Heidelberg United coach Bill Mihaloudis encouraged by young squad, despite inconsistency

Heidelberg United coach Bill Mihaloudis has been reflecting on a season that delivered satisfaction and frustration in almost equal measures.

Despite an, at times, frustrating WNPL season, Heidelberg United coach Bill Mihaloudis is confident his young squad is going places. Picture: Stuart Milligan

As THE dust settles on the inaugural Women’s National Premier League season, Heidelberg United coach Bill Mihaloudis has reflected on a campaign that delivered satisfaction and frustration in almost equal measures.

Mihaloudis guided a relatively young and inexperienced Heidelberg United outfit to fifth in the league, six points adrift of the top-four finals sides.

The Warriors did pick up some silverware along the way, when they claimed the Victorian knockout cup competition after a penalty shootout semi-final thriller against Alamein FC, followed by a 4-0 drubbing of the Bulleen Lions in the final.

Heidelberg’s patchy season caused the coach some angst but has left him with plenty of confidence for future years.

“We’ve had an interesting season,” Mihaloudis said.

“We’ve been consistently inconsistent. When we were good, we were very good – when we were bad, we were pretty ordinary.

“(But) we’ve shown we could match it with the top teams.”

An airborne Belinda Pannella celebrates one of Leigh Gray’s many goals for Heidelberg United this season. Picture:Rob Leeson.

Much of that inconsistency, as well as Mihaloudis’s cause for optimism, is down to the large number of inexperienced youngsters the club has uncovered this season.

“We’ve put effort into developing young players and we’ve blooded some really good talent,” he said.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more from the girls week in, week out.

“We’ve got five or six young girls, 15/16 years old, who are starting to play senior football. And, not just that, but to be able to hold their own. It will be exciting to see how they come on in the next couple of years.”

Among the many highlights this season, striker Leigh Gray stamped herself as one of the competition’s premier goal poachers.

The Warriors goalscoring talisman netted 17 goals in her 23 league games, and found the net four times in five cup ties including a matchwinning hat trick in the Cup final.

“She’s really hustled the (opposition) defenders all season,” Mihaloudis said.

“I feel sorry for all the centre-backs.

“But there’s been so many players that have stepped up.”

Like most clubs, Heidelberg will now go through annual reviews and planning for next season, but Mihaloudis said he was keen to jump aboard the roller coaster for another season.

“At the moment, I’ve got my feet up and I’m enjoying the break,” he said.

“But I’m pretty keen to get back into it.”