Impetus’ Ben Gilby, Genevieve Henry, and Kieran Yap report on four media conferences from A-League Women clubs ahead of round ten (29/12/23).
Adelaide United
by Genevieve Henry
Ahead of Adelaide United’s meeting with Newcastle Jets on Sunday, the South Australian side’s head coach Adrian Stenta spoke to the press about his expectations for his team.
As Adelaide currently sit in 11th, this game is a must-win for The Reds to keep their momentum going. Having won their last two games, things are looking up, but there is still work to do in the A-League’s most competitive season yet.
One thing that Adelaide will see as a bright spot is the players available for the upcoming game, with a good sized squad in contention to play and travel. Stenta commented, “Just to get a spot is difficult at the moment.”
The competition within the squad should give the United boss a welcome selection headache in order to put out the very best team to face the Jets. For Stenta and Adelaide, things are looking up as “the squad has gotten healthier.”
This availability and competition could turn things around for The Reds. “You don’t want to just be picking (whoever is) available at the time. There are some players who are training really well at the moment that can’t get a look in at the matchday sixteen.”
Stenta shared that it’s a difficult process to pick this team with such competition, and that he feels some players are being hard done by. “They just need to keep working hard and persevering, and when they get their opportunity, make the most of it.”
When asked about what has changed from last season to here, the Adelaide boss said, “We haven’t started well, but the performances have been improving week by week.” His comments showed the contrast from last season, where they seemed to do the opposite. But, as the season is far longer this year, The Reds should be grateful for the growth and opportunity to improve as the season goes on.
Unlike previous seasons, a few bad games at the start no longer dictate how well they can finish. Although there have admittedly been some rough matches for Stenta, there are positives. “The results can sometimes mask the (good) things that are going on.”
On Sunday’s opponents Newcastle Jets, Stenta shared, “It’s always difficult to go play in Newcastle, they get really good home support.” This New Year’s Eve fixture, which has coincidentally been a frequent occurrence between the two sides, could pose some challenges to the improving side of The Reds.
“They’re a side that likes to press high and create chances that way. They’re dangerous on the counter attack, and they have been playing some really good football and scoring a lot of goals.”
One thing that Adelaide will be thankful for is the fact that Emily van Egmond’s guest stint with the Jets came to an end before they faced them, with the Matildas star taking Newcastle to a new level.
However, Adelaide’s opponents are a side that has greatly improved, and they may be able to cause The Reds trouble even without that extra star power. “We’re expecting a really tough game from Newcastle and we’ll need to be at our best if we’re going to get something out of the game.”
With Adelaide just recording their first clean sheet of the season last week against Western Sydney Wanderers, Stenta’s side are starting to feel a little more in the mix. “Our goalkeeper had an outstanding game and we showed resilience to be able to defend in those key moments. It was good to keep a clean sheet and to only need one goal to win a game.
Stenta was full of praise for keeper Annalee Grove, saying that it was her best performance of the season so far, but that she has been doing outstanding work for the long period that she has been with the club. “She’s also being pushed really hard, we’ve got a very even goalkeeping group, and there are two keepers that are currently sitting behind her that also have the quality and ability to start in our team, too. It’s really pushing those players to be at their best, like it is with the outfield group as well.”
With a healthy and competitive squad, Adelaide United will be determined to give a solid performance against a tough side, and hopefully make the long trip home with some points in hand.
Melbourne Victory
by Kieran Yap
After suffering their first loss after a six-game undefeated run, Melbourne Victory are looking to bounce back against Western Sydney Wanderers tomorrow.
Jeff Hopkin’s side were denied a merry Christmas after Melbourne City’s win in the local derby. It was a result that could have been worse, although Victory were not without their chances and could easily have escaped with a draw.
“Obviously it hurt us a fair bit, the performance and the defeat,” Hopkins said via the Melbourne Victory website.
“I think the main thing is that everyone’s pulled up really well and I’m definitely looking for a reaction to our performance from last week,” he said.
“The girls have been in pretty good spirits. Very quiet early on in the week, which again, I think is natural. And it’s good that it showed that it did hurt, and it did affect us. I’ve got no doubt that we’re going to bring a much better performance this week and get back to how we were playing up to the City game.”
Victory were approaching some of their best form before that loss, and supporters will hope that it was just a blip rather than a reversal in fortunes. The team was without Ella O’Grady in round nine, but the Young Matildas striker has been included for the trip to Sydney.
The Wanderers have been inconsistent this season, but reliably dangerous. In Sophie Harding they have one of the league’s in-form strikers and only a standout performance from Adelaide United’s goalkeeper denied her more goals last weekend. They are not a side that Hopkins is taking lightly.
“Going to Western Sydney this week is going to be a tough ask for us and we’ve prepared this week for quite a physical affair, to be ready to combat quite a physical style and quite a direct style as well.”
“But also, from our point of view, we’re really looking for a reaction from last week’s performance and maybe a good physical affair might be just what we need this week, just to get us going.”
Perth Glory
by Ben Gilby
Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis is looking for a reaction from his team after defeat to Western United last time out as the Western Australian side travel to face Central Coast Mariners on New Year’s Eve.
Reflecting on the display in that 1-0 loss before Christmas, the Glory boss said: “The message was clear, the reality is if we want to be a serious winning team week-in-week-out, we have to perform at our best every week. For us, that’s a mentality thing. We are capable of it, we have shown a high mental standard… but we also can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal for one game.”
“The disappointment of last week will still be fresh in their (the players’) minds, and the opportunity to now go and play and put that disappointment behind them is something that will really drive the players…we’ll get a response and we’re really relishing a chance to go and do it.”
The loss in Victoria also saw the Western Australian side fail to find the back of the net for a second successive game, Epakis believes he has put his finger on the reasons behind that.
“I think there are a combination of factors. Some are out of our control, but there are some things in our own build-up, our attack, that weren’t as fluid and quick as we’d like them to be as well. We have to find ways to score goals and to be a threat in front of goal whether that be through general play or set pieces.”
Perth will take a fully fit squad to Gosford, but their task to get back on the scoresheet will not be made any easier on Sunday, with opponents Central Coast Mariners having conceded just nine goals all season – only Sydney FC have let in fewer. Epakis recognises the challenge.
“Central Coast have players there who really want to compete hard with or without the ball. I can understand why they haven’t given away many goals or many chances, but for us, we have to be better regardless. They (Central Coast) have a style of play that really fits with their players and they are doing well to compete with teams in their first season.”
Reflecting on 2023, Perth’s head coach said: “The calendar year as a whole has been a really strong year for the team, and I am really happy with the last 12 months. I think the team has made some big inroads on and off the pitch.
“We have had some good successful stories and some really great performances at the back end of last season and the start of this season. Overall, I’m pleased with the direction we are heading in as a group on a broad scale, but it’s about the week-by-week that we need to focus on.”
Western United
by Ben Gilby
Western United’s Chloe Logarzo is preparing to play her hundredth W/A-League Women match tomorrow when her side host Canberra United.
Speaking to the media today ahead of the milestone, the Matildas star said: “I feel privileged reaching a hundred games at a home game and at an older age as I think I appreciate it more.”
Logarzo made her debut at the age of 17 for Sydney FC in their 4-1 win over Newcastle Jets on 12th November 2011, and she reflected on the growth of the competition in the period: “I’ve seen the growth and development of the league over the years, and with it going to 22 rounds this season, it will become a lot easier to hit a hundred games for the young ones. It’s been incredible to see how far its come and after the World Cup, if we can keep expanding like this, we can be up there with the best leagues.”
Whilst over 70 of Logarzo’s appearances in the competition were with the Harbour City club, she is proud to be reaching the hundred mark with Western United, saying: “I feel extremely privileged. I came here at the start of last season to help the club with their inaugural season and they welcomed me back with open arms. I hope I can leave a legacy here. Sydney FC was home for a very long time (a total of seven seasons in two spells) but I feel very welcome here.”
In terms of the Matildas star’s most memorable match of her 99 to date, she has no hesitation in nominating Sydney FC’s 3-1 Grand Final win over Melbourne Victory in January 2013 in both her and the league’s second season.
“(There were) a lot of incredible footballers (in that Sydney team) – a lot of Matildas and senior players in that team, and for me at that age, it really sparked professional football for me, and I was really grateful for the season we had with that team.”
Looking back over her own progression in the league, Logarzo said: “My first season I was awarded an injury contract, so it was just for fun, and then it went into the career I’ve had for the last 10 or 11 years, mostly in Australia with my friends and family has been amazing.
“I’m just trying to enjoy football again. I’ve had a tough couple of years with injury and I’m trying to find the love again, play like I used to play, and enjoy the moment.”
Western United head coach Kat Smith believes her side is building momentum towards a push for the upper reaches of the ladder under her stewardship.
Ahead of tomorrow’s game with Canberra United, Smith looked back on what her coaching team have done since replacing Mark Torcaso at the helm of the Victoria side: “We’ve been trying to instill our principles, it was always going to take some time for the girls to overcome some challenges and new concepts, but I think it’s about being able to translate from the training pitch to the match, and we’ll see more consistency over the coming weeks.
“We want that consistency with our performances and hope that consistency leads to results, but we know how things work in football sometimes. Never get too high, and never too low.”
Looking ahead to the challenge set by Canberra United, Smith isn’t fooled into a sense of false security despite the capital city side currently being bottom of the ladder. “(There have been) inconsistent results for them…but they are a team who were very close to Finals last season, so you can’t discount any team this season with how they can turn their form around.”
With the match being Chloe Logarzo’s hundredth appearance in the league, the Western United head coach emphasised the influence of the Matilda, and that of her other experienced players.
“Her impact is significant, we’ve seen that on the pitch over the past couple of weeks, but more importantly off the pitch with her leadership. A hundred games – with that comes lots of challenges, lots of highs in terms of what she has achieved and had to endure as a player.
“There’s a winning mentality and that comes from having the experience of winning. There are ups and downs, and it’s knowing how to get through different phases of the season, and those experienced players bring that from wherever they’ve been around the world.”
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