Adelaide United Head Coach Theo Tsiounis says his squad remains positive and committed to improving as the Reds prepare to face Melbourne Victory away on Saturday.
Following the defeat to Wellington Phoenix, Tsiounis is looking for United to make more of its promising attacking moments while continuing to develop the technical, energetic style he wants supporters to see.
Ahead of the Original Rivalry clash, he discussed the mood in camp, squad availability and the importance of staying committed to the team’s longer-term development.
On training and team news…
“Firstly, the girls have been really good once again. I think every session that we’ve had this year has been an enjoyable session with a purpose, and the girls are fully committed to improving individually and collectively as a team.
“We’ve almost got a full squad to select from. Sian [Dewey] just had a couple of flare-ups with her back that are being managed at the moment, but other than that, everyone’s fully available and ready to go against our next opponent, which is Melbourne Victory.”
On the mood after Wellington…
“The mood in camp has been really positive. We go through our process of reviewing the game, identifying what we’ve done well and the areas that we need to improve.
“Once again, it comes back to our processes, making sure that we kind of continue to work harder and improve in particular areas that we think will make a difference moving forward.
“The girls, once again, as I mentioned, have been fully committed to this and are invested in their learning and developing as individuals. So it’s really exciting to see how much we can improve each week.”
On turning promising moments into goals…
“I think our focus, from the very beginning, has been on developing the technical ability of players.
“We need to really capitalise during those key moments, continue to create good chances, and also really look at converting some of those opportunities that we make.
“I think in every game that we’ve played, we’ve been in the game, and we’ve kind of been able to manage long moments in the game as well. So that’s something that we’ll continue to work on moving forward.”
On the motivation of a Original Rivalry game…
“I think the girls are super excited. We’ve got a number of girls also that have come in from Victoria, so they’re coming back home to play against Melbourne Victory proudly wearing the Reds shirt, which they’re super excited about.
“I think every game’s a great opportunity, and Melbourne Victory is exactly the same.
“Once again, they’re a well-organised team. They’re effective in going forward, so it will be a test for us. But we’re looking forward to it, and we’ll continue to focus on what we do and how we execute our actions and our principles.”
On Victory’s strengths…
“They’ve got a very, very clear playing style in terms of getting the ball forward quickly, getting the ball into the area.
“They’ve been really good at that in the last few years and have created problems for the opposition. So that’ll be one of our challenges, making sure that we can kind of nullify some of those strengths.
“But more importantly, as I mentioned previously, we’ll continue to work on our game model and try and improve what we’re doing.”
On what supporters should look for…
“We want to be a team that’s enjoyable to watch, and I think that comes through our style of play.
“We want to try and develop the girls in terms of being able to understand the game and being able to play the game. So technical ability is important. We want to be seen as a technical team. We also want to be seen as a team that’s going to have high energy as well.
“We want to be able to kind of try and win the ball back high if possible, and bring plenty of energy and get numbers forward as well when we do win the ball.
“Those are some of the key things that we’re continuing to work on.”
On staying committed to development…
“Once again, going down this path is the best thing for the girls as individuals to give them every opportunity to move forward, and also the best thing for the team as well.
“Because I think if you’re continuing down this path, the gains may not be straight away, but the gains and the bigger picture are far more exciting than taking some shortcuts and using a bit of a band-aid solution to try and jag a few results.
“That’s something that we’re invested in. We’ll continue to work hard on and off the pitch to make sure that we get the success that we’re looking for.
“But I think, given the squad that we have and the profiles of players that we’ve brought in — your Kiera Myers, your Emilia Makris, Claudia Cicco, Carina Rossi, Maeve Nicholas, Zois – all young girls that are looking to continue to further their football careers.
“So we want to kind of give them every tool possible to get them to the next level, and also, in doing that, that will help us improve as a team as well.”
