Tara Murray
After an off season from hell, Altona North is in contention in the FV state league 3 north-west competition at the halfway mark.
After being relegated from state league 2 in the off season, Altona North had to rebuild its side in the off season.
While the side has been up and down in the first part of the season, it sits in fourth spot, just four points off first.
Coach Bob Stojcevski said it had been a tough start to the season.
“From where we were at the start of the season to now, it’s been a long way,” he said.
“We had to assemble a squad. We had some players retire and some dispersed.
“Trying to get six players is a challenge, let alone trying to get 18 is a massive challenge.
“We’re doing OK, we’re a bit hot and cold like most of the league.”
Stojcevski who joined the club late last year after parting ways with coach Alan Muscat, said he went through his contact book to bring in players.
He said a lot of them he had coached before and saw the move as a good opportunity.
Stojcevski, who has coached at Green Gully, Williamstown, Westgate and Corio, said he thought his coaching days were over before joining Altona North.
“I had friends at Altona North,” he said. “Their coach parted ways and they were in a bit of trouble and I was asked if I could help them out.
“We climbed the table, but faltered in the last game of the year. I wanted to make it right this year.
“But I wasn’t expecting so many players to leave.”
Having started behind the eight ball, Stojcevski said they had been just behind the top couple of teams so far.
He said having signed a couple of mid season recruits would further boost them.
“We’ve happy in the top four, “ he said. “We’re in a really good position and hopefully we’ll put ourselves in a strong position at the end of the season.”
There is a bye this weekend which came at a perfect time for Altona North.
Stojcevski said they were still getting to know each other
“We had three new players last week,” he said. “We had two start last week against Point Cook for the first times.
“It gives us an opportunity to bond the group and to have a bit of breather and get ready for the second half of the season.
“They’ve now learned my style and have imbedded that by now, it might take the new acquisitions the next few games.”
Altona North this week face Sunbury United on Saturday.
