Tara Murray
New Altona City coach Nick Georgopolous is getting a grasp of his squad and where it sits in the Victorian Premier League 2 competition.
Georgopolous was announced as City’s new coach on April 26 replacing Michael Calandrella after the coaching staff decided to part ways with the club.
Georgopolous said he was starting to get his head around the new club.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s been good that I’ve got a couple of friends at the club and it’s a nice feeling that I don’t feel like I don’t know anyone.
“A few of the boys I coached at my previous club and I coached a few at junior level at a different club as well.”
Georgopolous joins the club having coached fellow VPL2 side Pascoe Vale for seven years.
He hadn’t planned on coaching this year until he got a call from Altona City.
“It was a little bit unexpected,” he said. “I’m friends with the previous coach.
“They [the club] asked me if I was interested in the job. I was in a little bit of shock and I let the dust settle.
“They contacted me again and I decided to go for it.”
While many times when a coaching change happens midseason, a side is struggling, Altona City, which was promoted after winning FV state league 1 north-west last season, Altona City sits on top this season.
Georgopolous said it was something they spoke about when he came in.
“I said the boys that you are playing well,” he said. “I had watched them a couple of times during the season and pre-season and they were travelling great but they haven’t played any of the top five sides.
“I said we have a big few weeks ahead.”
The first of those big matches was Georgopolous’ first game which happened to be against his old side in Pascoe Vale.
He said there was a lot of nervous energy facing his old side and it was the icing on the cake that Jayson Ziro, a former Pascoe Vale player, scored the winning goal.
Georgopolous said for him the next few weeks was to get an idea of where the club and the playing group are at.
“I want to get a gauge of the boys,” he said. “There’s so many faces I don’t know and I’m getting my head around that.
“I think they are up for it and are a tight knit group and they are all together. I don’t see any one pulling away.”
Altona City was in action on Tuesday night in the fifth round of the Australia Cup where it beat Manningham United Blues, 3-1.
Speaking before the match, Georgopolous said he was keen to try and get the club as far as they can to showcase Altona City.
It faces Caroline Springs George Cross in the sixth round.
In the VPL2 competition, Altona City had a 1-1 draw with North Sunshine Eagles on Friday night.
