MATHEW Montebello has taken on the all-encompassing role of leading Victorian Amateur Football Association club Williamstown CYMS.
Montebello turned his back on an offer to become development league coach at Williamstown in the Victorian Football League in favour of greater responsibilities as senior coach and director of coaching at the CYs.
The 36-year-old teacher was given the chance to mould the operation as he sees fit, far too enticing a prospect for him to turn down.
“As a director of coaching, it’s like someone saying, ‘Here are your blocks, build it the way you want it built’,” Montebello told the Weekly.
A big-name player in western suburbs football circles as a swingman centre half-forward/centre half-back, he not only played a vital role but captained Spotswood’s 2007 premiership side and was part of the 2009 team that went all the way.
He was also in a Western Bulldogs training squad in 1999-2000 and played for Williamstown a year later.
Montebello admits his knowledge of football in the west will only take him so far given CYs are in a totally different league with a different playing style and a club that holds unique values and traditions.
“Being part of a successful local footy club in Spotswood means I come with high expectations not only of myself but of the people around me.
“But the VAFA is a different style of football to the WRFL. It’s a lot cleaner and more free-flowing, whereas the WRFL has bigger bodies who can move and there’s a lot of crash and bash.
“Now that I’ve delved deeper into the football club, I understand its 120-year history and we really want to teach the players about that and I want to implement the ‘Willy way’ at CYs.
“We might do things a bit different than others, but it’s our way because it works for us and I am really passionate about doing that so in four or five years’ time I can walk away and say I played a part in building that and I’m proud it is where it is.”
In an interview at the end of the TAC Cup season, outgoing Western Jets coach Steven Kretiuk said one of the failings of the system was junior coaches holding a win-at-all-costs mentality ahead of developing their youngsters to become better footballers.
Kretiuk acknowledged it was a fine line for coaches with the annual aim of winning a premiership, but he felt the development of players came a distant second and players who arrived at the Jets were under-prepared compared to some of the other metro regions.
As senior coach, Montebello wants to win flags, but it won’t come at the expense of player development.
The Seaholme resident — honouring Kretiuk’s call — won’t stifle a player’s natural evolution in the haste to win immediately. Even as under-18 and under-19 coach in the past two seasons, Montebello has put his foot down and not let teenagers move into the seniors prematurely.
“We probably had some under-19 kids who could’ve played senior footy this year, but if they had played senior footy I don’t think it would’ve been good for their development.
“They would have been playing more as a resource as opposed to their development as a player. Sometimes people didn’t understand that I was saying, ‘No, I don’t want him to go up and play’.
“People think if he’s good enough he should be playing senior footy, but I think it’s about putting in a system that develops them.
“Give them a little taste; see how they go and bring them back.”
Montebello will work closely with the older age groups at Williamstown Juniors with a view to getting them into the CYs system to bridge the gap between local football and the TAC Cup and VFL.
If the players go on to play for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup, Williamstown in the VFL, lob in the AFL draft or pledge their future to CYs, he wants every individual to be given the best opportunity through development.
“For me, if I was to look at the big picture of it, when I step away I’d want to ask: have I helped the links between CYs, the VFL, the Williamstown Juniors and the Western Jets? Have I strengthened those?” Montebello said.
“I almost want people to think, if I’m going to play junior football, well, I want to go to Willy juniors because of the fact that there’s a direct and strong link to the VFL, there’s a close connection to the Western Jets and it’s like a one-stop shop for football.”
