Image: Aleksandar Jason Kostadinoski/THATFOOTBALLPHOTOG
After four years in charge of the Moreland Zebras, Danny Gnjidic has gone back to the future by returning to Ballarat to coach the newly branded Ballarat City (formerly the Red Devils), a club he previously managed between 2007 and 2009, winning the State League Three title in 2007. He succeeds James Robinson, who moved onto the role of Brisbane Roar Youth after leading the club in the NPL era.
The former NSL forward and VPL champion, Golden Boot and Bill Fleming medallist spoke to The Corner Flag about his time at Morshead Park so far and preparations for the 2017 NPL Victoria season.
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TCF: What brings you back to Ballarat? Was there a sentimental attachment to your former club?
DG: The desire to continue coaching and developing as a manager was very much what has brought Ballarat and myself back together. Leaving the Zebras was a difficult decision in some ways as I knew I still wanted to keep coaching, but after four years it was time for the club and I to go our separate ways.
So I made the decision to put myself out into the coaching marketplace but not really knowing what to expect from the process. What I did know was that there would be some clubs looking for coaches at the end of the season and I was prepared to go and apply for positions and do what was needed to be done in order to get another opportunity to coach at senior NPL level. I also knew that I could well be out of a job once I went through it all, but that was a reality I was prepared to accept.
So I went about updating my CV and then taking the time to meet with clubs and discuss the various characteristics that they want from their coach. I had the opportunity to speak with a number of clubs and it was a fantastic experience as it gave me a great insight into how differently clubs operate at NPL level and what it was they expected from their coaches.
Ballarat went through their process and I met with the club on a couple of occassions before they confirmed my appointment. I have fond memories from my three years during my first stint at the club and some of the same wonderful people who were there when I first came to Ballarat are still involved.
When I left at the end of 2009 it was about pursuing other opportunities but I wanted to ensure that my departure was conducted in a proper and professional manner. I think I managed to do that given that the club and I are back working together now. I would also like to think that I have left the Zebras in the same way.
My aim always as a coach, aside from achieving success and developing footballers, is also to leave the clubs I work with in a better position than when I first arrived. It’s probably not for me to comment on whether or not I have managed to do that, and those who came after me as coaches and the clubs themselves may be able to provide better commentary on that.
I would say if you can look back and say you’ve done the best you can and be proud of the work you’ve done, then the legacy you’ve left and the friend and associations you’ve made along the way can speak for themselves.
TCF: How much change has there been since you last coached in Ballarat (in terms of facilities, people involved, even standard of quality of play)?
DG: It’s fair to say that there has been significant change since I first arrived at the club in 2007. Having access to a facility like the club has at Morshead Park is something that really makes the job of coaching at this level that much easier. Not only the access to the pitches both at the stadium and those outside, but the amenities within the complex itself really put it up there as one of the best in the state.
Having access to such facilities allows for the coaches to be able to coach and the players to really focus on playing and not be distracted by other factors that may impact their training and preparation week after week.
One of my favorite things about Ballarat in my first stint was the fantastic and loyal support the team would receive for both home and away games. A lot of those supporters are still around and that was wonderful to see when I first returned for pre-season training. At board level there are still some familiar faces and they are now complimented by some newer ones which is always good to see. The clubs is in fantastic hands at board level with some business-minded people overseeing the operations of the club. I’ve been very impressed by the way in which the club is going about its business since my appointment, and given the recent changes with the club’s new brand I’d expect things will continue to improve from herein.
As for the playing standard, there is no doubt that it has improved dramatically in the last 8-10 years. What’s most impressive about that is that the current senior and under-20 teams are made up almost exclusively of local talent from Ballarat and the surrounding regional areas. I think that speaks volumes for the quality of the talent that is coming through and the club is keen to really establish itself as one that will identify and provide development for talented footballers from the Ballarat region.
Stefan Nigro is a prime example of the quality of talent from an area like Ballarat and we’d like to think there are a lot more ready to come through in the next few years.
TCF: How has pre-season been so far? In terms of getting to know the squad and club backroom staff, training, practice games?
DG: We’ve had a really encouraging and positive pre-season up until the Christmas period prior to giving the group a two-week break. I suppose every club would be saying that at this point of their preparation, but I’m really pleased with how the players have applied themselves to their training since we commenced in mid-November.
James Robinson had done a fantastic job during his time at the club and I’m quite fortunate to have acquired a playing group that has been really well educated from a football knowledge perspective. This has allowed me to implement my own thoughts and ideas at a more advanced level than what I may have initially planned.
I was keen to keep on the coaching staff that worked with James and they were keen to stay on. They know the playing group, the culture of the club, and their own ideas on football compliment mine so I’m really glad to have Tony Clayworth and Rick Romein working with me with the senior team. Jonathan Davey has continued working with our U20s and we’ve tinkered a little bit with the structure of the football department to bring in the club’s technical director, Michael Busija, into the senior structure. Michael is an enthusiastic and passionate football person who’s done some fantastic work with the junior development program, and he’s coached at senior level himself so his knowledge and input will be invaluable as we look to unearth the next batch of rising stars.
TCF: Ballarat Red Devils/City has had a couple of turbulent years off the pitch, has that affected your 2017 preparations at all?
DG: In a word, no. What happened leading into last season did have a significant impact on the playing group and possibly played some part in their overall performance in 2016. But I’m happy to say that is behind us now and the players can really focus on preparing for the new season and just be footballers who want to get on with the job of playing football for their club that represents the region they were born and bred in.
The club advised the players of the name change and what impacts that would have on them which was, in fact, very minimal. That’s meant that the players have been able to focus all their attention on preparing for the new season.
If anything, it’s actually a really exciting time for the club and football in the region. There are plenty of exciting announcements to come in the weeks leading into the new NPL season so it’s a great time to be part of Ballarat City Football Club.
TCF: Is there a clear difference between coaching in the metro area and now regionally?
DG: Yes there is, and the biggest difference comes in terms of recruitment and the players you are able to attract to your club. Players who may consider travelling to Ballarat from Melbourne seem to add a premium price for the travel expenses so that just adds another layer to the whole negotiating process.
As a club we’ve sat down and decided that we will avoid bringing players in from outside the Ballarat region unless it is absolutely necessary, and those that we do bring in we’d prefer for them to relocate in the city. That will allow them to settle in and commit to the club and buy into the culture of the club and the current playing group. So like at any other club, you want to bring the right people into your club and ensure that they complement your group both on and off the field.
As we’ve seen, this off-season a lot of the NPL clubs are now recruiting from interstate and that’s something that we will look into further as well.
At the same time, we want the Ballarat City Football Club to be a true representative team for this part of the state, so whilst we do want to be successful and ultimately return the club to the NPL, we don’t want to deny local players the opportunity to develop and represent the club at the expense of those outside the region chasing their own fame and fortune.
The recruitment aside, I find the other difference is the players from the regional areas just have a fantastic overall attitude.
When I first came to Ballarat it was something that really stood out to me, and I can see even with this playing group that this is something that hasn’t changed. They thrive on working hard and competing, so as a coach it makes your job a lot easier when you watch them go about their training and their football with such a positive attitude.
TCF: What are your and the club’s ambitions for the 2017 season?
DG: I think like most clubs you want to improve on the previous season’s results, so that is very much our primary focus going into 2017. I know the playing group was disappointed with their results last season, so there is a real intent to want to improve on last season’s 6th placed finish.
One of the reasons I was keen to take on the job was based on the quality of the squad and its potential. It’s a young squad blessed with some real talent and I believe it’s got the ability to do really well this season and achieve some success in the next 1-2 years.
TCF: Are there any new players at the club and how has their progress been tracking?
DG: Obviously with Aaron Romein announcing his departure from the club we’ve been on the look out for a goalkeeper. We have two young boys in Ryan Schorback and Connor Tabbit who are potential senior goalkeepers in the next year or two, but the club decided we needed to bring in a ready made senior keeper now. We are currently in discussions with a goalkeeper from an NPL club interstate and hope to make an announcement in the next week.
Other than that our real focus has been on retaining key senior players and we’ve managed to do that, which is pleasing. Securing the likes of Michael Trigger, Patrick Karras and Nelson Salvatore was significant. Then adding David and Charlie King, and Josh and Shaun Romein, all of whom have had NPL experience at other clubs, and you can see why the process of retention was a bigger focus for us rather than recruiting. Again, these are all local products, so we want them playing their NPL football with us rather than anywhere else. Liam Harding is another one that will be back in the early part of the year after having his leg broken at the end of last season.
They’ve been complemented by a number of trialists from the local clubs, including some from Sebastopol Vikings, who play in State League 4 and have had a taste of NPL football in recent seasons and are keen for another opportunity. In addition to that, a number of our under 20 players have been really impressive in the pre-season to date and they are pushing for a senior squad position as well.
We are also keeping a spot open in order to utilise one of our visa spots. Paul George came out last season and impressed everyone, so we are exploring that option further as we speak.
TCF: You just missed out on promotion with the Zebras in 2015 before many of your best players moved on and arguably that hampered the club’s progress in 2016. Are there any lessons/experiences you can reflect on at your time at Moreland Zebras?
DG: Over four very enjoyable years at the Zebras I learnt so much about the game and about myself but the biggest lesson I learned was that there is such a fine line between success and failure.
We came very close on achieving promotion to the top flight in both 2013 and 2015 and, in both seasons, looking back there were one or two key moments across each of those seasons that had a significant impact on our inability to get over the line. Even in 2016, we led the league at the halfway stage of the year and then things just didn’t go our way from that point.
Looking back, when I was appointed at the start of 2013, the club had just been relegated from the then VPL and the entire playing squad had departed. There was a plan put in place that we would build a team from scratch that we believed would work its way into the top flight over the next 2-3 years. We followed the plan and to get so close and not achieve our goal, particularly in such heartbreaking fashion as what happened in the play off in 2015, is something that will live with me forever.
I had six years as a player with the Zebras and we won a grand final in 1998, so I was really keen to add a championship as a coach to that playing success, and it was disappointing that I was not able to deliver on that.
At the same time, it’s now something that drives me and makes me even more determined to succeed with Ballarat.
As for the Zebras, it’s a fantastic club blessed with some hard-working and loyal people behind the scenes and a wonderful history in Victorian football, and I’ve made some lifelong friendships across the 10 years as a player and a coach. I am pleased to see the club is now better placed on and off the field than it has been for some years, so I have no doubt they will achieve their own success sooner rather than later.
TCF: As a well-regarded forward in your playing days, is an attacking style of play your preferred method of coaching or are you now more aware of how to counter the threat posed by opposition attackers?
DG: (laughing) Not sure how well regarded I was in my playing days, but either way I’m not sure if you can draw a link to the type of player or position you played as a player and how you coach your teams.
The game has changed considerably since I’ve finished playing and nowadays I think most coaches prefer to have defensive players who are comfortable on the ball and contribute to the team’s attacking play, and attacking players who can help the team defend when they don’t have the ball. It would be fair to say that when I played, and the coaches I worked with, that wasn’t always necessarily the case. It was more of a case of defenders doing their job to stop the goals and the forwards doing what they needed to and score them.
I really enjoy coaching the attacking part of the game, and I’d like to think that the teams I’ve worked with have been well versed in that aspect. At the same time, we spend just as much time working on what we do as a team when we don’t have the ball, so it really is about finding the balance and ensuring that every player is aware of their roles in both phases.
I’d imagine most coaches want their teams to have some attacking flair, but I think most would also realise to be a team that will challenge for success at any level you need a solid defensive foundation that makes you difficult to break down and one that doesn’t concede many goals.
As for forward play and players in comparison to when I played and now, again, I believe there are substantial differences. A player like Milos Lujic, in that classic #9 mould, is an exception now but yet he is so important to the success South Melbourne has had in recent years. Fifteen or 20 years ago players in that mould were common and most teams had at least one true striker that led their front line, and there were a number of two-pronged partnerships across the really successful teams of that era both in the VPL and the NSL.
Now teams have goalscoring threats from wide players as well as those coming from deeper positions, and the role of the #9 has really changed from being the key contributor of goals to more of a provider.
My experience as a forward is something that I definitely try to pass on to the players that I work with. At the same time, I think the art of attacking play and particularly scoring goals is something that is very much about anticipation and instinct. Whilst I think that these are characteristics that can be developed and instilled in players, those that have it as part of their DNA as a footballer are worth their weight in gold. After all, the game is about scoring goals, so having access to such players in your team goes a long way in setting you up for success.