Max Hatzoglou
Green Gully Soccer Club is ready to challenge the National Premier League’s (NPL) best and go for silverware this season after rebuilding from a near miss relegation in 2018.
Coach Stephen Downes, who started his role mid-season in 2018, three games prior to one of the club’s biggest wins in history to save itself from relegation, says the club is in a promising position at the moment.
“There are a lot of good people at the club and it’s in a really good position at the minute,” Downes said.
“Hopefully we can let all the good things happening in and around the club replicate onto the pitch.
Reflecting on his coaching career, Downes, who has been at Green Gully since 2011, previously as a player, knows that his team was lucky to stay in the top league after an extra-time goal against Moreland City saved them from relegation.
“We finished fourth on the back of finishing a relegation fight where we got up with almost the last kick of the game in the relegation final,” he said.
“We got lucky to stay in the league to tell you the truth, and then we had two covid affected years.
He now believes that they can push for silverware particularly with the club’s nine new signings that includes A-League experience and some strong players it’s kept at the helm.
“With the support and players we have brought in and players we have been able to keep at the club for a number of years now, we’ve got a real solid foundation to build on and really push and work to challenge and go as high as we possibly can this year.
“Green Gully is definitely a club that should be competing for silverware year in year out.”
Over the off-season the club signed nine players including three players from A-League clubs including James Doyle from Western United, Yared Abetew from Adelaide United and Josh Hope from Melbourne Victory.
Downes is looking to establish an exciting style of play in his team.
“The way I like to play football is a fast and free flowing game that goes through and connects all the phases and emphasizes on playing the game through all the phases,” the English born footballer said.
He is also looking for more consistency this season after last season saw them concede too many goals at 25, the 6th most goals conceded in the competition.
“This year we just got to marry up that consistency because there were patches last year where we could look and be the best team in the league and we could also be the worst, and that could be in the space of 90 minutes.”
“Week on week, we just have to keep on working hard and bring some consistency and we will be open to challenging this year, that is for sure.”
