By Henry Lee
After a slow start in this year’s Northern League, Eastern Suburbs head coach Kane Wintersgill says his side must hit the ground running in the Men’s National League.
The nine-round National League is a sprint compared to the 22-game Northern League competition.
“We want to make sure that we’re competitive in every game. I think that has to be the start point. It’s such a short campaign in the National League,” he said as his side prepared for their season opener against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves.
Main photo: Eastern Suburbs’ Kane Wintersgill … ‘It’s such a short campaign.’ Photo: Phototek.
Wintersgill’s team finished third in the Northern League, but his team dealt with many challenges during the season.
“It was quite challenging in a sense that we obviously lost players to four pro contracts during the season with Auckland FC, so that was extremely rewarding, but it also came with its challenges,” he said.
Eastern Suburbs lost four key first-team players to new A-League club Auckland FC, in left-back Francis De Vries, attacking midfielder Luis Toomey, young central midfielder Finn McKenlay and goalkeeper Joe Knowles.
Others were injured, or away representing New Zealand at various OFC and FIFA competitions, meaning Suburbs had to adapt, and induct new and exciting young talent.
“Obviously, we finished higher and had more points per se. But in terms of looking at it a bit more holistically, it was more of a successful season for us because we still made the National League and we got four players to professional contracts.
“On top of that, we had players representing New Zealand age group level and we had the highest percentage of U-20 (player) minutes out of the top four of the qualified teams.
“So when you put that all together, it was a very successful and rewarding season.”
Wintersgill said the mid-season changes prompted a positive response from his squad.
“It creates a little bit of togetherness within the group when things get tough and there’s a bit of adversity being able to come through that only further strengthens the group internally.
“The positives around it are (that) it’s massive for the club and the community in terms of and when I say the club in the community is, all of our players and our junior grades and our youth grades.
“They see that and they think, wow, there’s a real pathway for us here in New Zealand to play professional football.
“It’s still a really positive impact for the playing group because if you’re within the group and you see that happening, it’s invigorating.
“But then it also provides another opportunity for the players that maybe weren’t playing and now they have the opportunity to show what they bring to the team.”
Looking towards the national league, Eastern Suburbs have looked to bolster their squad to be competitive but Wintersgill is clear they looked for a particular squad fit, rather than just the best available player.
“The biggest thing for us in terms of when we bring a player in is the character of the player.
“We’ve had the opportunity to bring in players in the past where there was no doubt there would have been a good fit for the club in terms of their footballing ability.
“But the character hasn’t been quite right. The one thing I can say about all the players that have come in is that they are great lads, they fit into the group really well.”
Suburbs will also welcome back key players from injury who missed large chunks of the 2024 Northern League season.
“Then we’ve utilized bringing in two U-20s to the squad, which are from teams that haven’t qualified. Two outstanding young talents that I can’t wait to work with.”
One is midfielder Luke Mitchell (18) from Hamilton Wanderers.
Suburbs have also signed standout attacking midfielder Kodie Nicol (18) from Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship winners Fencibles United for the National League season.
Wintersgill’s side have also added Auckland United winger Daniel Atkinson (21) to strengthen their attacking depth after the loss of Toomey earlier in the Northern League campaign.
Atkinson scored six goals for Auckland United this year and has grown into a promising winger after a couple of years in the Northern League.
Wintersgill believes the favourites for this year’s National League will be much of the same from the last couple of years.
“Everybody would say Wellington Olympic and Auckland City, I wouldn’t say anyone would say different to that in terms of I think they would be the two favourites.
But he also has confidence in the quality of the other three Auckland teams who qualified.
“Western Springs for large parts of the season, we’re probably playing some of the best football out of the teams in the top four. So I think they will be a bit of a dark horse and same with Birkenhead.
“Birkenhead are really effective in how they play and they’ve got a good group of players with a really good and experienced coach.”
Wintersgill (27) was first exposed to the National League competition in 2017 when he was an assistant coach to Danny Hay, saying over time you learn what it takes to coach in New Zealand leagues.
“The experience from being an assistant coach has helped in lots of ways. But being a head coach is also very different in terms of the other things that need to be prepared for and dealt with.
“The decision-making when you’re in a position of leadership and ultimately the buck stops with you. So you have to live and die by the decisions and sometimes you get them right and sometimes you get them wrong.”
To support him in the dugout, Wintersgill will have Brian Shelley (St Kentigern College) and Brock Radich (South Auckland Rangers) as his assistants.
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Eastern Suburbs squad
Vadym Patkevych, Jackson Jarvie, Tyler Lissette, Kelvin Kalua, Aaryan Raj, Adam Thomas, Kodie Nicol, Josh Galletly, Noah Karunaratne, Tom Golding, Campbell Strong, Dan Atkinson, Noah Billingsley, Ralph Rutherford, Caleb Moosbally, Nikko Boxall, Jake Mechell, Ryan Verney, Sam Twigg, Dejaun Naidoo, Ernest Wong, Loeki Van Baarzel, Dylan Laing-McConnell, Riley Dalziell, James Mitchell, Matthew D’hotman, Addison Stewart, Luke Mitchell.
Staff
Kane Wintersgill (head coach), Brian Shelley, Brock Radich (assistant coaches), Angus Campbell (goalkeeper coach), Tadhg Forde (physio), Lionel Ngeddahayo (strength & conditioning coach), Zach Haydon (gear steward), Dani Briggs (team manager).
Fixture
Game to be played on Saturday September 28, 2024
Wellington Phoenix Reserves v Eastern Suburbs
Fraser Park, Taita, 12.30pm
READ MORE: Phoenix name squads for women’s and men’s National League campaigns >>>>
Henry Lee
Henry Lee is an Auckland-based journalism student who co-presents the Sideline Yarns podcast.
This story was first published on Friday September 27, 2024
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