Round 12 vs Eastern Suburbs
Entry: 12th September 2008

Well we have finally finished and finished in style claiming the league title which i will obviously say is fully deserved. The league table never lies and a fantastic season has seen us win 11 games and draw 1 making us un-beaten for the entire year, in fact you have to go back to last July 2007 for our last league defeat, it's an great record and one we are very proud of.

The game itself was really satisfying, we went behind early and i have to admit to thinking, here we go making it hard for ourselves again but we responded in the right way and got in front within 10 minutes of going behind which settled the nerves and enabled us to relax and play good football. We wanted to play well and finish well and we certainly did that, we passed the ball really well and created good chances throughout.

Leanne, Jaime and Rosie all got two goals each which was nice for those players, Hannah chiming in with one too. Leanne scored a cracking 25 yarder saving her best for last as they say and personally i was delighted to see Rosie scoring again, it's been tough for her this year so Bambi is truly back now after a great first goal. I gave Hannah Valentine player of the day, she came on just before half time for Bri and played left back which is not her position. She did a fantastic job and made a big difference in the second half getting forward and keeping the ball. It's been a hard year for Hannah too but she has been a fantastic team player and has a great attitude, i was really happy for her to finish off so well.

Well I'm going to praise the players now because they are the ones who won this title, they have done the hard yards on the pitch and they are the ones who have done everything i have asked of them this season. I can't give them enough credit for the season. It's been frustrating at times with all the breaks in play, the lack of flow and players (and me) going away etc but every week they have been professional and dedicated. We talked at the start of the season and set a goal of winning this league so it's really rewarding to have done that.

We also discussed as a group the need for the 'team' this year, we got a squad of 20 together because we knew we would need everyone, we wanted a strong squad because we planned ahead for having people away and our planning has been proved right, in fact we actually used 21 players this year so the strength of our squad and reserve team has played a pivotal role in our success. If you look at all 21 players used, every single one is a New Zealand Rep of some description. We haven't played the same starting XI two games in a row for a number of reasons but despite that, we blend together each week, perform and get results, thats a credit to the 'team' and the players attitudes.

Well done girls, i'm proud of you all and really happy you have got what you deserved this season by winning the championship.


Round 11 vs Lynn Avon
Entry: 7th September 2008

There is no hiding the fact we're feeling pretty good about things today! A hard fought one all draw away at Lynn Avon has put us in control of the title race and requires us to beat Suburbs to win the league. We couldn't lose today as Lynn Avon have a better goal difference and therefore would have won the league with a victory in their last league game, so the situation was clear must win or at very least draw.

I'm so proud of the players because as usual we had to battle more things than just the opposition. We were told we had to play this game despite nine of our players being involved in an U20s camp the whole weekend. So our of our starting XI we had Bri, Abby, Chelsey, Liz (the whole back line), Renee and Hannah all coming straight from a three day training camp, they trained that morning. It certainly didn't make life an easier for us in such an important game so full credit to the girls who battled through an marathon of a weekend.

We changed our shape to a 4-2-1-3 which became 4-2-4 when we attacked, that tactical change worked really well for us, we were able to press higher up the pitch and win more ball in their half, we also had more attacking threats which is what we lacked last week and lastly we made them change what they were doing. Katie Hoyle was moved in three different positions and taken out of the midfield which was great for us. We also couldn't train this week so we were relying on a white board session we did Friday night to change our whole tactics, the team took it on board well and put it into action on the grass.

It's important we mention Bella, Jessie and Grace. Bella and Jessie were the two who missed out on selection because of the re-shuffle, they hadn't done anything wrong in the semi final to be dropped but the new tactics meant we needed different types of players so I was grateful to them for accepting the decision gracefully. They have both been great this year for us and played a big part in what we've done. Grace also was brave making a decision for the team, she picked up a knock at U20s camp and decided a team mate could do a better job than her as she wasn't 100%, it was a tough choice in such a big game but again on reflection it was the right decision on the day for the team so well done Gracey.

The game was much better overall than last week despite what anyone else says, there was more clear cut chances for both teams, better flowing football played and I felt more atmosphere. They have a good team so they will always create chances against you, you have to accept this and we did, we knew it would be end to end but we were prepared to take the risks. the famous saying "Fortune favour's the brave" was how I summed it up and we were exactly that, brave. I don't think many teams have rocked up to Ken Maunder Park and played 4-2-4 and got something from the game.

Kirsty's goal was a sucker punch for us but credit were credit is due it was a brilliant strike and great goal you can't deny that, we reacted well and Renee managed to score the best headed goal I've ever seen, she'll have to teach me how to do that because it was amazing and fully deserved on the teams performance. It was nice to see Rosie back in action on the pitch, it's been 7 months out for her so everyone had a smile on their face when she entered the action especially her! The reaction of both teams at the final whistle told the story, we were delighted and they felt like we did last week.

We have been the best team in this competition this year, the table doesn't lie and the players have had it tough, it's not been a normal season so we have one more big task left to clinch the title we all are craving for. Eastern Suburbs at home won't be a easy game, again they have some good players and we need to be extremely professional and get the job done, we've got ourselves in a great position now we just need to finish it off.


Cup SF vs Lynn Avon Utd
Entry: 31st August 2008

The disappointment running through the team today is huge, in fact looking back and reflecting it's quite hard to put your finger on what actually went wrong. The first thing we have to acknowledge is that Lynn Avon have an extremely good side and when your not at your best (like we weren't today) then the chances are you'll get beat. They got on the front foot early and stayed there as we spent most of the game playing catch up really.

Cill being sick and not being as active as usual had an impact on our shape, she gave everything to the team and I really admire her bravery but Lynn Avon got on top of us in midfield which had a big impact on proceedings. I thought it was a pretty average game in terms of quality all round to be honest, we looked nervous but they didn't shine out as a hell of a lot better but you could tell they were in control for the most part.

We debriefed our preparation and the game and it became evident we gave them too much respect on the field, we didn't get close enough to them to stop them playing and get us in the game but probably most importantly didn't play to our strengths throughout the game. I would say none of our girls had their best games this season which you need in cup semi finals so were all gutted about that however i know this team well enough to know they'll bounce back next week in what is a must win game in the league.

I was really happy with Briony when she came on as a sub, she raised the intensity and showed some fight. It was nice to see the subs making an impact because after all it is a team game. I'm really dissapointed but onwards and upwards as we still have a league title to win.


Round 10 vs Waitakere
Entry: 17th August 2008

It was great to be back in league action again after another long break, the team last played nearly a month ago against Claudelands on July 20th but I was away in Paraguay so the last league game I had with the team was June 22nd vs Glenfield Rovers. When you look at it like that it's just crazy how many breaks there have been in this season. It is very frustrating for coaches and players because you can't get any rhythm or flow in what your doing but I have to say that my team have been so patient and professional this season, they haven't let anything effect their concentration and were professional again today in a very good win over an improving Waitakere team.

I'm not sure weather Waitakere were trying to play mind games or it was just a lack of communication but nobody told us that the game was kicking off at 12.30 rather than the normal 1pm time. I've coached in this league for 3 seasons now and never had a 12.30 kick off so I'm not sure why it was today, in the end it had no effect on us what so ever but when we were sitting in our changing room at 12.15 just about to head out for the warm up it would have been nice for someone to tell us of the kick off time, we had been there for half an hour just waiting!

Anyway despite a 5min jog and no ball work we were told we had to start and the message was pretty clear to the team "stay switched on, don't let it effect us and prove we can deal with anything thrown at us". What better way to answer than to be 4-0 up within 15 minutes! The players are even contemplating not warming up before games anymore! We played very well in the opening half an hour, moved the ball quickly on a small pitch and cut their defense open on numerous occasions. I was really happy with the performance.

The second half was frustrating, we were guilty of poor finishing especially in 1v1 situations with the keeper, this is something we must improve to become more clinical but regardless of this we ran out winners and got 3 points which was the main outcome we wanted from the day. It puts us in a good position in the league table now and it looks likely to be a massive final game of the season against Lynn Avon.

We were missing Abby and Bri from the back three today so with Chelsey moving to centre back we needed to make sure we had good quality coming from the wide centre backs, Cill did a fantastic job at the back and made sure we had good foundations to build from. Jessie also impressed today at left wing back, she looked dangerous all day and scored a great goal. I gave Lizzy player of the day because she did a fantastic job marking Maia Jackman and again was a good platform from the back, her left foot is getting better every game and she made a big difference today. Also nice to see the front two both grab doubles which will help their confidence. Big game next week in the cup semi final, everyone's been looking forward to it for months now and we hope to have a big crowd down supporting.


Cup QF vs Glenfield Rovers
Entry: 3rd July 2008

It's fantastic to be in the last four of the National Knockout Cup, this competition excites us and we are determined to hold on to the trophy. It's also nice getting a few cup games in a row and enable us to concentrate on getting into the semi's where it goes into a national draw. I think the feeling in the squad is they would like to be drawn away in Wellington because we have so many Wellington girls in the team. But we will just have to wait and see what the football gods hand us.

The game itself was excellent and I really enjoyed the challenge of having to change our approach to win the game, Glenfield set up really well, had good shape and you could see they were up for it from the first whistle. We made hard work of trying to break them down in the first half but once we had a chat at half time, the team started to play the ball around more and more spaces were created as a result of this.

I've been telling the team that Glenfield have a very strong squad and are capable of causing an upset and they proved they can mix it with the top 2 or 3 teams in the league if they play like that, they made us work very hard for the win and three nil flattered us a little bit on reflection of the game.

It was great to see some of my players respond in the right ways too, I talked at half time about too many of them were playing poorly and we needed more of the team to perform. I was really happy with Leanne as she made things happen in the second half and provided us with the energy we needed going forward. Jaime also had a very positive influence when she went on as a sub in the second half.

We have a bit of time off now with the trip to Paraguay coming around so we'll be looking to play boys teams in the spare weekends to keep up our fitness and flow. The next league game is Claudelands on the 20th July which won't be easy as we scrapped a 2-1 win last time out against them.


Paraguay Here We Come
Entry: 2nd July 2008

We got the exciting news recently that the NZ U17 Team were off to Paraguay to face the Paraguayan U17s in a three match series. Obviously it's a fantastic opportunity for the the team to get a fantastic football experience but we choose to travel to Paraguay for a number of specific reasons.

Drawing Colombia in our World Cup group means we need to play against South American opposition, get used to the style of play, the standard of football and skill level of their players. Paraguay and Brazil are really the only two who can provide this for us as they are fellow qualifiers for the World Cup event and therefore we have a measuring stick. It was important to us to also replicate the tournament environment we will experience so the games have a two day break between each one just like we would have in the World Cup, this gives us a chance to replicate our preparation, protocols, schedule and systems leading into a game.

A lot of preparation and thought goes into an International match so this gives players and staff and opportunity to practice in an environment similar to that we will face. The crowds are also important, we hope to have good crowds here in October/November so to be able to play in front of big crowds in Paraguay will also help us to prepare for the event.

I'm taking a squad of 21 players to South America, again this will be replicated at the World Cup so the staff can get used to dealing with that many players. Briony, Nadia, Claudia, Hannah, Jessica and Rosie have all been selected from the club for the tour. You may not have seen much from these younger players at Springs this year because they have been playing in a boys league on Saturdays but they have all made a few appearances in the Premier Team this term and are all certainly playing well at the moment. The exception to that is Rosie who has been injured since her last game against USA on 1st February, it's fantastic to see her make a good recovery from a nasty ACL knee injury, she is back training now and full of her usual life and energy again.

It will certainly be an extremely valuable experience for the players and staff traveling long haul to a new country and experience that South American passion for football, it's going to be nice being in a country where football is like a religion and the number 1 sport on all levels, seeing the game in this light will be a new experience for most of the girls in the squad. Let's hope we can cause some upsets and do well in Paraguay.


Cup Rd 02 v Waiuku
Entry: 29th June 2008

Back into cup action today and another good win for the team, again i was impressed with Waiuku, they battled hard and never gave up even when the score was getting away with them, they had some good little players and came away with a lot of credit in my eyes. I think it's good to see these teams enter the cup and have a go at playing the better teams. It's disappointing to see some lower league teams opt not to enter the national knockout cup.

Renee struck up a deadly combination with Grace today, between them they set up the first six goals, Grace got one herself and Renee scored four. It was nice to see clinical link up play in the attacking third. I was also impressed with Chelsey, she looked class out there and had a good impact on the game from centre back.

Due to International team activity for the seniors and U17s next week the game against Lynn Avon will have to be moved back which means the team won't play again until the next round of the cup in two weeks time, i'll be away with six of the players for an U17s tour so it will be a test of our squad strength in the next round.

We haven't conceded now in four games and I know Pam for one is happy to be keeping a few clean sheets in a row, we have only let in four goals this year which the defenders are taking a lot of pride in. Effective attacking comes from solid defensive foundations!


Round 8 v Glenfield Rovers
Entry: 22nd June 2008

Another win and another clean sheet are the most important things from today, it's very hard to keep focused on the bigger picture sometimes. When you step back from the emotion of the game and look at the facts. We have won every game this year, conceded only 4 goals in 10 games and are the only un-beaten top flight team in New Zealand.

The performance today wasn't vintage but we did enough to win comfortably, I get disappointed when we don't play to our ability and our second half was very messy, I think we need to keep demanding the very best standards all the time no matter who we play or what the score is although I concede you cannot be brilliant all the time but you can try to be!

Was great to see Abby and Renee so keen to be involved after a tough week away with the national team in Korea, ideally i wanted to rest both but illness to a few girls meant Abby had to play a full game and Renee came on. Both played very well and i thought it showed a great attitude towards the team. Bri was excellent today and the player of the day, she played with real passion and it's good to see her back to her best. We did miss Grace's attacking mentality in midfield but Chelsey did a good job at filling that role today, we have so much talent in the squad its nice to know we have players who are versatile and willing to help out.

Confidence in our ability is continually growing and that combined with talent in a dangerous combination, next week its back to cup action against Waiuku at home.


Cup Rd 01 vs Fencibles (A)
Entry: 15th June 2008

The defense of the National Knockout Cup started today, this competition is really important to us so it was nice to see the players put in such a professional performance. To their credit Fencibles fought really hard until the final whistle, they were still throwing themselves in front of the ball in the 90th minute to block shots so they deserve a lot of credit to keep going like that, it's hard when you losing 12-0 to look like you care but they came out of the game with a lot of credit in my eyes for the character they showed.

We played some great football again and scored some very good goals. It's nice for Bri and Rolly to get their first goals this season, it' also good to see the strikers finding the back of the net and Bella's first hat trick for the club. We had three pretty simple goals at half time, keep a clean sheet, score from a corner and hit double figures and we did all of them in the second period.

Emily Cooper came on in the second half today for her first appearance in the 1st team this year, she has done great for the reserves so far and deserved her chance to play. Em is a home grown talent who has made huge strides in the past 18 months. It was nice to see players like Emily, Chelsey, Bri, Jess, Rolly, Bella and Nads out there, they are all young players who have been with us a while now and are all making excellent progress.

Can't wait for the next round draw now, the cup games bring a certain magic with them and it gets everyone excited about a good cup run. Thats now 11 games in a row we have won in all competitions and are still un-beaten this season, next week will be tough as we take on Glenfield Rovers who have a very good squad.


Round 7 vs Three Kings (A)
Entry: 8th June 2008

Well it's certainly been a very interesting 10 days in my footballing world. First running a three day training camp with the NZ U17 Team, then the surreal experience of attending the FIFA U17 World Cup Draw, back to Springs on Wednesday to play Lynn Avon and then 4 days later facing Three Kings away. I'm happy to say I've come away happy with all the outcomes so it's been an exciting and very productive few weeks.

I'm not going to talk much about the game because if you read the score it won't tell you the full story, you really had to be there to make up your own mind on the match but I will say I thought both teams played good football, it was a great game and from a personal point of view we played the best spell of football I've seen from Western Springs in four years.

What I want to concentrate on is my players and their mentality, I continue to be impressed by their approach to the season and the challenges it is presenting. For those who just watch the games it's hard to truly understand the juggling act that goes on behind the scenes and what it takes to make things work.

You have to take into account we have players in the national team, in the u20s squad and u17s squad. Players pushing for national teams, players who need resting, who need game time and players who just love the game and want to win. We also have a development focus with young players and a winning focus with the first team. Half the squad work full time and half go to school, the staff also have other commitments outside of football so you can start to understand where I'm coming from.

What's impressed me the most from the players is their ability to rise to all these challenges, to collectively respect each others needs and to produce excellent performances week in week out. We have implemented some detailed tactics this week in both games and without training the players just listen, understand and go out and do it.

It's a pleasure coaching this team, although there seems to be a secret bet to see if they can make me go grey by the end of the season I have ultimate trust in their ability. I've never felt so confident in them and I don't think they have ever trusted each other so much.

The players deserve all the credit, it's been a team effort so far. I've used 20 different players already this season and not played the same team two games running so it proves it's a squad effort. We are not getting too carried away, we're happy with what we have done so far but there is a long way to go and football can change at any moment.

Round 6 vs Lynn Avon (H)
Entry: 4th June 2008

Wednesday evening was great for the club and for the team, it was really nice to see such a big crowd at Seddon Fields watching what I thought was a very good game of football. I think it's fair to say we have proven a point by beating 'the big two', probably more to ourselves than anyone else. I think we have always had the quality to win these games but this season our mentality is different, we are stronger, more determined and no longer fearful of these encounters.

It's always hard to look at the game from a completely neutral view point but my feeling was we deserved to win the match. The midfield battle was always going to be intriguing. I'm really happy with how my midfield three have been playing this season. Bex, Cill & Grace showed on wednesday they can match and beat anyone they face. When you look at Lynn Avon they have Yallop, Moorwood and Hoyle, Three Kings have Longo/Sowden, Hassett & Green so there are some really top quality midfields in the league. For our three to come out on top in both games is a credit to them and their form this season.

Lynn Avon have got extremely good players, their midfielders and forwards could be the national team! It was disappointing that we gave them the goal by a lapse in concentration but apart from one mistake the backline did very well coping with Hearn and Kete.

If your going to win the big games you have to match them all over the pitch which we did but you also need both ends to be clinical. Both teams will always have chances it's what happens with those chances that alters the outcome of the game. In my opinion Pam Yates was one of the best players on the pitch, she commanded her box, claimed the high balls under pressure and made two very good saves that keep us in front. At the other end Hannah Wall was the man of the match and Renee Leota a stand out performer. Hannah and Renee caused them problems all night. I asked them to be clinical in front of goal at half time and we certainly got that with two impressive finishes. Renee is a class player who's movement and positioning is top draw, she always finds room to play and at 18 is going to be a future star with New Zealand. Hannah amazes me with her ability to perform in the big games, she is just 16 and is another future star of the game.

I can't praise my players enough really, girls like Jessie, Chelsey & Bella have been here all along and have really improved their game, they now shine out in these encounters rather than hide in the background. I think the balance is there in the team this year, we have a fantastically talented squad, our five subs on wednesday were all Internationals and that helps raise the standards from within. They are all such nice people too, there is no arrogance but nobody is shy too, they are all confident in themselves and have the desire to do well and win trophies.

I have to mention the Wellington connection too, all three of the goalscorers and stopper are from Wellington. There is actually Pam, Liz, Bex, Renee, Hannah and Leanne who are all Wellington girls, they seem to really love winning games in Auckland! I'm not sure why ;-). Springs seems to be the place for Wellingtonions but I'm certainly not complaining. Also corners, I seem to be saying it every week now but we scored again from an attacking corner on wednesday, it's becoming insane how many we are scoring from set plays.

In closing my message would be that we are very happy with what we have done 'so far' but we're also not silly enough to get ahead of ourselves. We're delighted to have won all our games so far this season but we are only half way through the season. We have to back it up with wins each week starting with a really tough test on Sunday against Three Kings, we haven't won anything yet, anything can happen in football so we'll just keep working away and winning matches.


Round 5 vs Suburbs (A)
Entry: 25th May 2008

By the end of this season i'll be looking like George Clooney (maybe not as good looking) but the grey hair will be shining through if we keep winning by the odd goal, it's a test of nerves every sunday at the moment but if I'm honest I'd rather it was like that then easy, i think we secretly all enjoy the challenge.

I was really happy with the performance this week, we played really well throughout the entire match and got back to the form I know this team can produce week in week out. We dominated the game both possession and territory for the whole game but we just couldn't force it over the line. It was the same message at half time again for the third week running, keep trying, keep playing and trust ourselves and our ability, eventually we will score and win the game.

When Grace scored it was early in the second half and I wanted us to push on and make the game safe but Suburbs hit us on a counter attack, one lapse of concentration and we were level, we needed another late goal to seal the win and no surprises it came from a corner. I have to say we look so dangerous from set plays, i mentioned it a few weeks ago but that's now the fourth headed goal from a corner. The delivery from Liz is fantastic and the runners are really attacking the ball. It's at a stage now were we all get excited when we get a corner because it means we get a chance to score a goal.

Cill scored twice at Madills last year so it seems to be her lucky ground and it was nice to see Grace play well and score against her old club, I was pleased for her. Abby really showed some class today, she can do things from centre back nobody else can, her composure is fantastic and delivery was great today.

I felt sorry for Bri, Nads and Hannah on the bench today because I was ready to do a triple change at 1-0 up, I gave them all their instructions and then Suburbs scored so I waited, decided what I wanted to do then gave them all a whole new set of instructions and changed the shape but just as they were all waiting on the sideline, we scored to make it 2-1 so I sat them down again, thought it through and gave them a third set of instructions and changed the shape again. They were ready for nearly 15 minutes but all listened well and did a good job when they went on for the last 10 minutes.

Next week we have a week off and it's a big weekend for me personally, it's the draw for the U17 Women's World Cup so ill be in Wellington hoping it all goes well. Then it's back into action the following week we play Lynn Avon and Three Kings within four days which will effectively play a massive part in the title race, it may well even decide it so we'll play on Wednesday then Sunday and if we get the two wins we need it will put us in a great position.

But without getting ahead of ourselves we'll work hard Wednesday on the game plan for Lynn Avon and then do everything we can to put it into action. I have a few ideas on how we can get some success, i'll talk it over with the players and then make a decision on what we will do in 10 days time.


Round 4 vs Waitakere (H)
Entry: 18th May 2008

In football you have weeks where things just don't work out how you expect or want them to and this was one of those weeks. However it doesn't matter what happens in games there is always positives to take out of every performance. Today we won and got three points which is a major positive for us as a team and our title aspirations. The girls didn't play as well as they wanted to but their just as disappointed about that as I am.

Waitakere had a game plan to get back behind the ball, defend and make it hard for us and to be fair to them they did it well. Sometimes it's hard when you play against that style because it becomes frustrating, we had two choices at half time going in at 0-0. We could either rant and rave about how we weren't performing or we could stay calm and trust ourselves, we decided to stay calm and trust each other which ended up being the right choice, we keep on plugging away and didn't panic and eventually Grace got the goal we needed to win.

What's pleasing for me as the coach is we are sticking to the game plan and just backing our ability, it's worked every week so far and hopefully it continues. We will need to play better next week though if we're going to continue winning. I'm positive we will.


Round 3 vs Claudelands Rovers (A)
Entry: 11th May 2008

The annual trip down to Claudelands presents a number of different challenges, it's a full day and most teams come home exhausted. Each time we take the trip it gives me more admiration for Claudelands, they have to do that every other week. We hadn't played well on our last few trips down there so I wanted to try and do something a bit different this time, we left extra early so we had some time down there to relax before the game rather than jump out the cars and play.

It didn't work! We found Claudelands on top form, Dave Edmonson has taken over there and done a great job with the team, they are much better organised, play with heart but also intelligence. They blocked lines well, made it hard to play through them and attacked well on the counter. They fully deserved the half time lead. I know more than most how good Sarah McLaughlin is in front of goal, she took her goal well and it gave them lots of hope and energy.

We changed our shape a bit at half time to deal with their counter attacking and provide us a little more width when building our attacks, we had a real test on our hands but I was confident we would be fine, I didn't feel we needed to panic and rush things, we just needed to trust ourselves. The players did very well in the second half, we started running the game and dictating possession. There was a few hairy moments when Claudelands nearly got a second but we knew that could happen, we were chasing the game and gaps appear when you do that.

Renee got us level after an hour and that gave us a bit more belief, we could get the second, Bex didn't disappoint with a great header from a corner, she was a real leader today and spurred everyone on when we needed it. Attacking corners are becoming a real weapon for us. Lizo's delivery from dead balls is top class and we have players like Erceg, Bex and Cill that really attack the crosses. It's a good combination that's now won us two of the first three games. The team now get excited when we get corners because they all know how dangerous we are in those situations.

From what I saw today I think Claudelands have been under-estimated, they were very competitive, it wasn't just that we were poor in the first half, they made us perform poorly. They have the qualities to really push teams this season if they continue to play like that. I'll be interested to see who comes away from Galloway Park with the full three points this year, it's a hard place to play. It's great the league is becoming more competative all round, it challenges players and coaches which is what we all want deep down.


Round 2 vs Glenfield Rovers (A)
Entry: 7th May 2008

Well it's been a month and a day since our last league game so it was nice to finally play again after our win over Three Kings on Day 1, a combination of national tours, camps and ground availability have limited us to just one game in the opening month of the season. It's not an ideal situation but it was important we focused on the football and controling what we can control which is the outcomes on the pitch.

I asked the team before kick off to put any frustration behind them and do a professional job on the grass. I was really happy with the way we played as a team considering the 4 week gap between games, we got some good flow during the game and the players slotted straight back in like they'd never been away, I think that's a sign of good players.

We played nice football, when we moved the ball quickly out the back and through midfield Glenfield really struggled to contain us. Jaime scored a good goal to set us off, she has been hitting the back of the net now and I think she'll only get better from here. Hannah came in up front for Renee who was injured, she set one up and scored the other and did a good job for us. I was also very happy with the back three, they looked class all night, defended well but in possession added alot to get us attacking well.

The midfield unit are also really complementing each other well, there is a good balance in the engine room, they work very hard, make tackles but all three pass well, Grace is getting forward more now which I'm pleased with.

We face Claudelands in Hamilton on Sunday, this is a fixture we have struggled with in the past few seasons. It's hard traveling that way and back on the same day so we'll be looking to make an impact down there, play good football and win the game. The 3 points are the most important thing on Sunday, we need to keep getting maximum's each time we play to keep us at the top of the table. I think i should have Renee and Chelsey back from injury on Sunday.


Early Season International Activity
Entry: 28th April 2008

I was fortunate enough to take the U17 squad over to Canberra during April to ply three games against the Australian's, we played their U17s twice and their U20s in the Australian capital. It was a really successful tour on a number of different levels, most importantly we got two good wins over the U17s, winning both games by the same 4-0 scoreline. I'm really pleased for the players because they have put in so much hard work since our last games in January, it was great to see their increased fitness rewarded with some positive performances and results. We created a bit of history for NZ Football too which makes us all very proud, I would say my team deserve some success so I'm very happy for them.

The trip has made things tough at Springs though in terms of missing games, it's been a few weeks since our game against Three Kings so keeping everyone sharp is challenging but we have a good run of games coming up now and I'm confident in my squad they will re-act in the right ways. There were five girls from Springs in Canberra so that only helps raise the experience in the Springs squad, playing a few more Internationals will help those young players.

I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into a run of 3 or 4 club fixtures now, we need to maintain our positivity from the opening day's win over Three Kings and will be looking to do that against Glenfield on Wednesday 7th at North Harbour.


Round 1 vs Three Kings Utd (H)
Entry: 6th April 2008

Well to be honest we couldn't of wanted a better start than to beat Three Kings first up, I've got a lot of respect for Andy and their team, they have some great players and try to play good football so to beat the current champions was a fantastic start for us. It's always pleasing from a coaching point of view when things you work on in training come off, we did attacking corners and worked on freeing up our target players so to score from two corners on day one with free headers was great.

The first half was quite scrappy in general and I thought both teams were guilty of poor quality at times but the second half was a different story, the quality of the game was high and more chances were created. At half time I asked the girls to move the ball quicker and play off their instincts, we also changed our shape to match their 4-3-3, that worked well for us and just shows the maturity of our players that they can adapt easily and efficiently to tactical changes.

I was really happy with the back three, they did a good job containing some very good strikers, we also got a lot more ball through midfield today, Grace has added lot while Cill and Bex have stepped it up. Renee always looked a threat up front and deserved her goal in the end. The whole team did a great job today, you have to have at least 7 players perform well to win games and we had 13 good performances I thought. I have to give some extra praise to Chelsey Wood, she is playing so well at the moment, the improvement over the last two season has been excellent, she has been my most consistent player pre-season and was great again today.

We won't get too carried away with the result at such an early stage, there is a lot more games to go and we have to be willing to show that effort and mentality every week. If we can apply ourselves like that every game there is no reason why we can't keep winning games. I think we have overcome a mental barrier in the last few weeks, we always did well against the top sides but now we don't show any fear, winning today has proven that and done a lot for the team's confidence.

Bring on the next games!!

Pre-Season Preparations
Entry: 30th March 2008

Our pre-season preparations have gone really well overall. The most important things you look for as a coach at this time of year is how the team is performing rather than results but both have been good which is a bonus, if you have good structure and keep possession you will normally dominate games and this in turn leads to winning matches.

When you lose seven players like we have and replace them with seven the team takes on a new dynamic, so it's taking time for players to get to know each other on and off the pitch, I've also changed the way we are playing and players positions so there has been a lot to take in for the team but the game has moved on heaps and now I just ask the players to do something and they do it, the level of game understanding, fitness and quality has risen dramatically in the last few years, I no longer have to spend hours on the training pitch teaching a new system. The players are intelligent and smart enough to just run with it and learn through their mistakes.

I have to say I'm really pleased with the blend of personalities and maturity we have in the group, they all want to win and be successful. I feel what we referred to as the 'younger ones' last year have grown lots in their maturity and performances. Girls like Briony, Nads, Chelsey, Hannah, Bella and a few others are now almost senior pro's in their approach and this helps raise the bar throughout the team. Adding Jaime and Leanne with Pam, Bex and Cill has helped with experience so overall we are in a better situation I feel.

I'm expecting players like Abby Erceg to take on a real leadership role this year, in my eyes she is the best defender in New Zealand and she is great with helping our development squad players.

Although we are a different squad from last year, I like what I have seen from them so far, there is no doubt we certainly have the ability to win things this season. On paper we have the strongest squad in the league, weather we back that up on the field we will have to wait and see but I'm confident we can fulfill the potential we have. The biggest barrier we will come up against this year is our mental approach as a team, if we have the right attitude we will win.

Pre-Season Fitness Training
Entry: 20th March 2008

Pre-Season running is a hotly debated subject within coaching, everyone has their personal philosophy on how to do it and thats how it should be. My view is we don't have the time to be doing running at training, we see each other as a group two or three a week and one of those is a game, we need the training time to work through certain things in preparation for the season so players have to take personal responsibility for their own fitness. I've been very lucky because this year I haven't done any fitness or running at training. None at all. 15 of the 21 in the squad are involved in a New Zealand Team which means they have personal conditioning programs and I'm just very fortunate that the others are all very dedicated and professional in their approach. Fitness hasn't been an issue so far and if it does become an issue then those concerned will just find themselves missing out so it's in their hands really.

It's actually the fittest I've seen the team pre-season, our first session back was like they had all been training for three months, like they'd never been away. Thats a good sign as a coach. It also helped that the U17s players had been doing a pretty demanding program anyway so I've had no need to work on fitness at all, other teams maybe aren't so lucky.