Srecko Baresic-Nikic was recently appointed Bendigo City coach. After previously working with current professionals such as Ivan Franjic and Thomas Deng, the experienced coach and former manager of St Albans Saints and Western Eagles spoke to TCF about how his new team is shaping up and what his challenges are looking ahead into the new season.
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Josip Hercog (J): Hi Srecko, thank you for joining me. As the newly appointed coach of Bendigo City, tell me how the preparations are going for the 2017 season.
Srecko Baresic-Nikic (S): Preparations are going well and are as planned. We just completed a five-week trial with approximately 50 local players. Last Monday we officially commenced pre-season and now we are in the process of finalising our first team squad, along with the U20s and U18s which form part of the senior setup.
J: How is it settling into the NPL and a regional club? Is it different to what you’ve previously experienced?
S: I don’t think it is much different to what I’ve previously experienced because this club has been involved in NPL2 football for the past two years, and has a good internal structure. What I found most intriguing, the club culture is very welcoming and there is a good number of young players coming up from our junior setup.
J: Bendigo City are known to having a large local focus with their signings, how’s the squad coming along at the moment?
S: Our club policy and strategy is to play locally based players from Bendigo Amateur League and players who are coming up from our club development system. At this stage we have signed 10 young and two experienced players. At this stage we are focusing on recruiting a further eight to 10 experienced players.
J: Having worked with likes of Ivan Franjic and Thomas Deng in your past, what’s your approach to developing players and preparing them for the step up into professional football?
S: Most important is to recognise a talented player at an early age. I was lucky to have the opportunity and experience of coaching juniors back in Bosnia and Hercegovina, Germany, and here locally. I use this experience to further develop young talents to play senior football. I’ve also found that its extremely important to give young footballers the opportunity to play senior football, especially in age groups 16-18. This is because playing senior football is the best development tool for young players.
Thomas Deng was 16 and Ivan Franjic 17 when they commenced playing senior football. The reason we don’t have many football talents these days is because we continue to keep them on the bench for long periods of time, without giving them an opportunity, and then they lose interest in playing football.
J: With 12 signings so far and what’s shaping up to be a young squad, who excites you the most and who will you be resting on to deliver?
S: It would be very interesting to watch this young team playing NPL2 football this season. At this stage I am impressed with Sam Mangelsdorf, Ahmed Badawy and young local talent Lachlan Beever. Also there are more young players coming up like Daniel Purdy and Donte Thomas.
J: With such a young squad on the list, what are the challenges that arise with such a squad and how do you go about them?
S: The most challenging part is the age and lack of experience in my team. NPL2 is full of experienced players, but I am confident that with hard work we will achieve our goal to remain in the league this season and continue to develop and build up this great club.
J: Thank you for joining me Srecko and I wish you all the best for the 2017 season.
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The club’s recruitment has seen a steady flow of players commit to the senior side for 2017 under Baresic-Nikic, with more to come in the coming weeks and months.
20-year-old Daniel Purdy was the club’s first announcement in early November, with the former Heidelberg United man committing to a third consecutive season at the club.
Despite being just 18, Lachlan Beever was runner up the club’s Seniors Players Player award last year, and had also trialled with EPL team Bournemouth and Melbourne Victory last season.
Ahmed Badawy will be one of the most senior heads in the side having signed on for a second campaign. The 26-year-old Egyptian born Australian has previous experience in Sweden, Belgium and Egypt.
Jarrod Styles returns to Bendigo’s NPL side after a stint in the local BASL, where the midfielder was captain of Spring Gully and won the club’s best and fairest.
Experienced defender Sam Mangelsdorf will be looked towards as a leader figure within the club, joining from Wagga City Wanderers in Sydney State League where he was captain of the side.
A younger head in the side will be Sam Farr, who as a 16-year-old played seniors at Strathdale SC and last year played with Bendigo City’s U20s, before making a few senior appearances towards the end of the 2016 season.
Isaac Commadeur progressed though the club’s youth ranks, making his way up the 18s and 20s before being deployed regularly in the seniors last campaign.
Brazilian-born Vinni Branco moved to Australia at 11, playing regionally before moving to Bendigo City. He took out the 20s’ players’ player and coaches awards in 2016, now earning a senior gig.
Daniel Bish played for the Gouldburn Valley Suns in 2015, before returning to Bendigo City in 2016 and becoming a key member of the U20 squad and also earning a senior spot for 2017.
Most recently the club had also taken on Jack Kelly, another youth at the club who had risen through the youth ranks, with the 18-year-old another youthful face in the club’s footballing ranks.
However, the club will be without two of its more senior figures from last year, with equal top scorer David Younan heading to Sunshine George Cross and George McHeileh returning to former club Brunswick City.