Belief is this week’s buzzword around the Boroondara camp after a massive 6-2 result against Sandringham had Eagles technical director Manny Koutroulis proud as punch.
Speaking after the clash at Kingston Heath, Koutroulis noted a change in the psyche of the players after the first couple of games, which has lead to some remarkable improvement results wise and on an individual basis as well.
“Look I think our players keep improving every week and with every result belief increases,” he said.
“Once you get a good flow of results, the little doubt that you may have had in the first three rounds disappears and then you start playing with enormous belief.
“I think tonight in the second half, what we saw was players that just really have enormous belief in themselves now.
“They know that they belong at this level and they know they can succeed at this level.”
Despite the resounding victory, Koutroulis admitted that he wasn’t completely happy with the side’s performance coming into the break.
A goal to Elaina Vatcky on the stroke of half time saw the Eagles hold a fragile one-goal lead heading into the second term.
“I can tell you that the message at half time was that we felt that we weren’t playing good enough football in the first half,” Koutroulis said.
“We felt that we were rushing, we felt that we were playing too direct and we asked them to play good football again, good combination play, good one-two’s and playing pretty much that brand of football that they’ve succeeded with in previous weeks.
“I think in the second half, once we started to play our game again, we were too hot. Too hot to handle.”
Adelaide pair Alex Gummer and Racheal Quigley in particular had standout games, scoring two goals a piece, and crackers they were, which Koutroulis wholeheartedly agreed with.
“It was really good. Really good lead-up play going to those goals today but obviously you need class with that final finish and there was class written all over those finishes,” he said.
“They were great finishes. That’s double your league standard of finishing in the WPL so I think it’s been great.”
The Eagles director is hoping to see them continue on in Boroondara colours next season.
“I think the two Adelaide players Gummer and Quigley are very happy at the club and there’s no reason why I can’t see them continuing.”
The duo aren’t the only key signings that Boroondara have made, with Koutroulis discussing in detail the clubs interesting transfer policy which has seen them pluck players from the lower leagues straight into the WPL.
“We’ve talked about our double players that we’ve got from Adelaide but we’ve recruited very smartly.
“Callaghan comes here from Yarra Jets in State League 2, Rhiannon Jacobs played a part; she comes from Croydon in State 2. Kim Shannon has played a part this year; she comes from reserves at Heidelberg.
“Aliesha Newman and Hannah Ryan couldn’t get a game at South Melbourne. They start today so I think the recruiting has been really good, not only in the end with the two from Adelaide but also picking up players from other leagues.
“I think once they fit into a good culture, into a good brand of football and they have the belief coming from the coaches and the experienced players around them that they can do it, then I think they grow to the level very quickly.
“I think that you’re finding that these players are improving very significantly.”
Continuing on in that vein, Koutroulis was chuffed to announce the return of ex-captain Emma Littlewood, who returns to Australia following a stint studying in the US.
“We have a player coming in the next week, Emma Littlewood. Emma’s a Boroondara Eagles product,” he said.
“She was a State League 1 captain last year and she’s been in the US on an exchange scholarship as a student and she’s coming back.
“For me Emma Littlewood could’ve been playing three years in the WPL but has stayed here for the journey because she’s very loyal to the club.
“She’s an exciting player coming into this level, so we’re looking forward to her return.”