There was plenty of excitement surrounding North Sunshine on the eve of the state league 1 soccer season.
The Eagles were coming off a state league 2 championship and hadn’t put a foot wrong during the pre-season, with some smart recruiting and a healthy list to greet coach Paul Donnelly.
After just three rounds, North Sunshine has well and truly lived up to the hype, already claiming top of the ladder.
The Eagles took care of local rival Cairnlea in round one before smashing Sunbury in round two and drawing with Keilor Park at the weekend.
North Sunshine president Besnik Kutleshi is thrilled his players have been able to adjust to the jump in class.
“Out on the park, the boys have just been phenomenal,” he said.
“All the hard work is paying off.
“We always knew we would be competitive if we put in the hard work.
“It is great to see the results now,” Kutleshi said. “In saying that, it is still early.”
With its state league campaign on track, North Sunshine is also planning for an FFA Cup run.
The Eagles caused a huge upset when they defeated NPL side Sunshine George Cross in round four of the FFA Cup, winning on penalties.
Now waiting in round five is last year’s NPL champion, South Melbourne.
“The FFA Cup has been a good experience,” Kutleshi said. “Now that we have drawn South Melbourne, it is going to be great, not only for the players but for the club as well.
“Our goal is to be an NPL club in the next three to five years and it will be a good test to see where we are at as a club. We are really looking forward to that one.”
North Sunshine will take on South Melbourne at Lakeside Stadium on Wednesday.
In ominous news for opposition sides, Kutleshi believes the Eagles’ best form is yet to come.
“I think there is still improvement in the group,” he said.
“We have a solid core that has stayed at the club from about four or five years ago. They are home-grown kids and they are still young. They are in their mid 20s, which is great for the club looking into the future.”
