NEW Bendigo City FC coach Srecko Baresic has implored his team to play a “kamikaze” brand of attacking soccer in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 season that begins on Saturday.
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Bendigo City FC opens its 2017 campaign against Northcote City at Epsom-Huntly Recreation Reserve from 7pm.
Northcote City has been relegated from the top flight of the FFV National Premier Leagues competition.
Baresic was appointed in October, last year, with coaching experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, as well as spending time in Australia at the Melbourne Knights, St Albans Saints, Dandenong City and Heidelberg Stars.
Baresic is excited by the challenge of guiding a young Bendigo team that has introduced eight new players into its senior squad.
“We know we have the youngest and most inexperienced team in the division and where we’re coming from last year, so it’s tough to be extremely successful immediately,” Baresic said.
“But we really want supporters to watch us.
“We will play an exciting brand; we play with the goalkeeper 40 metres away from goal sometimes, we’re sweeping, it’s a gambling game, but that’s what people like to watch.
“No-one likes to come along and watch a boring game. I have given our players the nickname that we are 11 kamikazes out on the field.
“The boys know that I believe the best form of defence is attack, so it’s going to be a bit of a gamble, but our thoughts are if we’re going to get beaten, do it in style if we have to.”
Bendigo City FC finished 10th last year with four wins, three draws and 21 losses.
The team kicked 28 goals for the season, but the five players who combined for 23 of them – David Younan (6), Godwill Basha (6), Sergio Castel-Martinez (5), Carl O’Keefe (3) and ex-captain George McHeileh (3) – aren’t in this year’s squad.
Bendigo City FC squad:
Goalkeepers – Rob Munday, Donte Thomas.
Defenders – Jack Kelly, Isaac Commandeur, Sam Mangelsdor*, Abraham Lokiru*, Daniel Purdy, Lachlan Beever.
Midfielders – Jarrod Styles*, Charlie McCormick*, Bosko Abbasmoi, Junior Mota*, Vini Branko, Sam Far, Timo Schick*.
Forwards – Lovro Vukovski*, Scott Dunn*, Ahmed Badawy, Adam Tesfeye, Sam Scoble, Matt Sporle.
*denotes new player
Meanwhile, one of soccer’s most coveted awards was in Bendigo as part of a regional tour on Wednesday – the FIFA Puskas Award.
The award is given each year to the player judged to have scored the best goal in world football.
