Altona Magic coach Goran Lozanovski discusses rebuilding and players to watch

Just three players remain from last season’s squad but Altona Magic coach Goran Lozanovski is confident his team will turn heads in 2024.

Julian Rodriguez in action for Altona Magic. Picture: MP Images

Altona Magic coach Goran Lozanovski has overseen an almost complete turnover of the club’s playing list.

Just three players remain from the squad that made a drought-breaking NPL Victoria finals appearance last season.

It’s meant a hectic month between new year and a Round 1 clash against Heidelberg United as the club to brings its new-look team together.

“We’re travelling as well as we can be, we had to build a brand new squad,” Lozanovski said.

“It’s been challenging over the last five or six weeks to get the numbers up but we’re pretty satisfied with where we’re at and looking around to see if there’s anyone else we can top up with.

Filip Jovcevski in action for Altona Magic. Picture: MP Images

“The gelling part is maybe not as fluid as I’d like it to be, especially when you only kept three players from last year’s roster.

“We’re a little bit behind the eight ball in terms of unity and we’re trying to speed that up as much as possible before Round 1.

“It’s taken a fair few weeks to get everyone on board so that’s probably the only thing I’m not content with.

“Everything else has been good, we’re excited and the banter is starting to pick up within the group, which is a sign they’re starting to come together.”

Magic ramped up preparations with a friendly against Green Gully, going down 4-3, and will face Avondale, Caroline Springs George Cross and Preston Lions before kicking off the season on February 10 at Paisley Park.

The club will also participate in the annual Maso Cup in Wollongong, which brings together some of Australia’s biggest Macedonian-heritage clubs.

Altona’s success last season saw some of its leading players lured away, most notably Golden Boot winner Jonas Markovski securing an A-League contract with Brisbane Roar.

Captain Tom Woerndl, Tommy Semmy (both Melbourne Knights), Cian Cuba (South Melbourne), Charlie Leech (Port Melbourne), Rob Harding and Alex Castiello (both Manningham) have departed while young goalkeeper Zac Bowling returns to Newcastle Jets.

Jonas Markovski celebrates a Brisbane Roar victory.

In turn, Lozanovski has secured the likes of reigning VPL1 Player of the Year Stephen Lawless (Werribee City), Nuh Sehavdic (Peninsula Power, Qld), Jawad Rezai (Hume City), Bul Juach (Dobrudzha Dobrich, Bulgaria) and Englishman Aaron O’Driscoll (Christchurch United).

“There’s some good young talent in there and a couple of experienced heads, so I’d daresay we’ll shock a few teams,” Lozanovski said.

“Young Darcy (Anastovski), who was here last year, has done the whole pre-season and is looking really good.

“Nuh Sehavdic is a new player from Peninsula Power but he’s a Melbourne boy and is doing well coming back from a knee reconstruction.

“We’ve signed another forward from NSW, Bul Juach, a Sudanese kid, who’s a big boy and likes to get in behind and he’s been doing well and will surprise a few teams.

“Jawad Rezai is an Afghanistan international and was at Hume City last year and the other standout has been Nathan Liberto, from Brunswick Juventus, he’s been exceptional in pre-season.”

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Lawless and O’Driscoll will fill visa spots at Altona this season and come with big expectations.

“Aaron has had his first couple of weeks with us and played well over the weekend,” Lozanovski said.

“We obviously expect a lot from them and Steve has been doing OK, we’ll be asking a lot of him as coaches as the oldest player in the team to play football and lead from the front.”

Magic’s Maso Cup campaign kicks off on Friday, January 26 with matches against Cringila Lions and Sydney Makedonija before facing Queanbeyan City on Saturday.