THE future of the Irymple Knights’ playing list will also be the present.
Senior men’s co-coach Phil Karalis is set to place further faith, and responsibility, in the team’s emerging stars for the new Football Federation Sunraysia S-League campaign.
Young talents Nathan Monteleone, Kieran Burrows and George Karalis are among those identified to play important roles in green and white this season after an impressive season at senior level last year.
They will be supported by experienced players like Chris Romeo as they aim to go one better than second place.
After falling to Mildura City in the final home-and-away game of last year to concede the title, Karalis says the squad can again challenge the club who have won the league for the past three years.
“We still have that experience in there but we’ll look to these younger guys to be leaders and to build the side not just for this year but for the future too,” he said.
“We had high expectations but Mildura City had the squad with more experience together and that won out in the end.
“That’s what we’re trying to achieve now, keeping that squad together and building that harmony.
“Our depth looks really solid this year, we had to two teams of 11 in a recent training session and you couldn’t tell which one was the first team, which is a great sign.”
Karalis said Monteleone and Burrows could be leaders for the side.
“Nathan will be our main centre back,” he said.
“I haven’t seen a bigger kid at 17 playing in his position and I’ve been around soccer for a while.
“He’s so solid and just leads by example.
“Kieran has looked really sharp over pre-season.
“We had a chat and I really put it to him to be a strong performer this year and he’s responded so far.
“He played a bit up on the wing and in midfield during our practice game.”
Following a practice match against Nichols Point last weekend, Knights will face the Pointers and Three Colours on Sunday in the opening two games of the Rudi Horvat Round Robin Cup before the main season begin on April 28.
Rudi Horvat Round Robin Cup fixtures on Sunday:
Senior women
2.25pm: Nichols Point v Irymple Knights
Senior men
3.40pm: Irymple Knights v Three Colours, Mildura United v Mildura City
4.55pm: Three Colours v Mildura United, Nichols Point v Irymple Knights
