Well-travelled Ipswich football recruit helping dad and coach
The accomplished utility player doesn’t mind the extra scrutiny travelling from Ipswich to Logan after a tough match.
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THE car trip home for Mikhail Hastings can be just as intense as trying to break a deadlock on the football field.
However, the classy utility player doesn’t mind the extra scrutiny travelling from Ipswich to Logan after a tough match.
He is just happy to be helping his dad Brian, who is head coach of Western Pride’s senior men’s side.
“He’s harsh on me hey,’’ Mikhail said with a huge grin.
“He gives me so much stick but I’m used to it.
“I kind of brush it off.’’
The accomplished Pride recruit knows his father has years of experience to share.
“He’s a good coach,’’ Mikhail said.
“I’m not just saying that because he’s my dad . . . he knows his stuff.’’
Mikhail joined Pride earlier in this year’s Football Queensland Premier League 1 season after securing his international clearance from playing in Spain.
Fourth-placed Pride had to work hard to salvage a 2-2 draw with 10th placed Sunshine Coast Fire in Saturday night’s game at the Briggs Road Sporting Complex.
A week after Pride beat the same team 3-2 at Kawana in a catch-up match, the Ipswich combination led 1-0 through a Mark Ingerson goal before Sunshine Coast equalised before halftime.
Sunshine Coast capitalised on a second half penalty to almost hold on to victory.
However, with minutes left in the game, Italian recruit Wil Asante made a desperate run to score and save some Pride, literally, for his team.
It was Pride’s first draw of the season to go with six wins and four losses.
Pride will hold on to fourth spot despite a missed opportunity to secure back-to-back wins.
However, learning to finish games is something Mikhail is keen to work on with his dad.
The father-son team inject more professionalism into the Ipswich-based team trying to return to the National Premier Leagues Queensland competition.
Having lined up in seven matches for Pride, Mikhail is keen to share his overseas experience and versatility.
“My dad puts me anywhere so I just want to be on the team and play,’’ Mikhail, 27, said.
“I love playing 10, just behind the striker.
“I feel though I’m more creative there. Getting the ball, I can turn and stuff like that.’’
With a powerful 195cm tall presence, Mikhail played a majority of his junior football with Redlands before stints with North Star, Capalaba and Rochedale, along with seasons in America and Europe.
“I’ve been all over the place,’’ he said, currently working in real estate based at Logan.
“I came from Spain and I had to get an international clearance, which took about three weeks.
“Once I got here, I was clear to play.
“I was back and forth overseas a lot but whenever I’m back here, I always try and play for a team in the top two leagues just to stay fit and everything like that.’’
Some of Mikhail’s most satisfying experience came from playing in the United States while studying business and graphics for four years at university.
“I actually think it was one of the best things I ever did,’’ he said.
“I’ve been going back and forth, playing over there and studying over there.
“It was great. The facilities and everything over there is amazing.’’
He furthered his football career during a two-year stint in Spain in a competition he rated “between A-League and NPL’’.
“I played third division over. It was a very good league, very competitive,’’ he said.
“The team was fantastic.
“They had great facilities, great everything. The professionalism at the club.
“That’s what we are trying to bring over here.
“We really need more professionalism.’’
Having learnt so much overseas, he hopes to help his Pride teammates in any way he can.
“It’s more composure I feel,’’ he said.
“When I was younger I had less and less time.
“But I’m not a player that buzzes around.
“I kind of like to get into space and go on the ball and dictate the game usually.’’
Mikhail is glad to be part of the new-look Pride side assembled this year.
“The team’s not bad at all,’’ he said.
“We can compete with any team I believe.
“When we played against City (competition leaders Brisbane City), I thought we were good.’’
Pride also pushed second-placed Rochedale, again losing by just one goal.
“They take their chances and they score,’’ he said.
“We haven’t gone into that rhythm yet of scoring goals.
“Once we get that, it will be good.’’
Mikhail was pleased his team mustered a late goal on Saturday night after being pushed all the way.
“It was a tough result,’’ he said. “They (Sunshine Coast) were pretty good.
“One point is better than a loss.
“We were just a little flat I thought in the final third.
“I thought our front three could have done a little bit more but last week we took our chances and scored.
“This week, we didn’t really create any chances in the first half.’’
Pride play Southside Eagles at Memorial Park next Saturday night.
That will be another test after Southside Eagles upstaged second-placed Rochedale.
The Western Pride women’s NPL match scheduled against Gold Coast United on Saturday night was postponed until Tuesday night.
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