It’s been a remarkable rise to the top tier of Victorian football for North Geelong Warriors coach Micky Colina and the club itself.
Just under a year ago, the former St Albans Saints stalwart was coaching Richmond’s Under 20’s in NPL 1 while the Warriors had lost six out of their 10 opening matches under Ante Skoko.
The appointment of Colina in place of Skoko sparked a mass resurgence for the club who went on to win 13 of their next 16 matches to earn promotion to the top flight for the first time since 1997, making the popular figure the toast of the Geelong football scene.
Now in the NPL, Colina’s Warriors put in a gutsy effort in their opening round defeat away to the big-spending Bentleigh Greens with the performance of goalkeeper Daniel Zilic earning many plaudits on the night.
This is however not Colina’s first foray into senior coaching with the then veteran defender thrown into the deep end at his beloved Saints 10 years when the club were struggling on the foot of the Victorian Premier League.
In this time he feels that the game has progressed enormously on a professional level with the increased profile and quality on show as testament as to how far we have come.
“The game is in a good place, just as long as it keeps heading in the right direction with everyone from federations and clubs on board,” Colina said.
Despite his best efforts, St Albans were relegated that season but the Colina moved on with his coaching career with spells at HNK Gospic Bears, the Saints once again and the Melbourne Knights Under 20 side.
Reflecting on Friday night’s game, Colina feels the side lacked “a bit of that big-stage experience – as we could have pinched something today based on the opportunities.”
“We will learn a lot from today, taking a lot of positives while looking at the things we did not do well and naturally try and improve on them.’
Speaking on the step-up in competition from the NPL1 to the NPL, he added that the “Step-up is decent as the sides in this league are big club sides with reputations around the country.”
North Geelong will host South Melbourne in Round 2 at Elcho Park where the defending champions can expect a hostile atmosphere in front of fans who Colina regards as one of the “best in the land.”
Along with its fanatical supporter base, the club has a long line of producing young talent with Josip Skoko and current Socceroo Matthew Spiranovic being favourite sons at the club while Branko Culina’s 1992 State Championship side featured the likes of Steve Horvat and the Cervinski brothers in Andrew and David.
Colina has no doubts that the current crop of North Geelong youngsters can replicate the success of past generations adding that the club would love to unearth the next Skoko or Spiranovic.
“Yeah we would love to as North Geelong has a long pedigree of producing footballers who have gone to represent the country – and we are humbled to be representing the strip.”
Colina was the manager at St Albans who gave a bright 17-year-old Ivan Franjic his senior debut and stressed that many of the Warriors talented youth brigade – which under the stewardship of current senior assistant coach David Anderson finished second in the NPL1 Under 20’s – have what it takes to take the next step up.
“Depending on the desire the individual has, anything is possible,” and every player who went on to make it put that extra effort in.
Whatever the case being the addition of the distinguished Warriors, their rock star looking manager and their vocal supporters make them a major attraction in the NPL this season.