Image: The Sporting WALL
Vitale Ferrante (Pascoe Vale)
Safe to say 2017 has been a near-ideal start for Pascoe Vale in the league, with March yielding another fruitful month of results for Vitale Ferrante’s men.
Sitting third on the ladder, the team enjoyed 3-1 and 2-0 wins over St Albans and Kingston City respectively, inflicting Kingston’s first defeat of the season, while only a late slip allowed reigning premiers Bentleigh to salvage a 2-2 draw at home after Paco had a 2-0 lead early.
Still, March marked an unbeaten month in the league, driven in big part by the form of star marksman Davey van ‘t Schip, who scored in each fixture.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a tenure for Ferrante, who took over from George Karkaletsis in mid-2011, helping the club battle its way up the state leagues.
After the implementation of the NPL in 2014 and mid-table top-flight consolidation, 2015 proved to be a whirlwind year with the club embarking on a deep finals run that ended in heartbreak against South Melbourne, just a whisker away from a grand final appearance.
2016, however, started in less than ideal circumstances as the club hobbled around the relegation zone for much of the early campaign.
But glimpses of life were there, none more so than a miraculous win over South Melbourne at Lakeside against the odds, and a resurgent Pascoe Vale stormed home to a mid-table, and not too far off finals contention.
The side has carried on with its form in 2017, a credit to the Paco hierarchy as in similar circumstances last year it’s possible other clubs may have moved a manager on, looking for fresh ideas.
But ask many players what attracts them to Pascoe Vale and the answer is predominantly the family atmosphere and stability at the club
Ferrante himself is now one of the league’s longest-serving coaches of a current club. And he’s had a core of players, the likes of van ‘t Schip, captain Joseph Youssef, son Michael Ferrante, Tomislav Milardovic, Alex Pavlidis, Adrian Talarico, Luca Santilli, Matthew Lazarides, Mark Pistininzi and more who have become synonymous with the CB Smith (and formerly Hosken Reserve) outfit – some have also been there since the state league days.
Pascoe Vale are often associated with punching above their weight, taking it to clubs with greater resources, and right now they’re in the thick of a top-six battle. One blip on the radar has been the FFA Cup disappointment against State Three Knox City but the silver lining is it allows the club to solely concentrate on its league form, and that battle continues in April with a clash today against Bulleen Lions.
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Staurt Munro (Dandenong City)
Stuart Munro’s appointment at Dandenong City seemed like the perfect marriage – an experienced manager at the helm of an ambitious outfit with title and promotion aspirations.
The former Rangers player, NSL manager and A-League assistant coach had the runs on the board to be able to deal with big egos and club backroom dynamics.
League opponents and detractors would have been delighted with City’s start then, defeated 4-1 at the hands of fierce rivals Dandenong Thunder in the much-publicised season opener, before also losing to a youthful Springvale White Eagles outfit later on.
But the tables have turned, and while the latter two have seen dips in form and points deductions, Dandenong City hit their straps in March to win all three games and go top of the league.
Mate Dugandzic scored a winner against the previously unbeaten West outfit Sunshine George Cross, he scored again in a 2-0 win over Ballarat City, alongside Shaun Filipovic who also had a double in a 5-1 rout over Nunawading City – overrunning Nuna’s own high-profile trio of James Brown, Jason Trifiro and Mitch Cooper.
In the process the squad has seemingly gelled much more cohesively than the earlier stages of the campaign. Steven Topalovic and Ljubo Milicevic look commanding in midfield, Dugandzic and Filipovic have been finding the back of the net, and the defence has been miserly, conceding just once.
Many predicted City to be near the top come the end of the season, and March has been a month in which the Endeavour Hills-based outfit has rubberstamped its league credentials (alongside still featuring in the FFA Cup where they’ll be facing off against Bulleen Lions) while enjoying playing under lights for the first time at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex.
Another big test comes today against in-form NPL2 West team Moreland Zebras, a clash which may also go a long way in determining both club’s narratives in the upcoming month.