Cairnlea head coach Jamie Monteith believes more than the results on the pitch, that his players have to start enjoying their football again.
Replacing outgoing coach Nick Koutroumanis in Round 3, Monteith explained his reasons for taking on what looked like a difficult job.
“I’m actually junior coordinator up at Cairnlea and I was seeing the girls work very, very hard and it was a real shame they weren’t getting that back in return,” he said.
“I love football and when a group of girls or boys whatever it may be, if they’re committed and they’re bringing themselves to training and giving it their all every single week, now as far as I’m concerned they deserve to have someone replicating that back.
“That’s why I took the job.”
It hasn’t exactly been smooth seas for Monteith, with the former Arsenal Kickz coach presiding over three losses and a solitary win but there have been promising signs of late.
Cairnlea were on the end of a 7-0 thumping to league leaders South Melbourne on the weekend, but managed to hold their attackers at bay for half an hour before an astonishing 15 minute spell saw six goals breach their defence.
“Our aim was not to concede in the first 15, 20 minutes because the last couple of games we’ve found ourselves 1-0 down within five minutes so the aim was not to concede early on and we did that,” Monteith said.
“I think for 30 minutes we pressured them and sloppy mistakes at the back cost us.”
Goalkeeper Candice Sallama and midfielder Genia Avram were noticeable standouts, with the latter putting a good shift in the middle of the park against swarming opposition.
“In football you need a strong spine and that’s what we’re trying to achieve,” Monteith said.
“We’re just trying to steady the ship and these girls have committed so much of their time the the cause, so it’s only right we do the same thing.”
There was also special praise for veteran goalkeeper Sallama, after the goalkeeper pulled off some top-notch saves early on.
“She’s capable of doing that, hence the reason we value her very highly,” Monteith said.
“But I think the whole team has shown for the second half, bar 15 minutes in the first, that we competed and there were good signs.
“We want these girls to start enjoying their football again, and that only comes with playing on the park week in and week out and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
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