Heading into the current A-League Men season, a discussion with a rather well-respected academy coach in New South Wales headed in the direction of new Central Coast manager Nick Montgomery.
The Leeds-born 40-year-old was in the process of taking over the reins at the Mariners after Alen Stajcic had brought about the club’s resurrection over the prior season and a half.
Stajcic had taken Central Coast from the depths of despair to an eventual third place on the A-League Men ladder in 2021-22. He built something that looked sustainable from the outside, with good recruitment and positive play at the cornerstone of the work he had done.
After a slow and steady start, it all happened rather briskly under Stajcic when the switch was flicked, and surely a sensible new mentor would work off the basis he had laid and continue to nurture some of the bright young talent that the Central Coast region continues to produce year on year.
Yet not according to the academy coach I was speaking to at the time.
When I mentioned the positive talk around Montgomery as both a manager and a man, he belly-laughed loudly and smiled from ear to ear, with a head shake thrown in to ensure that I had well and truly received the message.
Knowing Montgomery well and after undertaking some coaching badges with him some years back, his blunt assessment of the former Sheffield United stalwart was that he simply had no idea about coaching a top-flight professional team on his own and that the Mariners were in for a disaster, with his position untenable in the long term.
Well, he certainly got that one wrong.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Central Coast have had a challenging season, like many clubs. Fixturing and COVID isolation placed Montgomery’s team under immense pressure mid-way through the season. Prior to that, the team had performed well, sat fourth on the ladder and seemed likely semi-finalists.
With resources stretched, players unavailable and a few appalling refereeing decisions that also denied them points, the team slumped to 11th by Round 15 and were in danger of wasting what had been such a promising start to their season.
Since, the Mariners were unbeaten in the month of March, have lost just once in April and subsequently have clawed their way back into contention, just two points outside the top six.
All the while, Montgomery has remained on task, resisted the temptation to whinge or complain about different situations potentially worthy of it and kept driving his team to the best of his ability.
He has coached well tactically and produced positive football most weeks. He should be commended for that and those who questioned his credentials should now be chomping on a bit of humble pie.
However, Montgomery is not the only A-League Men manager proving a doubter or two wrong.
John Aloisi took the job at Western United as an unproven coach, with stints at Melbourne Heart and Brisbane Roar that ended in disappointment and professional embarrassment for a man universally liked and appreciated by Australian football fans.
Few suggested he would fail at Western yet many, like me, wondered why the club had taken a chance on Aloisi and not someone with a track record that would eliminate any doubt over the capabilities of the coach.
The club needed a rebound after a disappointing 2020-21 season when they won just eight games and finished tenth on the A-League Men ladder.
This season, Aloisi has already guided the club to 12 wins, lost on just five occasions, and with two games in hand on the ladder-leading Melbourne City, could well snatch a premier’s plate in his first season at the club.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
While that would be a brilliant achievement, Western are already locked into the top four with the finals looming and they are certain to prove a tough nut to crack when it comes to knock-out competition.
Some feel a certain defensive negativity in United’s play, yet 36 goals in 22 games belies that somewhat. A string of 1-0 wins built that reputation across the middle of the season, yet recently things have been different and conceding too often is now a key area of concern for Aloisi as he heads into the final weeks of the season.
Both Aloisi and Montgomery have done sterling jobs in 2021-22 and while the Mariners may fall short of the semi-finals by a whisker, it would be great to see both coaches involved.
That would remind us all to not write off quality men too quickly and also to understand that coaching is a journey where learnings improve the ability to draw the best from players and a team as a collective.
Despite undertaking slightly different apprenticeships to this point, both men have arrived at a rewarding place in their professional coaching careers, despite the doubts of others.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
You do know that the gift of knowledge is a gift that lasts forever?. Thank you, life is a learning experience and every day is a learning day
coolncold
Roar Rookie
ps "In scientific reasoning, a hypothesis is an assumption made before any research has been completed for the sake of testing. A theory on the other hand is a principle set to explain phenomena already supported by data." When the experiments confirms the assumption, a scientific law is made.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
"Mr Eugene Lewis Fordsworthe initially said assumption is the mother of all mistakes. He later said his earlier philosophy that assumption is the mother of all mistakes was flawed, and he recognized that sometimes good comes from assumptions." In general, footballers are not good in science.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I hadn't heard of Adelaide until AA came along. Don't send him away.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Hurrah.......someone buy that man a cleansing beverage. There's one last remaining bastion of the old guard. Andy Harper. The commentary provided by Zappers, Archie, Brucie D, Millsy and Macca is good quality, unbiased commentary. Chuck in Hill and Robbie (the english lad) Georgia Yeoman-Dale and the days of a Commentator sitting in the box with his Sydney FC shirt and scarfe, providing commentary that is purely and advertisement for Sydney are almost gone. Andy, you helped the Para team get up and running and we're grateful for that, but time to move on.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Just look at how both men played the game. They were out there for the win, they were not there to take prisoners. They have made a successful transition to management and they will always seek opportunities to learn and grow
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Tiger, tell me if I am wrong, but looking from the outside in, I reckon Montgomery has the drive and mental strength of a Sherman tank. The guy will not accept defeat. Self-analyse, seek knowledge and counsel, implement acquired knowledge and repeat.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Grem, what's the old saying, "still waters run deep". No better description of Montgomery could you find. You only have to look at the bloke, he gives nothing away. Kudos to Montgomery, I am really pleased for him. Also factor in that he has had to make the transition from player to manager. Inter-personal skills, the ability to motivate, to analyse, to communicate, and most essentially, to see himself as a perpetual scholar of the game, they're the guys who succeed.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
My hope is that as time goes on, the Australian football public will become more educated and understanding of the complexities of the beautiful game. On the rare occasion, there are miracle workers like Guus Hiddink, who can walk in and work their magic. But let's not forget that he had an extraordinary group of experienced individuals at his disposal. And how many Guus Hiddink's are out there, not many. Now put into context the task handed to Montgomery and Aloisi at the start of the season. With a considerable number of youth, new players, a salary cap etc etc, what they have done is extraordinary. I cannot confirm or deny what Montgomery has done since hanging up the boots, but my guess is that he has done the due diligence. Without fanfare, or broadcast, he has quietly gone about his business, teaching coaches to consolidate his own knowledge, seeking advice and counsel from his English network, doing the hard yards. I used to play football with a bloke we called BP. He was the quiet achiever. You never knew what he was capable of. Time and again, you would drive past the home ground, and without anyone knowing he was there for hours kicking a ball against the wall. I will strongly suggest that to make the assumption that Academy bloke made, was to set himself up for a massive embarrassment. Assumption is the mother of all errors. As for JA, he's done the hard yards. If anyone thought that he didnt take notes, from his Heart and Roar days, they'd have to be kidding themselves. He strikes me as the ultimate professional. Make mistakes, learn from it, self-analyse, seek more knowledge and education and repeat. We have not see the best of these lads yet, and there's a reason for that. Their work ethic, their due diligence, their drive, and their manner of going about their business. Quietly, with drive, and never assuming that there's not more to learn and no more counsel to seek. Remember, assumption is the mother of all errors.
TK
Guest
Maybe he was feeling revitalised after the latest Jamboree??
coolncold
Roar Rookie
I have read some comments on the report by TheSecretScout on "What does Adelaide United's new ownership mean for the club - and for the A-League?", https://www.theroar.com.au/2022/04/12/pelligra-group-seizes-control-of-adelaide-united/. I feel that TheSecretScout is AndyAdelaide's new alias. AndyAdelaide must have said something bad. What did he say?
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Maclaren became the tap in king under Aloisi. Petratos had his break out season , and Borello were the two best players and facilitated the tap in king. Maclaren , Borello to Germany Petratos to Korea. Aloisi has gotten the best out of a lot of young players, its not his fault Borello went to Germany and became useless, Petratos has had a decent career at Newcastle almost winning them a title , but then stalled it at WSW. Maclaren has completely fulfilled his full potential as the A-league tap in king, in Europe even is small leagues you dont get the complete slackness in defense that you do in the A-league. So his big three young players went on to bigger pastures. Devante Clut well looked good under Aloisi, went to Newcastle Jets and was no good, then went to NPL. Lustica played a lot more under Aloisi than he did at Wanderers which stalled his career. ALoisi is good with young players, the secret is not to give him money to buy older players. Roar didnt look at what he did at Heart which was exactly the same.
Waz
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Waz
Roar Rookie
Ahh, how time withers the mind. You’re right ???????????? And that first third should have been 1st - JA was dead unluckily, hope he does better this year
coolncold
Roar Rookie
LOL
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
a leak is a leak, you will eventually have to go to the toilet :laughing:
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
highly sensitive? sounded more like gossip to me. :silly:
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
he has a death wish, revealing highly sensitive information :happy:
coolncold
Roar Rookie
Once Pelligra Group has taken Adelaide United FC, Andy of Adelaide has disappeared. Why?
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Urena and Cummins dont drop back into the midfield as much as stay still and the play catches up to them. Cummins and Urena both have the passing ability to setup goals, Urena though I have seen him hit some great balls and at the same time stuff simple 2 on 1's. What you haven't talked about is conversion rate of chances, quality of goals and thats where Urena and Cummins are at best middle of the road. Against Western United, the first goal Cummings scored was off his shoulder and could have even been ruled hand ball just a fluke, the missed penalty thats two points down, Wellingotn the header off the rebound was an easy tap in, these are the things you have to consider not pretend players are great for whatever reason. Moresche is lower end of the road, he has a good defensive workrate though. Nkolo and Hatch their coversion rates are top end stuff and they have finished from tough angles and range. Nkolo seems to be a great shooter and not much else, he has got the speed to open up the shooting opportunities most of his goals he has defenders in front of him, outrun them to though balls in the area as well.the simple solution for that problem is make him striker, Same applies to Hatch. Two not one top quality finishers in the side and they are not played in front of goal. The other important side of things is defensive work rate and pressing from the front, when CCM had all those clean sheets last season before Urena and Janota came it was because the defending started from the top of the park. Same applies to MV this year, the reason they have the best defensive record is defending starts from the top of the park.