Stability has returned to Western Suburbs since Manuel Munoz took over as coach of the men’s state league 1 club.
In a land far away, Altona Magic and Preston Lions are jostling for the title, but Suburbs – last year’s champions – tumbled so far down the Football Federation Victoria ladder in earlier rounds that it was a shock candidate for relegation.
Suburbs’ supporters can rest easy now with th
e club in a more comfortable seventh spot, neither here nor there when discussions come up about championships or relegation.
“When I took over the team, I said to the committee we are too far from the top team but we’ll try to get as many points as we can to survive,” Munoz told Star Weekly.
“There’s not a hope that we’re going to catch them, no way, but to finish in a high position would be good for the club.”
Western Suburbs is nowhere near the finished article that it was last season, but it has reason for optimism.
Suburbs went into last weekend having won four of the past eight games since Munoz took the helm.
It could have been even better had they not let leads slip against Preston and Westgate late on in their contests.
“Unfortunately, we lost a game against Westgate where we were 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go and we lost 3-2,” Munoz said.
“We were beating Preston 1-0 then in the last 20 minutes we lost 2-1.
“That’s what we have to work out, why in the last 15 minutes of the second half are we losing concentration?”
Munoz was a left-field candidate for the coaching job at Western Suburbs.
Sure, he was a smooth internal replacement, but even he believed it was going to be a short-term fix and he would return to his post as reserves’ coach.
“I came back after many years to coach the reserves, to teach the youngsters some old tricks and how to play football,” Munoz said.
“Suddenly, the committee got the resignation from the previous coach and they offered me the position for one game.
“Then we beat Sydenham and they offered me the position for the rest of the year.”
Munoz is 60 and had not coached a senior team for 15 years.
What he offered Western Suburbs was a point of difference from modern coaching.
“What I can see from the new generation of coaches, they’re going from the books and not from the experience,” Munoz said.
“I go from my experience and my knowledge, and I give it to the players to put on to the ground.
“The players are committed 100 per cent to the club and to the team.
“I put in all of my ideas, and they’re working really hard during training and during the match. I can see some players have improved a lot.”
Munoz praised the team’s leadership, led by captain and right back Misko Ceh, for sticking by the club after a rough start. Billy Sianidis and James Hammond have been rock-solid in defence, while Costa Zaharakis, Lucas Vaz and William Moreno Teixeira have provided the go-forward in the midfield.
Munoz would like to see the goal tally rise for Suburbs, which is a work in progress as they continue to refine their new formation.
“We’ve changed the system they had been playing previously,” Munoz said. “I encourage and train my players to be in a good position to defend, having a good balance and supporting each other.
“They don’t score many goals against us, and we’re defending very well with our experienced players.”
Western Suburbs will visit third-placed Banyule City for a tough contest on Saturday.
