Green Gully is back on the National Premier League soccer winners’ list after a gutsy 2-1 triumph against Ballarat on Saturday.
The victory was the club’s eighth of the year and ended a run of six matches without a win.
But while some teams would be happy with an 8-10-2 record in Victoria’s premier club competition, Green Gully demands more.
The Cavaliers have built a rich history of winning games and championships.
That being the case, their tough run through the first season of the NPL has come as a surprise.
It’s been a rollercoaster year for Green Gully, with two coaching changes and several key players sidelined by injuries.
It’s resulted in caretaker coach Bob Stojcevski, who took over in May, being handed a young squad for the rest of the season.
With an emerging playing list in need of guidance, Stojcevski is the ideal man to have in charge. Before leading the seniors, he was in charge of Green Gully’s under-19s and played a key role in developing some of the club’s most exciting talent.
Stojcevski said the Cavs’ youngsters needed to keep working hard to ensure they were ready for next season.
“It’s not a matter of just giving them game time and then next season comes and they’re automatically ready,” he said.
“They really need to display the right attributes, the right character, the right improvement to the end of the year. Then we can say they’ve improved significantly and by the end of the season we can count on them for next year.
“That’s a position they need to put themselves in and show that they’re worthy of a spot next year.”
Green Gully will try to make it back-to-back wins when it takes on fifth-placed Hume City this weekend.
Stojcevski said he hadn’t spoken to the Cavaliers about continuing in the role permanently next season.
“We haven’t entered into discussions about that,” he said.
“I’m a caretaker coach and that is until the end of the year.
“I’m a clubman. I’m there as long as the club wants me to help out. If they get another coach for next year and I revert back to looking after the development of young players, then I’m fine with that.
‘‘I will be quite happy with whatever the board decides to go with next year.”
