Talent isn’t always enough to succeed in high-pressure situations.
Often what can count for more is an unfailing belief, respect and trust in your teammates and a commitment to dig deeper than what your normal role on the pitch requires.
And it is those qualities that have come to the fore for Napier City Rovers during their impressive and unbeaten start to New Zealand Football’s top-tier domestic competition.
After two rounds – including an opening-round win over Western Springs and Sunday’s gutsy 2-2 draw with Eastern Suburbs - the Bill Robertson-coached team is in second place on the points table.
Last weekend’s draw saw the side fight back twice from being behind, with the never-say-die attitude the team has shown so often seeing them come close several times to scoring a late winner.
Teen defender Jack Albertini said the positive culture running through the side had its beginnings during the pre-season.
“We talked about some values at the start of the year and we’ve stuck to those, which is good. It’s a good environment.
Napier City Rovers defender Jack Albertini (right to left) prepares pre-match before his side's National League opener alongside teammates Harry Mason and Sam Lack. Photo / Neil Reid
“One of the important values is togetherness, trying to be courageous on the pitch and don’t be afraid to try things . . . just express yourself.”
They’re values the side lived by during the earlier Central League campaign; where they finished in third spot after fending off a late challenge from Miramar Rangers for National League qualification.
On Sunday, Napier City Rovers host the Wellington Phoenix Reserves in round-three action at Bluewater Stadium.
Along with cementing a strong team culture, qualifying and then having a good crack at the National League was one of the side’s pre-season goals.
“The National League is a great platform to show what we can do on the national level and represent the club in the region,” Albertini said.
“And it’s just fun as well; it gives us something to do during the summer and stay together as a group.”
Aged just 19, Albertini has been a leading light when it comes to maintaining high standards during the 2024 season.
He debuted for the club last year, having earlier played about 60 senior games for Havelock North’s men’s team since the age of 15.
At the time the now-defunct Hawke’s Bay United represented the region in the National League; a structure that then was based on franchise teams and not traditional clubs.
Once it went back to a club-based structure in 2021, Albertini said playing for Napier City Rovers in the competition was something he “did aspire” to.
The club didn’t qualify for the league that year, which was later cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But they did in 2022, then 2023 and now again this year.
Jack Albertini (left), and Harry Mason during a Napier City Rovers warm-up session pre-match at Bluewater Stadium. Photo / Neil Reid
The youngest member of the current side’s defensive group, he said it was great to join a squad featuring modern-day Napier City Rovers legends and defenders Jim Hoyle and Fergus Neil.
Training and playing alongside those two – part of the 2019 Chatham Cup-winning team – had been great for his confidence and development.
“You get to learn from them, it’s great,” Albertini said. “They’re really good players, good defenders.”
Over the past three seasons, Albertini has also been one of several promising teens whose game time has meant Napier City Rovers have easily eclipsed NZF’s under-20 regulations.
Jack Albertini (left), says there is a strong team culture that runs through the Napier City Rovers squad. Photo / Neil Reid
Competition rules for the Northern, Central, Southern and National leagues state clubs must ensure a minimum of 10% of playing time is given to under-20 players on their rosters.
NZF introduced the rule as a pathway for young talent to try and develop.
Albertini said while it was a positive move for younger players, ultimately they had to be able to foot it around more senior players.
“Once you get on the field, you’ve got to take the opportunity yourself,” he said.
“I just go out, try my best, do what I can for the team.”
Albertini is highly respected by his peers at Napier City Rovers.
Jack Albertini has made a big impression during his first two seasons at Napier City Rovers. Photo / Neil Reid
It was not just the team’s coaching staff and his teammates who were proud of how far Albertini has come in such a short space of time at Napier City Rovers.
So too were his family.
“Even when I was at Havelock, my granddad was saying, ‘Get yourself across the Rovers’,” he said.
“I have really enjoyed my time here and my grandparents and parents come to every game. It’s good to play in front of them.”
Albertini is firmly in the starting XI on merit, not because he fits in the under-20 age category.
Over the past two seasons, he’s held his own against older and vastly more experienced players at Central League and National League level.
Jack Albertini says he has learnt a lot from outstanding Napier City Rovers captain and fellow defender Jim Hoyle. Photo / Neil Reid
His level of performance has been consistently strong; not only defending around his side’s penalty box, but also involving himself in surges up the pitch.
His ability and form – which recently won him Napier City Rovers’ Under-20 Player of the Year award – has not been lost on opposition clubs.
In good news for Napier City Rovers fans, the local talent said he was happy with where he was at and hadn’t received any approaches to go elsewhere that he’d describe as “tempting”.
Away from football, Albertini is employed as a lifeguard.
Liam Schofield (right) with teammates (l to r) Fergus Neil, Jack Albertini and Cameron Emerson, in Bluewater Stadium's dressing room. Photo / Neil Reid
He’s also a keen gamer, regularly battling with teenage teammate Sam Lack for supremacy on EA Sports’ Fifa.
Albertini joked it was a split decision on who the gaming king was.
“I’d say myself,” he said. “Sam’s pretty adamant it’s him.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience.
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