Ahead of his first season at the helm of Canberra United, Antoni Jagarinec has overseen a significant squad transformation although, despite the departures, the Head Coach remains focused on retaining a positive team environment.
Having had the job for several months now, Jagarinec says he feels right at home, despite the new responsibilities.
“It’s been pretty fluid, I’ve been around the environment for a very long time and was very heavily involved over the last couple of years,” he said. “It hasn’t come without its challenges, dealing with board and finances a lot more than you probably want as a Head Coach because you just want to coach football, but it’s part of the job now, so it’s time-consuming but comfortable.”
On the field, the bulk of Jagarinec’s squad has been formed ahead of Round One of the Ninja A-League Women’s season, as he continues to prepare his side with an approach that will look to excite fans while focusing on conceding fewer goals.
“As a centre-back in my playing days I’m always heavily focused, I love to attack, the attacking side of football, I love to have the ball, I love to be fun and exciting for the fans, but if I had to choose, I’d [rather] win every game 1-0 than 10-9,” he said.
Being a very new-look side this season, Jagarinec says that United’s influx of fresh signings was first and foremost added to the squad, based on their character.
“It’s the person before the player without a doubt, [I] had a lot of chats to players that aren’t in our environment and if it didn’t feel right straight away, it probably didn’t come to fruition,” he said. “So the players that I have signed, I’m very comfortable with the person that they are, and what they can bring to our club and our community, as well as the football park.”
Of the new signings, the Head Coach has highlighted several new signings who have hit the ground running in the capital.
“We’ve got some exciting players, I think that Maja Markovski, we played an internal training match last week and she lit up the park, which is fantastic, some really pure footballers in Emma Robers in centre-midfield partnering up with some of the young players,” Jagarinec expressed.
“It kind of brings out Caitlin Munoz-esque back to Canberra United which I really love, and Liz Anton in cente back, old school, world-class, some of the things that she did last week in our internal matches, it’s world-class, and [she] will be knocking on the door for another international call up very soon.”
With several spots left in the squad, Jagarinec has hinted towards the possible inclusion of more homegrown players, particularly with this weekend’s National Premier League Women’s Allstars side, taking on his squad at McKellar Park.
“This week we play the NPL Allstars which we’re excited about, which puts the Canberra girls on show,” he said. “We still have contracts remaining and it’s on purpose, to make sure that, and I’ve said it since day one, we’re not going to leave any stones unturned.”
Words: Sam Watson
