Ngongotaha AFC players celebrate a goal during their win against Beachlands Maraetai in the Chatham Cup last season. Photo / File
Ngongotaha AFC players celebrate a goal during their win against Beachlands Maraetai in the Chatham Cup last season. Photo / File
Ngongotaha AFC's new coach Ron Cane wants his players to show him what they can do this weekend.
They start their second season in Northern League Division 2 against Cambridge at home tomorrow,after an eighth place finish in their debut season last year.
With several established players unavailable this season, including star striker and top scorer Mitchell Miller, new players will have the opportunity to prove themselves.
"My appointment wasn't until the end of February. We've lost some key players and the recruitment of players has been a real struggle. In saying that, the guys that are here are raring to go and this weekend is a chance for them to prove themselves.
"We have a good core of about eight players who have experience in the league, while the others are new or have been on the fringes. I'm sure that core group will bring the new guys in and teach them about the Ngongotaha spirit.
"My objective this year is survival. It's difficult but we're going to give it our best shot with what we've got, the lads are all keen and fired up. The game on Saturday will tell me a lot about where we are at, it will define them as players and us as a club," Cane said.
Ngongotaha AFC will be without top goal scorer Mitchell Miller this season. Photo / File
He said his priority with the team was to build a solid defence and "go from there". While they have lost a top goal scorer in Miller, they have gained a top shot stopper in goalkeeper Andrew Gibbs, who has been recruited from Rotorua United.
Cane wanted to see his side trust their instincts.
"I'd just like to see them play good, fluid football. When you've got the ball everyone is an attacker, when you lose the ball everyone has to defend. I've been on to them so much these last few weeks about positional discipline, you just cannot go walkabouts and you have to cover each other.
"I will be telling them to attack, I don't want them to be hesitant about it. I want them to follow what comes naturally. Everybody likes having the ball, we have to try and keep the ball longer than the opposition and when we've got it we actually need to do something positive with it, like score some goals.
"I can't give the lads too much to think about, once they cross the white line it is up to them."
Cane brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to Ngongotaha AFC.
Spells in his youth at Crystal Palace and Millwall were followed by a semi-professional playing career, which included cap and tie honours for the County of Surrey.
He received his first coaching badge, in England, in 1976 before moving to New Zealand in 1978 where he was involved with Dunedin City, Caversham AFC and Mt Wellington. He has enjoyed roles with New Zealand Football including area coach for Waikato and Counties, and goalkeeper coach for the New Zealand under-17s and under-20s.
Cane was eager to improve the depth of his squad with "some more quality players" and encouraged anyone interested to attend training at Jessie Martin Park from 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The game against Cambridge, at Tamarahi Reserve, kicks off at 3pm tomorrow.
