Laverton Park faces all the same challenges as the other state league 5 clubs after it was relegated to the bottom tier of Football Federation Victoria state league last season.
These include the trouble of attracting and retaining players as a lower ranked side.
In the opening knockout round this weekend, the Reds travel to Meadow Park significantly weaker than the side that finished bottom of state league 4 last campaign.
Off-season hits have been two-fold for the Reds, with promising youngsters leaving for higher levels and a lack of cast-iron commitments from new players. Only 25 are locked in at this early stage.
With time before the start of the season, player numbers will rise in the coming weeks, but the Reds cannot afford to register players now for the cup competition without a 100 per cent commitment – it would be money wasted if players go elsewhere before the season proper.
But it also means the Reds will field a significantly weakened team against Meadow Park, compared to its finals squad in April.
“It is a bit strange because it’s so early in the season,” Reds’ coach Vince De La Plaza told Star Weekly. “We’ve only been training four weeks and now we’ve got a game.
“It’s a good test for some of the kids to play in a cup game. [But] my focus is more on the season and trying to win the league and go back up to state league 4.”
De La Plaza does not know much about his north state league 5 opposition, but has word Meadow Park will be in a similar position, wanting to promote youngsters for the opening round of the FFA Cup.
“We played them last year in a practice game,” De La Plaza said. “I know they’ve got a lot of young kids in their team.”
Irrespective of the personnel, Laverton Park will fight hard to get out of the qualifying phase.
The Reds need a win after its nightmare 2015 season and a long off-season.
“It would be good to get a win to change the morale a bit in the team after last year, but I can’t expect too much, we don’t know what players we have available,” De La Plaza said.
De La Plaza took over as coach of the senior team with six rounds to go last season. The Reds asked him to consider taking up the role again this season, and he jumped at the chance.
“I know a lot of the boys and the boys know me, and they respect me, so it’s good,” he said.
“I still enjoy being part of the group; it does keep me young.”
De La Plaza is still on the lookout for new players. Anyone interested should get in contact with the club.
