Image: Natasha Morello
The last time Paul Kilpatrick coached in the Victorian women’s top flight, he was standing along the touchlines at Bundoora United alongside co-coach Mark Torcaso, where the duo’s dynamic was as much part of the spectacle at Hillsview Recreation Reserve as the action on the pitch.
Since then Torcaso has lifted a championship trophy with Calder United in the newly formed NPLW Victoria, while Kilpatrick was assistant coaching at men’s state league one outfit Diamond Valley United and also part of the coaching staff at back-to-back W-League champions Melbourne City.
Not bad for both, so now as Kilpatrick takes the reins at Bulleen Lions the clash against former colleague Torcaso on Monday, again the eyes will be on the benches to see how they approach the occasion.
But first Kilpatrick and Bulleen will have to overcome an mixed start to the season, most recently playing out a 1-1 draw with Box Hill United, taking the record to a win, two draws and a defeat. Meanwhile, Calder sit second on nine points and in second place behind Galaxy.
Given Kilpatrick’s protracted stay with City due to the club’s run to championship glory, his late arrival means there’s been time and preparation to make up, but he believes the signs are positive.
“I thought we started well (against Box Hill), I thought we created a couple of good chances I think should have scored or at least hit the target. We probably didn’t shoot as much as what we should have,” Kilpatrick said.
“Obviously I was contracted to Melbourne City until after the grand final. I think the first day was the 15th or 16th of February, so really I’m only four weeks in now and it’s almost like we are doing a pre-season. I’ve had Jeff Hawkins come in, Jeff’s a great coach and he’s obviously got the girls prepared over the pre-season, but it’s good now, I mean now we are starting to connect with the girls and we starting to play better football.”
In Kilpatrick’s time in state one, Diamond Valley ended up relegated and also had a tough FFA Cup experience against NPL premiers Bentleigh Greens.
On the W-League side of the spectrum came a championship with City, though it wasn’t as straightforward as it sounds.
Following John van ‘t Schip’s departure from the senior men’s side, it promoted women’s head coach Joe Montemurro into a men’s assistant job, with Kilpatrick’s role in the women’s more involved alongside Jess Fishlock and Patrick Kisnorbo – the latter now in attendance at a few games thus far in the NPLW.
“I did men’s state one coaching last year, I really enjoyed that. I had sort of had enough of the local women’s game, I had been involved for 10 years and just sort of needed a break and it was good,” Kilpatrick said.
“Joe Montemurro invited me in (to City) and Joe is just an absolute gentleman and knows the game really well. Everyone from Scott Munn down have been very welcoming.
“For me it has been a positive experience to be part of that environment to watch the men train as well, and it just opens your eyes up to what the next level is like.
“I have never had that exposure before and you can’t help but pick up things along the way and obviously we have been successful which has been good as well.
“When Joe left we had Patrick(Kisnorbo) come in and he has done a fantastic job, and also Jess Fishlock when she pretty much ran this year for a little while when Joe was dividing his time between the men’s and the women’s, and her football brain is exceptional as well. The club is in a really healthy place and has good people and I have been really thankful for the opportunity.”
If a week is a long time in football, then Kilpatrick’s season-long absence is the equivalent of a lifetime, especially given the changes in the women’s game in that time. A newly formatted league comprising existing clubs and new consortia – Calder one of the new entities that went on to win the championship – along with the inclusion of South Melbourne in 2017, has been the story of the NPLW so far.
Bulleen in 2016 had a fast start but a tough finish to the season, ending in the finals series – plus a Team App Cup final – under Ricardo Martinez. With Martinez returning to a similar youth role on the men’s side he had before taking on the women’s seniors, Kilpatrick has been the new man in Bulleen’s hotseat, and has been impressed by the standard of the NPLW so far.
“I spoke to Dave (Del Monaco) late last year and had a couple of chats, he put forward what his plans were for the girls side and he really impressed me. Dave’s a really nice guy and the vision that the club has for the girls was enough for me to really want to come. I can say this, I know I’ve only been here a month but it has been fantastic. I mean you come here every night and there are families having dinner, it’s just a really nice club.
“I think the standard has improved definitely, each team seems to have internationals which obviously lifts the level as well, and the other good thing is there are a few girls that are getting an opportunity to play W-League as well and you can see the improvement in their game, so that gives a lift and I think the game is in a healthy place at the moment.”
There are some familiar additions alongside Kilpatrick in the Bulleen squad, with Emily Shields and Tyla-Jay Vlajnic also involved in the Melbourne City setup in 2016-17. They made the transfer from Box Hill and Calder United respectively, the latter adding another element of intrigue to the contest having moved from Torcaso’s Calder (who in turn acquired Dani Gudelj from Bulleen).
Kilpatrick explained the additions and played down the City connection as a major factor.
“Emily, contrary to what other people might say, she made a decision, she actually came up to me and said that she was looking for a new club, she had spoken to Box Hill and told them that she was going to move. It was probably, I would say, in the last month of W-League she agreed to join Bulleen.
“TJ actually told me on the 14th of February and I know that because that was when we had a presentation in the city because a lot of the girls were going overseas.
“The way I do it is certainly not the way it has been done in the past, and there’s always the assumption that because you’re going to be part of whether it be Victory or City, you’re going to trying to influence the players. But I told the existing squad that they will be given every opportunity to prove themselves and that’s what I’ve done.”
And, finally, to that encounter against Torcaso. Having once shared a bench they’ll now stand on opposite sides of the pitch, but Kilpatrick speaks only of respect for his former colleague.
“Mark is a funny one, you’ll get a text out of the blue from him, even last year when I wasn’t coaching in this league,” he said.
“I caught up with Mark about three weeks ago for a coffee and we keep threatening to catch up once a week but with work commitments and everything else it’s difficult.
“We get along fine, obviously when the game is on it’s on but away from it, there’s no issue.”
