Adelaide United A-League Women’s Head Coach Theo Tsiounis says his side is “ready and excited” to begin the 2025/26 campaign, following a productive and unifying pre-season that included an interstate camp, strong performances, and a growing sense of belief within the squad.
With Round One fast approaching against Central Coast Mariners, Tsiounis reflected on his first pre-season as Head Coach and the progress made both on and off the pitch.
Tsiounis on his first pre-season as Head Coach:
“It’s been an enjoyable process. Getting to know each other as staff and as a squad has been really important. The opportunity to spend time together in Melbourne was a fantastic investment by the club. It gave us the chance to connect on and off the field and build those relationships that are so important.”
On the Melbourne pre-season trip:
“It enabled us to spend time together and get to know each other with some team-building activities off the field. On the field, it was a great chance to test ourselves against Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory, assess how our players perform individually and collectively, and identify areas to keep improving in our model.”
On the internal match and experimentation:
“The goal was to see more of the pictures we work on in training – our game model coming to life – and to give players opportunities in different combinations and positions. It’s about creating a high-performance, learning environment where players and staff can walk away better prepared technically and tactically.”
On squad fitness and availability:
“We had a bit of a slower start, but things have picked up really well. Over 90% of the squad is available and healthy, so I think we’re in a great position heading into Round One and the rest of the season.”
On team objectives for the year:
“Early on, we spoke about our journey – where we started as a club, where we are now, and where we want to go. The response from the group was clear: everyone is hungry for silverware and wants to be playing finals. That’s our ambition. But our day-to-day focus is on processes – getting those right will take care of the rest.”
On our season opener against Central Coast:
“Everyone’s super excited. It’s a beautiful venue and a strong opposition, so it’ll be a good test to see where we’re at. We’ve had a great pre-season, and now it’s about executing when it counts.”
On the Matildas’ upcoming match in Adelaide:
“It’s a huge win for women’s football – not just for our club, but for the state and the country. The players and staff are all super excited. Hopefully, one day soon we see some of our girls out there at Coopers representing the Matildas.”
On Adelaide’s own players pushing for national recognition:
“That would be fantastic. Hopefully, at some stage, we have a few of our girls featuring at that level. We’ll continue to work hard in training, and if we keep doing things the right way, the rewards will come sooner rather than later.”
