Count down to D-DAY
Next Saturday will go a long way in
determining the Metro 1 league champions for 2006.
Only 1 point separates the top 2 teams
with Bayside United (First) travelling to Murray Street to take on Wilston
Athletic (Second)
Jeff Haydon caught up with Steve Murray to get his thoughts about the weekend’s top of the table clash.
14 08 06
JH.
Confidence must be running high going into the
weekends fixture knowing you have only let in 5 and scored 22 in your last 10
league matches.
SM
The lads are very level headed and
won’t let that make them complacent, the fact that we have won all of the last
10 league games is particularly pleasing and something the lads should very
proud of.
The last league defeat was 1-0 to Bayside away, we dominated the game and had a perfectly good goal disallowed by some clown from Bayside running the lineman and without doubt some of the worst refereeing I have every witnessed, so we are looking forward to getting them over to our place.
JH.
Kangaroo Point was a tough game at the weekend; you
guys came from behind to win.
SM,
Massive win! We went in at half time a goal down to
a penalty but we where controlling the game. Kangaroo Point are the best side we
have played this season but I was confident we would beat then as long as we
didn’t allow them to intimidate us. In the first game they where a little over
physical and it probably got to us, but this time we took it to them and it paid
off.
Macca got his first goal of the season a rocket of a header from an Elliott corner kick and Brian curled a 20-yard cracker into the top corner, which was a great finish to a fantastic move involving Benj and Elliott. (Wilston’s Brian Sexton missed a penalty prior to Maccas equaliser) Every player was outstanding.
JH.
Dan Alizar your skipper believes
that there is a great atmosphere at the club with everyone working hard for each
other, what do you put this down too?
SM.
Firstly, Wilston is a small club. Everything is up
close and personal, there is nowhere to hide, if something needs doing, someone
just gets it done, on and off the field.
Carlos Ferreira, the club secretary who plays in
the reserves with Mark and myself makes the whole football side of things tick,
he brought both Mark and I to the club and works tirelessly along side his
father Frank the club president.
Mark Grice joined us this year; he is doing a great job running the reserves and has played a few earlier first team games when Dan was injured. However as assistant to me with the first team he has been invaluable. His temperament and personality is the opposite to me and that helps to establish a great balance. He quietly goes about his business observing and monitoring everything that is going on, I always listen to his advice and as he always has something relevant to say. What is most important is the fact that the players have the upmost respect for the man. Then There is Martins “The Don” first team manager he is a real character nothing slips past him, he always has one eye on the ball and one eye on the club which sometimes gives him a migraine when we are playing away from home, ha ha.
JH.
Will you change anything from your first encounter
with Bayside?
SM.
Our formation is a little different
than it was when we played them last time and we have a new strike force, so
lets see how they deal with us this time.
JH.
You told me at the start of the
year that this was going to be your last year of coaching at club level, have
you thought anymore on the subject?
SM.
Yes I keep thinking about it, but I
have trouble looking past the next match, I honestly can’t see past the next
game. I will make a decision at the end of the season. Carlos asked me to come
and do a job here this season and my personal goal was top spot or bust, I
couldn’t give a shit about the cup or the end of season (Aussie Rules) finals
that clubs are forced to play at the end of the season here in Australia.
League Champions, that’s what I said I was working towards at the start of the season so anything less as far as I am concerned and I have failed, end of story.
JH.
Only a few players where retained from the previous
season, what about the lads that have come over because of you.
SM.
I love these kids! You have worked
with some of them on our tours to the UK, you know there honesty and commitment
and the players I kept that have been at Wilston before I came are like-minded.
Some of them have been with me on and off since they where 12 -13 years of age
and they are now 20-21. Whatever happens I will not be walking away from Wilston
Athletic F.C. My heart is here and if the championship escapes us I will feel
personally responsible because the players have played there guts out for me and
the club, they wouldn’t have failed you only fail when you stop trying and these
lads just don’t know how to Surrender. I am just tired. 11 years Coaching, UK
Tours and work commitments are starting to catch up with me. Lets see what
tomorrow brings.