By Tara Murray
Keilor Park is ready to go again, this time with the new challenge of FV state league 1 north-west.
After spending just one season in state league 2 north-west last season, the Eagles are back up in state league 1 after claiming the title and promotion.
Coach Serge Sabbadini said they were confident that they could have an impact at the higher level.
“We want to get promoted in the NPL [National Premier League], that is our aim,” he said. “That is what we are planning and we’re going to try and win the whole thing if possible.”
The Eagles bring back a similar squad to the one that won the state league 2 north-west title last season.
They lost just one game last season, winning 20 of a possible 22 games.
Sabbadini said they are on the hunt for a striker though after their star striker hurting his knee after coming off a motorbike.
“We signed everyone from last year,” he said. “We had a great year last year and when we recruited for last year, we looked for players that would be there for the long term, not just five minutes.
“They are at the age they can play together for three to four years.”
Sabbadini said it had been a stop-start off season for the squad but they were hoping that is behind them.
He said its full steam ahead between now and the season kicking off in March.
“We’ve been juggling things with all the boys coming back,” he said, “We have not had a full squad to train until the friendly on the weekend.
“It was a better performance as we beat Mornington 2-1. We can ramp things up on the physical side now, we need to step things up.”
The Eagles are in action this weekend in their first Australia Cup match against Baxter, in the second round of the competition.
While many clubs don’t care too much about the cup competition, the Eagles want to go as far as they can.
“We’re looking to get playing,” he said. “It’s a pretty serious thing as we want to go out and win and get to the next round.
“Every game we want to win and take that mindset into every game. We want to go as far as we can.”
Albion Rovers, Westside Strikers, Westvale Olympic, Sydenham Park, Brimbank Stallions, Keilor Wolves, Western Eagles and Westgate are also in action this weekend in the Australia Cup.
