Image: The Sporting WALL
When Huss Skenderovic took over the managerial hot seat at the Dandenong Thunder, he had a difficult task ahead of him. The club had just been relegated from the top flight after finishing last on the ladder, having recorded four wins all season, and for the first time since 2008 were facing life outside the top flight of Victorian football.
14 league games into his tenure, the 43-year-old has guided his side to top spot on the ladder with his 100% record intact, having triumphed over their respective opponents in each of their fixtures. A three point deduction stemming from a technicality is all that separates the club founded by Albanian migrants from a dominant seven point lead over second placed Kingston City, who remain four points behind the league leaders.
The rampant Thunder are also the league’s top scorers with 53 goals at the half-way point of the season, while also holding claim to the sturdiest defence, having conceded just 10 goals, the lowest in the division. Naturally, Skenderovic was delighted with his start to life at the club and took time out to give an insight into his coaching philosophy and also the inner workings around George Andrews Reserve.
“I’m very delighted with the results so far and by the fact that we have not dropped any points. It reflects our solid performances in all the key areas within our structure,” he says.
“We have introduced a very new, adaptable dynamic playing style, which the squad enjoys. I’ve ensured us to be focused on simple tasks and we have a great understanding of our key playing principles. It’s pleasing the players have grasped these and it’s very evident in their performances.”
Of the 2015 squad, only six players remain from the side that collected just 15 points in 26 games last term. Club stalwarts Fitim Ibraimi and Veton Korcari, captain Brendan Elmazovski, Afghan international Faisal Sakhizada and youngsters Lewis Foster and Vik Mujedini were retained as a clear-out ensued.
Pre-season began early as the Thunder conducted trials in mid-October, with the squad finalised at the beginning of September, bar the addition of a couple of key late arrivals with the manager content at the entire recruitment drive.
“I’m very happy with our recruitment process, having conducted a very thorough cleanout at the end of last season. We took the rebuilding phase very early on and remained patient in re-building the team,” he says.
“Our focus on recruitment was on the dynamics of the way we wanted to play, and by trying to bring in some very sound characters to the dressing room. We wanted to share our journey with these individuals who were entering a more professional environment for all the right reasons, even if they are semi-professional footballers.”
Two surprise summer signings who have provided the team with plenty of experience and added quality have been former Socceroos Simon Colosimo and Kristian Sarkies. The duo have featured in nearly every game this season – with PFA commitments ruling the former out of two outings.
Skenderovic was full of praise for the duo, while providing a detailed insight into how he managed to entice the two A-League winners to the NPL2 club.
“Simon and Kristian have been amazing. They are both very professional and great leaders that our younger players learn from and look up to,” he says.
“Their influence on and off the ground have been fantastic for all to see and benefit from. Both have been very influential with their professional experience and have been key to our campaign so far.
“Simon and I spent time together in India at Dempo when Arthur Papas was in charge of the club. I knew Simon still had so much to offer at this level and he is the type of professional that wants to give so much to the game and players.
“I discussed the game and Thunder’s vision over coffee and Simon was very keen to get involved and help us create the right football environment that would accommodate the new vision here and this in the end was enough for him to decide to grace George Andrew Reserve.”
While Colosimo is looking up for the first time in the NPL, having experienced relegation with Goulburn and Werribee in the last two years, Skenderovic has been commended for getting the best out of Sarkies, who has not always enjoyed a fruitful spell at his various state clubs.
“For Kristian, after having a year sabbatical, he knew that the right football environment had to be there so he could enjoy and find his love for the game again. I promised him we would tailor a specific football program for him to get back to fitness and find his passion and love for the game again,” Skenderovic said.
“It’s been a pleasure to see him work hard and consistently perform again and see him smile. Kristian is unique in many ways as he is extremely creative and a joy to watch and work with. His character in the changing room is like the cream inside the cake as he is very infectious.”
While the signings of the high-profile pairing did not go without notice, the same cannot be said about the signature of little-known English forward Brandon Barnes. The 23-year-old was recommended to the club by former Championship winning Thunder striker Nate Foster, and has scored an extraordinary 26 goals in 12 games, smashing the NPL record in one game by claiming eight against Nunawading on the weekend.
Despite strong interest from several top tier clubs, Skenderovic is confident that Barnes will remain at the NPL2 league leaders.
“Brandon is a footballer with very distinct ambitions. He has tremendous potential and we have been specific in developing that potential. Our environment is very professional and with the club’s vision, support, and infrastructure, why would he want to leave such a great project?” he said.
“It’s simple, if we do the right things as a football organisation and with our football objective, why would he want to leave? We are a massive club with an amazing supporter base and I’m sure he found that out very early on that passion and buzz around this place cannot be found anywhere else in Victoria.”
The former Melbourne Knights and St Albans Saints forward has previously served as an assistant at Richmond under both Phil Stubbins and Mike Chatzitrifonas, claiming the 2010 VPL premiership alongside the latter of the two.
Subsequent spells at the helm at Western Suburbs and the Oakleigh Cannons followed, before his sacking from Jack Edwards Reserve in mid-2012 prompted a change of scenery for Skenderovic. He spent the next three seasons as Technical Director of UAE Pro League club Ajman and spoke about the transition he has experienced on return to Australia where he once again finds himself working in a semi-professional set-up.
“The transition has been a positive challenge to be honest. In a country such as the United Arab Emirates, working in a professional environment means there are certain high standards you need to meet,” he said.
Preparation, medical support, grounds, management personnel, gear and apparel, infrastructure, travel, accommodation are all integral components of each club. It’s sometimes a little disheartening when you go from this and visit certain NPL clubs that have extremely poor facilities who are relying on the contribution of kind hearted volunteers to administrate their clubs.
The NPL requires wise development and investment regarding both players and club standards. One thing I have worked to develop at this club is to create certain professional habits I have learnt from my experiences at pro level and implemented here at Dandenong. I believe there are still a few gaps to fill in at NPL level if we want to develop and progress the game to the next level.”
A lifelong Liverpool supporter, it is perhaps not surprising that Skenderovic takes inspiration from current Reds manager Jürgen Klopp, while also being an admirer of the newly appointed supremo of rivals Manchester United.
“Managers who I have progressively followed and admired for their philosophies and style in particular are Jose Mourinho and Jürgen Klopp,” he said.
“Coaching animation is a reflection of the feeling of the game and impacting the dynamics of the game. Hence the demands of physical attribution and tactical adaptation are a huge part of the players they require for their projective style.”
Skenderovic also took time to praise the work of his assistant and former Green Gully manager Aaron Symons, while also speaking highly of the coaching apprenticeship being served by veteran striker Korcari.
“After spending time together in India, I knew Aaron Symons well. He was another football professional who is at the forefront of the modernisation in football practises and conditioning, and sports science. It only made sense to have Aaron next to me with Veton as my second assistant/player. He has a fantastic football brain and is currently undertaking a thorough coaching apprenticeship.”
While promotion back into the NPL at the first instance was Skenderovic’s goal from day one of his time in charge of the club, the manager spoke of the important role the club committee have played in facilitating Thunder’s all-conquering form at the half-way point of the season.
“From day one, the President Ferman Zekirija, Chairman Gary Rowe and the board have been professionally supportive of the changes that have been implemented by the new football board and coaches,” he said.
“Dandenong Thunder are again clearly focused on clear objectives and has a supporter base that is the best in the state. To have all the board, Its members, and magnificent supporters from the local community again on board whether home or away is testament to the belief and hard work that Ferman, Gary and all the board members have done to turn things around so credit to them.”
Following on from last year’s disappointment, Dandenong has undergone a resurgence in NPL2 under Skenderovic, and with the club looking odds on to return to the top flight next season, they will be hoping that the 43-year-old can continued his success as the 2012 treble winners hope for a return to the glory days of Thunder.