Posted February 24, 2026 22:02
· last edited February 24, 2026 22:05
isnt a concern there is such a big gap in style within the team/reserves? Sure, there might be little variations within them but how do you expect players to step up from the academy and adept to the senior team system? I work in a NPL team in Victoria as a academy coach, and every NPL team side all have their own style of play the implement from the top NPL side to the under 15's.. Its a agreed upon method that the football department all agree on pre-season and training sessions, and individual training is catered around this one method of play. Melbourne City is the exponents of this, you watch any of their junior or npl teams, they all play the exact same method.. Again, this brings me to the points of director of football Gill, what exactly is his role? How is trying to close the gap in playing style between seniors & the academy, especially in a club like ours who strongly believe in promoting youth, we are doing them a dis-service by playng a completely different game Ranix
YellowAndBlack
I should probably have an idea of this but I’m blanking, does Greenie have a preferred on field set up he’s been using for the under 20s or academy team?
From the Niche cache newsletter.
One curious thing about Chris Greenacre’s WeeNix side is they’re the only one of the three A-League Reserve teams that didn’t mimic the style of their senior team It’s probably down to Chiefy’s tinkering (three distinct styles in each season he was at the club) making it impossible to keep up... but Chris Greenacre never did a high line with the WeeNix. Never did a back three (even though three of his best players were CBs – Jayden Smith, Mac Munro, and Dylan Gardiner). Never did wing-backs. Always tried to have a second striker or attacking midfielder to support the main centre-forward. They’ve been doing 4-2-2-2 variations since Ufuk Talay was in town regardless of how the first team operated. Dunno if that’s the best way to prepare players for the jump up into A-League action when they’re called upon but it does give Greenie something different to fall back upon now that he’s replacing The Chief.
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Unknown editoredited February 24, 2026 22:05
isnt a concern there is such a big gap in style within the team/reserves? Sure, there might be little variations within them but how do you expect players to step up from the academy and adept to the senior team system? I work in a NPL team in Victoria as a academy coach, and every NPL team side all have their own style of play the implement from the top NPL side to the under 15's.. Its a agreed upon method that the football department all agree on pre-season and training sessions, and individual training is catered around this one method of play. Melbourne City is the exponents of this, you watch any of their junior or npl teams, they all play the exact same method.. Again, this brings me to the points of director of football Gill, what exactly is his role? How is trying to close the gap in playing style between seniors & the academy, especially in a club like ours who strongly believe in promoting youth, we are doing them a dis-service by playng a completely different game Ranix
YellowAndBlack
I should probably have an idea of this but I’m blanking, does Greenie have a preferred on field set up he’s been using for the under 20s or academy team?
From the Niche cache newsletter.
One curious thing about Chris Greenacre’s WeeNix side is they’re the only one of the three A-League Reserve teams that didn’t mimic the style of their senior team It’s probably down to Chiefy’s tinkering (three distinct styles in each season he was at the club) making it impossible to keep up... but Chris Greenacre never did a high line with the WeeNix. Never did a back three (even though three of his best players were CBs – Jayden Smith, Mac Munro, and Dylan Gardiner). Never did wing-backs. Always tried to have a second striker or attacking midfielder to support the main centre-forward. They’ve been doing 4-2-2-2 variations since Ufuk Talay was in town regardless of how the first team operated. Dunno if that’s the best way to prepare players for the jump up into A-League action when they’re called upon but it does give Greenie something different to fall back upon now that he’s replacing The Chief.