South Melbourne’s new assistant coach Dimitri Tsiaras has played down the club’s performance in the opening match of the NPL season, despite securing a 1-0 win against Oakleigh Cannons.
Tsiaras says he was hoping to see a more energetic and lively team fight for a bigger margin, but instead saw a team becoming comfortable with the lead.
“The performance wasn’t great but in saying that, it was the first game of the season, and both teams were a bit nervous,” he tells Neos Kosmos.
“Second half we had a one-nil lead so we sort of sat back, not a great performance but the thing is, three points of the season, it’s been a long break so we’ll take it.”
Oakleigh Cannons were the better team of the night on Thursday, displaying some expert footwork and nailbiting shots at goal, but they all fell short.
New signing Ben Clarke was a highlight, running the ball a number of times to the goal, only to have his shorts saved or fall narrowly short.
The only goal of the game came after South Melbourne’s Milos Lujic shot was saved only to ricochet off Oakleigh’s defender Adam Le Cornu, and into the net.
Oakleigh fought back in the second half, carrying the ball back to their side a number of times but frustratingly falling short a number of time.
A double save by South Melbourne’s new goalie Nikola Roganovic near the end of the match had Oakleigh coach Miron Bleiberg fuming, but at least it gave South Melbourne confidence they signed well, taking a gamble on the two-year retired keeper.
Greek Australian fans came out of the woodwork to see the two Greek-sponsored teams battle, with more than 3,500 supporters entering Lakeside Stadium.
The blockbuster match was the first to be played on the new schedule that begins on Thursday and ends on Monday, something that Tsiaras is in two minds about.
“The Thursday games are different,” he admits.
“It was the first game of the season, two biggest clubs so a lot of people want to watch and see how they’re tracking, so there’s always going to be a big crowd.
“Halfway through the year, in June, July on a Thursday night you might only get 10 people.”
As a former South Melbourne player himself, only retiring in 2014, Tsiaras is transferring well to coaching, according to head coach Chris Taylor.
“He is well respected and has become a leader and mentor for our younger players, making the transition from player to a coach an obvious choice,” Taylor said at his appointment.
South Melbourne takes on new arrivals North Geelong United next week, while Oakleigh Cannons travel once again to take on Green Gully.