Image: Rachel Bach
It was a baptism of fire for Heidelberg United’s newest head coach Melissa Barbieri, who saw a largely new-look side fall short of the mark against reigning NPLW Champions Calder United.
The score read 7-1 after the completion of the full 90 minutes, but despite a team that on paper looked enough to compete, their understanding on the pitch proved their downfall. That by no means was fault of their own, with the Bergers experiencing one of the heaviest player turnover in 2017, while Calder on the other hand fielded a relatively familiar looking XI.
“Calder were Champions last year so we all know they are a good squad,” Barbieri said in the aftermath of their heavy Community Shield defeat.
“Everyone been together for years, not just in the NPL but for years in other teams. They’ve got a pretty strong unit there and a couple of additional players in their midsts.”
It been more than just a couple of additions for Barbieri and co. with Grace Abbey, Ally Ladas, Alex Chidiac, Cortnee Vine, Matilda Comley and Renae Pantelis making up a strong contingent of new faces from interstate. They join Katie Neville, Sky Jensen, Mikayla Lazic, Sarah Sumner and the returning Laura Phillips as other new faces to commit to the club. Six of those names started yesterday afternoon as they took their first real step towards gelling on the park.
“For us it was just about getting to know each other out there today,” Barbieri said.
“We still have a few more players to come in and we need to find positions for everyone, then select the right people based on their strengths.
“It’s a learning curve for me, but also a wake up call for the girls as to what standard they need to be playing at. For the new girls coming in who have never played NPLW before, it was a good hit out for them to get their feet firmly planted on the ground.”
Pantelis and Comley are the newest additions for Barbieri’s side, with the pair holding a deep affiliation in the sport of futsal. Pantelis played for Pascoe Vale Futsal Club in the F-League after moving from South Australia, while goalkeeper Comley has represented South Australia at national level.
“Renee Pantelis has been in Melbourne for a year. She’s played Futsal and was looking to play and just happened to choose Heidelberg really.
“Matilda [Comley] was the same really; she’s here for FC11 and she’s a young futsal goalkeeper who just so happened to choose Heidelberg; a very South Australia flavour.”
The other unannounced signing for Heidelberg is New Zealander Laura Phillips, who returns after a year’s sabbatical. The utility midfielder/defender was a solid performer after her recruitment for the 2015 season, and possesses experience playing in the German lower leagues.
Lady Reds utility Abbey featured at left back in the Community Shield having received her FFA clearance and comes with a strong playing pedigree in spite of her tender age of 18 years. She is set to juggle her playing commitments with a role as the Bergers’ U15’s coach. Teammate at W-League level Ladas featured off the bench, with the 20-year-old thrown into midfield in tough conditions.
They join another high-profile addition in Young Matilda Cortnee Vine, with the 18-year-old Brisbane Roar forward signed to replace the attacking firepower left by the departed Leigh Gray.
“I’m spoilt for choice in terms of the girls making my job [to pick a team] very hard. The effort and endeavour that has been put in over the last three months of pre-season has been outstanding.
“I feel for some of them because for all the hard work they’ve put in at training, they’ve had to go to the lower leagues to make room for our loyalty players. It’s just one of those things where you have to balance things; this is something I’m learning on the fly.
The bar has been well and truly set heading into the season opener away against Galaxy United, but Barbieri admits she’s in no rush to ensure they reach their peak. Instead, the focus for her is to ensure her side is improving week on week and producing the right culture to sustain longer term success.
“It’s pretty much about finding roles for everyone in the team, from leadership to positions on the field. How they speak and how they gel to produce on the field is just half the battle. It’s also about off the field and what you can do to produce a culture, a community.
“At the end of the day, I want to make sure we are growing as a club and that we are doing things the right way, even if we’re at the bottom end of the table. So long as my players are improving and getting better each week, I think I’ll be happy.”