Impetus’ Ben Gilby, Genevieve Henry, and Ryan Miller-Woods report on three media conferences from A-League Women’s clubs ahead of round nine (21/12/23).
Canberra United
by Ryan Miller-Woods
The media heard from Canberra United Head Coach Njegosh Popovich and recently announced signing, Junior Matildas midfielder Lillian Skelly.
The signing of Skelly adds a young prospect with a lot of potential at just 16 years of age.
When asked about his new signing, Popovich said, “Lilian’s an exciting young player. She’s a Junior Matilda, that’s where we identified her. I remember watching her in the NYC, the National Youth Championship, a couple of years ago and she was on the radar at that stage as well. A talented player with speed and a great left foot.”
Popovich was also asked with the squad being such a young group, if Canberra is the perfect place for someone like Skelly to join, to which he said, “I like to think our environment is conducive to helping the younger ones develop and Lillian (Skelly) will just add value to that.”
Being at a club such as Canberra will be very good in terms of Skelly’s development as a footballer, with youngsters commonly getting opportunities to hone their craft and showcase their talent at United.
When asked about how the opportunity to join United came about, Skelly said, “There was a camp here (in Canberra) not too long ago and I suppose it’s sort of a way of being seen.”
What will be one of the biggest benefits for Skelly being at Canberra is the players that she can learn from such as Michelle Heyman, Maria ‘Cote’ Rojas, Cannon Clough, and Nicki Flannery in terms of experience. As well as that, the culture that exists at United will also be massively beneficial for Skelly.
When asked about her first experience with the squad, Skelly said, “When I first came in they (the players) were so supportive. They took me under their wing (and) showed me everything. It was a really good experience.”
Perth Glory
by Ben Gilby
Perth Glory boss Alex Epakis has emphasised that his team are more than prepared to continue their strong away form as a fully fit squad are set to bounce back from a five-day turnaround when they travel to face last season’s Grand Finalists Western United.
Having held 2022/23’s Grand Final winners Sydney FC to a 0-0 draw at Macedonia Park on Sunday night, the Glory are in Victoria tomorrow to take on a Western United side that Sydney defeated in the season finale last time round.
It’s the latest in a tough run of fixtures for the A-League Women leaders who have shown that they can go toe-to-toe with the competition’s biggest names.
“If you look at the last couple of fixtures (which includes Melbourne City, Sydney FC, and Melbourne City), we’ve played a lot of top-end opposition and learned a lot about ourselves, our character, the way that we play, and how we can compete and that’s given us a lot of satisfaction, but also an ability to look at the bigger picture and say ‘OK, we’re serious about what we are doing and we can compete against the bigger teams.’ It sets us up well for the second half of the season…and what it could look like for us if we continue to work hard.”
Whilst some clubs may be cautious about a five-day turnaround between games that includes a 3,400 km plus journey, Epakis doesn’t see it as a problem. Indeed, he and the players relish it for the opportunities it brings.
“From the moment we finished the last match against Sydney, that was a very taxing effort, the players worked extremely hard…the first few days of the week were focussed on the recovery. We did our first field session yesterday (Wednesday), and we have another one today. The players are very professional. They take care of themselves and that was the emphasis this week.
“We love the travel. We use it as an opportunity to really lock-in. It gives us a good amount of time to focus, to have team meetings, to have discussions, to prepare really well and focus mentally on the task at hand. I think the players galvanise in the opportunity of being well. They come together. We have a good record away this calendar year and we’re looking forward to continuing that run.”
Whilst Western United have had a mixed start to the campaign – with three wins and four defeats from their eight matches – they have retained the vast majority of last season’s successful side and have added further talent such as the outstanding Grace Maher.
“You look at that squad and they had a fantastic season last season, Grand Finalists. Those players are still there. They are definitely a team we are taking seriously,” the Perth Glory head coach remarked.
“They have some really good parts of their game that we need to be mindful of. Hannah Keane – she is a handful, and (Chloe) Logarzo. They have attacking options that cause any team damage, so we need to make sure that we are structurally really good and sound. With the ball, I want us to be a bit cleaner than we were against Sydney. (We need to) Do more with the possession we have and be more dynamic in the attack.”
That attack is likely to include the return of Grace Jale, who missed last weekend’s home game with Sydney FC. Epakis confirmed that “she is in the squad and travelling.”
In terms of what the Glory boss wants for Christmas, it’s simple. “Three points – stay top, that would be great. It would be just reward for what we’ve done this season, but in football, you don’t always get what you want, or in life. But the reality is we know that if we get three points and we perform well, we give ourselves a good chance of staying at least equal top on Christmas Day.”
Sydney FC
by Genevieve Henry
The media heard from three Sydney FC stars, Jada Whyman, Margaux Chauvet, and Tori Tumeth, ahead of their return to Leichhardt Oval this Friday.
The club announced that they would play all but one of their remaining home games at this ground, giving players and fans alike the chance to turn it into a fortress. A ground with great memories for Sydney, this move may be vital on their road to the finals.
The Sky Blues are set to face Brisbane Roar this week, with a Matildas match-up between Cortnee Vine and Roar star Tameka Yallop sure to entice the crowds to pour into Leichhardt.
Sydney will aim to get back to winning ways after a frustrating draw against a flourishing Perth Glory. Similarly, Brisbane, who are sitting in eighth, will look to win for the first time in six games. Coincidentally, their last victory came against Sydney.
On that previous meeting, which ended 1-0 in favour of the Roar, Whyman said, “Our team at that point wasn’t quite formed and hadn’t gelled as best as we could.” What can the home-ground advantage at this new stadium bring to last season’s champions? Tumeth, a player the fans have quickly fallen in love with, said of Leichhardt, “Eight home games, it’s gonna be massive to us, this pitch. We want to create a kind of fortress and make it really hard for other teams to come and play us at this location.”
Sydney FC goalkeeper Whyman, a player well-acquainted with this ground from over the years, said “I love playing at Leichhardt Oval. It’s fantastic. We’ve had a lot of big games here and a lot of memorable moments.” The shot stopper’s last match at this ground, in February 2022, saw her and the Sydney side break the record for most consecutive clean sheets (eight) in the A-League Women.
Chauvet shared her excitement for the ground, saying, ”The pitch is amazing and I’m excited to see the atmosphere that comes with (it).” Chauvet, who has been thrust into a starting role due to the injury sustained by captain Nat Tobin, shared, “I’m just taking it step by step. I’m just trying to fill that role and help the team in any way that I can.” Tobin’s injury certainly has dampened the start of the season for Sydney, as did all of the departures in the summer, but players like Chauvet have proven their qualities on the pitch to keep their team steady.
With this new defensive line in front of her, Whyman has had to adapt, but has done so with grace. “Obviously, the whole squad is pretty new, so it’s (about) being able to work together. A lot of us talk off the field about how we do our job and what we want to achieve on the field.” Whyman said the key is putting their words into practice. Tumeth added on, “It’s such a new roster so we just want to build together, and work out how we play together so we can be successful as we have done in the previous years.”
Whyman, considered one of the best keepers in the league for years now, has seen her good form, even behind an ever-flexible backline, rewarded by a spot in Matildas camps.
She shared how Sydney head coach Ante Juric has been a big part of her call-ups, with the club helping her to focus and improve in order to gain this honour. On her experience, she said, “It’s just been amazing to be a part of that group and also work on my game and be around three other great goalkeepers. Hopefully I can push a bit further to be in there a bit more.”
When asked about making the Olympics squad, Whyman approached the issue with understanding, “It’s a tough gig, you’re getting 18 players, so it’s even smaller than what the World Cup roster was. I’m gonna try my best. If I do make it, I’m gonna be ecstatic, but if I don’t, I’m not gonna be too bummed out. I’ve just gotta keep pushing. It’s (a) long-term game for goalkeepers.”
For Sydney to have such quality players in Whyman, alongside the newly returned superstar Vine, is a big drawing factor for the swarths of fans they have seen so far. The importance of crowds was stressed by the players, Tumeth saying, “We just hope that the whole community in this inner west area gets around it and creates that atmosphere that’s gonna drive us on the pitch.”
The home advantage will be imperative for Sydney, Whyman saying, “We haven‘t played at home for a while so it’ll be good just to see all the fans again.” An intimate setting, a packed crowd at Leichhardt Oval could make all the difference for Sydney, with Tumeth saying, “It gives you that extra push.”
Sydney’s journey so far this season has been anything but straightforward, with a trip to play in the group stage of the Asian Women’s Club Championship halting their season and putting them a few games behind, while giving the fresh squad time to meld and bond.
Reflecting on those challenges, Tumeth said, “We’re definitely building, and we’re nowhere near where we want to be, but there are lots of positives that have come from the first few rounds and our experience over in Uzbekistan. There’s so much growth to achieve but we’re really happy where we are at the moment and we just want to keep building on that.”
But even with a new-look team, Juric has taken his team of youngsters to win the Premiership three seasons in a row, so it’s hard to bet against them. The players are confident and hungry to win their manager even more, Whyman saying, “It hasn’t gone the way we wanted it to at the start, but that doesn’t mean we don’t finish off the way we want it to, with a Premiership and a Championship.”
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