. Clubs change their minds halfway through sometimes. Football is a funny thing. If your face doesn't fit, you move on.

"I'm 60 so I won't be moving on too much. I'm almost done and this might be my last hurrah."

A straight shooter with a proven record of developing youth, Piggott has won multiple coach of the year awards in the top division across stints with Maitland, Azzurri, South Cardiff and Weston.

After 18 months off following a tenure with Toronto-Awaba in the second tier, Piggott has begun the huge challenge of turning around the Roosters' fortunes.

Into the sixth week of a trial and training period, Piggott has re-signed 21 players and picked up a handful of recruits, including former South Cardiff keeper Jordan Griffiths, ex-Weston defender Brock Oakley and newcomers Scott Manning (Gold Coast), Kougha Dunkerley (North Queensland) and Charlie Buffon (Central Coast). Among the departures are Coen Ungaro, Luke Callen, Tap Goora, Tom Parkes and keeper Blair Ryan.

The focus for Piggott is bringing out the best in what Lakes have through improving fitness, discipline and commitment.

"Change doesn't happen rapidly unless you spend dubious amounts of money in this competition," he said.

"I've always been for players playing for what they can get, but if the whole competition is overtaxing clubs, how do they survive?

"For what [prizemoney] you get back for performance, it doesn't come back anywhere near it. Some federation business plan is upside down as far as I'm concerned.

"You've got to deal with what you've got. If we don't have the lowest budget, it would probably be the second lowest.

"Nobody is going to move as a switching player if they are going to get less. We've struggled with switching players and, quite frankly, you are amazed sometimes.

"If you were on the outer reaches of a team in the top half of the league, and you weren't getting the game time, why wouldn't you go to the bottom teams to get the game time and get your value and exposure up?

"I'm amazed at these young players who don't think the right way. If you want game time, don't go to the best club. If you don't get game time, what's the use of going there? You're not going to get paid."

He said the player points system meant clubs "can't sweep the closet bare" anyway and the competition for talent was increasing with New Lambton joining the league next year.

He was looking for young players "to fight for a spot" in his team.

"When you're a coach coming back in, you look at who's available," he said. "Are they the right people? Are their temperament's right? Are they going to stick with you thick and thin when they get dropped?

"I think Lakes lost five players early on last year because they weren't picked and they left. You sign with a club, the federation shouldn't let people walk when they owe money, they get their fees paid, they get paid per week if they get in the side.

"Why should you be allowed to walk easily to another club just because the coach doesn't love you or whatever.

"Are you going to be any better at the next club? You've got to be honest with yourself. There may be times when the coach doesn't do the right thing by the player, but most times players are in and out of a side because of their own actions."

Piggott replaces Keelan Hamilton, who coached Lake Macquarie for one season, following two-year tenures by Nick Webb then Josh Rufo.

Last season, Lakes finished last on seven points from 20 games and with the worst for-and-against goals record of -49.

"What's the first job when you come to a club that's conceded over 60 goals? You try to fix the backline," Piggott said.

"Then you look at your options in the front third. How do you score goals?

"Then you look at midfield and how you are going to play.

"They were a very young group under Keelan, very technical, but not a lot of strength physically, so some of the players I'm trying to bring in are about winning the ball in the air and showing a bit of heart. You've got to change the whole group mentality.

"I'd love to play attractive football, with wide players and three up front, people running forward, but you've got to do your own job first and that's keeping the ball out of your net.

"The coaches are going to have to work hard, but the players are going to have to work doubly hard to improve. It's as simple as that."

Josh Maguire and Michael Body are assisting Piggott.

Lakes play 2022 grand final winners Lambton Jaffas on December 8 in a trial.

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