Tough at the top, Ifill finds

ENJOYING ROLE: Paul Ifill has been appointed coach of this year's Heartland Wairarapa national youth league side. PHOTO/FILE

PAUL IFILL describes his first season as coach of Wairarapa United's Central League team as a "steep learning curve".

Coming as it did after a stellar playing career for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League the role has offered a series of new challenges for Ifill and he candidly admits it hasn't always been plain sailing.

"The coaching side of things has been fine, but player management has been a bit of a struggle at times," Ifill said.

"You have to deal with personalities and egos and that can be hard work - a lot harder than I ever believed. It builds character, I can tell you that."

Ifill is at pains, however, to emphasise that is no reflection on his players, rather more on his own naivety as a first-time coach in an environment as competitive as the Central League. "I guess I really didn't give it enough thought but everything is fine now. We're going along well."

Wairarapa United is yet to win the league title and Ifill said that was always the number one goal in 2015. That won't happen with Napier City Rovers already having the title in safe keeping, but a win over Wellington Olympic in the last of their 18 games on Saturday would guarantee Wairarapa United the runners-up spot, and Ifill would be "happy enough" with that.

"They (NCR) are probably the best team we have seen in this league for years so second to them would still be a pretty good result."

Few results have pleased Ifill more than the 5-0 victory Wairarapa United achieved over Western Suburbs at Masterton's Memorial Park last Saturday.

Having been run ragged by the young, fit Wests' combination in two previous games, Wairarapa United adopting an "in your face" defensive approach and it clearly had the effect of throwing Wests off their normal game.

"We wanted to impose ourselves on them right from the start and getting a couple of goals up before halftime certainly helped put doubts in their minds," Ifill said. "I thought the five-goal margin was probably a fair indication of how much better we were."

Whether Ifill will be back coaching United's Central League side again next season is still to be confirmed but he is keen to continue in the role.

"Honestly, I've really enjoyed it. I'd like to think I could be here for the long haul but that's not for me to decide."

Meanwhile, Ifill has been appointed coach of this year's Heartland Wairarapa national youth league side for which trials will be held at Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt on Tuesday, August 25, and at Memorial Park, Masterton, on Thursday, August 27. The start time for both sessions is 6.30pm.

Wairarapa's representation in last year's side was minimal, but Ifill said the number of Wairarapa players capable of making the 2015 line-up could run into double figures. "We have a lot of very promising young talent here and I think you might be surprised how many of them actually make it."