NPL Victoria: Riccardo Marchioli credits Brunswick City for granting him first senior coaching opportunity

Newly appointed Bentleigh Greens coach Riccardo Marchioli has expressed his appreciation of Brunswick City as he re-enters the NPL Victoria competition. Here’s why.

New Bentleigh Greens coach, Riccardo Marchioli, has expressed his gratitude to NPL 2 club Brunswick City for giving the up-and-coming manager his first senior men’s coaching chance at age 27.

In his debut season as senior coach at City in the NPL 2 competition in 2021, Marchioli took the club to their best ever finish.

After the NPL 2 season ended early due to Covid, City were in top spot after 14 games and looked likely of promotion.

Following the successful stint, Marchioli gained a role in the football department at Melbourne Victory before working his way up to a senior assistant coaching role under Arthur Papas at Newcastle Jets.

Last week, he left the A-League side to join the Greens in NPL 1 where he steered his side over the line for their first win of the season in his first game in charge.

The Greens had lost the opening six matches of the season heading into the game.

Talk about making an impact!@BentleighGreens had started the @nplvictoria season with 6 straight losses to find themselves bottom of the table.

Former @NewcastleJetsFC coach @RicMarchioli returns home to Victoria & oversees a 4-1 win in his first game, having trailed.

👏 pic.twitter.com/13fWTQD0SH

— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) April 1, 2023

Marchioli complimented Brunswick City for giving him his first chance as a senior men’s coach.

“Honestly, what a fantastic club that is, what a top club,” he said.

“It takes some absolute balls to appoint a 27-year-old as your senior coach.

“To have enough vision to see and have the belief to be able to do that and that’s down to the president Peter Kyriopoulos.”

HOW BENTLEIGH PLAN TO BOUNCE BACK UNDER MARCHIOLI

After starting the NPL Victoria season with six straight losses, Bentleigh has turned to Newcastle assistant coach Riccardo Marchioli to take over the coaching reigns.

Marchioli has been working within the A-League for the past three years including a stint with Melbourne Victory before he joined the Jets two years ago.

Prior to joining the A-League, he became one of the youngest NPL coaches when he coached Brunswick City at age 27 and took them to their best-ever finish in NPL 2.

Marchioli takes over from Petr Tichy who joined the club as senior coach midway through pre-season in December last year.

Originally, the Greens appointed Alfredo Costantino as their senior coach although he decided to step away to take up a professional coaching course overseas not long into the job.

The 37-year-old club has also signed 22-year-old attacking midfielder Christos Theodorakopoulos from competition rivals Moreland City.

The Bentleigh Greens are excited to announce the appointment of Riccardo Marchioli as our new Head Coach!

Marchioli returns to Victorian football following time in the A-League with both Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory.

Read more via our website: https://t.co/xj0MXLVbRqpic.twitter.com/Lz3apESAzu

— Bentleigh Greens (@BentleighGreens) March 27, 2023

The recent changes at the Greens come after a disastrous start for club who sit on the bottom of the table.

The three-time NPL championship club have scored just three times and conceded 14 goals from their first six games of the campaign.

Newly appointed coach Marchioli detailed what his first focus would be as coach.

“I think just reigniting the spark and bringing the belief back into the group,” Marchioli said.

“I don’t think they deserve to be where they are even just on general performances, it has just been little moments that need tightening up.

“(We need) a shared purpose that is just greater than just winning at the moment.

“Obviously that tension starts to build a little bit when results aren’t going your way.

“And we just need to recalibrate and refocus and reignite that spark and bring the team back to where they deservedly should be.”

He also said unity would be an area to work on.

“A few things just need tighten up,” he said.

“The phases of play are all connected and I think if you start treating them in isolation, then I think you have a disconnection in the game that leads to issues in other areas of the park.

“We just need to re-establish that connection between the phases of the game and just make sure we understand what those connections are so everything gets a bit sharper and those gaps don’t appear as much.”

The Greens celebrate an extra time goal during the round of 32 Australia Cup match between Bentleigh Green SC and Broadmeadow Magic at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on July 21, 2022.(Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)

On Friday night, the Greens will host St Albans who just lost their first game of the season last week to South Melbourne.

Marchioli said he was after a gritty effort from his players in his first game as coach.

“We have looked at them at length internally,” he said.

“I think it is a matter of keeping it relatively simple.

“We have introduced some of the principles.

“I think it’s a matter of finding that courage and that connection and that grit to come through in this game but like I said, we got an eye on the bigger picture and the success will follow.

“We do take it one game at a time but we don’t put a huge amount of importance on just one game especially after the start they have had.”

Marchioli said he would be the sort of coach who looks further than just the win-loss record.

“Someone with a lot of passion for the game,” he said.

“I have got a very clear idea of how I like to see the game played.

“For me, winning is an entry level requirement, it’s not a purpose and reason for doing something.

“That takes a back seat to a greater shared purpose and there is always a greater shared purpose, and that’s making sure that us as a playing group and staff, remember why we fell in love with the game in the first place.

“And everything that we do should remind us of that and that should be imbued with the people that watching us play as well.

“So people should leave our games with a feeling of passion and excitement for the game and that’s the sort of coach and team you will see moving forward.”

🎥 Newcastle Jets Head of Football Huss Skenderovic and Youth Head Coach Riccardo Marchioli spoke to parents from players of the Jets Academy about the club’s revised youth development program.#BondedByGold

— NEWCASTLE JETS FC ✈️ (@NewcastleJetsFC) July 7, 2022

In leaving Newcastle with five games left in the season and his side sitting just outside the top six, Marchioli said it was unfortunate to leave.

“The timing is not ideal because I genuinely believe the group has what it takes to make the finals,” he said.

“The finals aren't far off, they are about a month away in the A-League.

“The good thing is, I get to see them all this weekend because they are playing down here in Melbourne against Melbourne City on Sunday so it is not too long between handshakes so to speak.

“I am immensely grateful for the opportunity that Arthur Papas provided and the club provided and the opportunities I got up there.

“I was overseeing the youth team and got to win a premiership and championship with them in the NPL up in NSW.

“Oversaw the academy for a little bit and got to see different parts of the club at that level.

“I will be forever grateful for that opportunity and like I said, the chance to sharpen my craft while I was up there.”

Marchioli said he wouldn’t be sitting on the bench although he indicated he might give the club analyst a visit in the stands.

“I will be watching from afar,” he said.

“I might go and visit our analyst upstairs maybe, and get a nice view of the game and just absorb it as a fan.

“I will be supporting pretty vehemently from the sidelines so I do wish them all the best and like I said, I genuinely believe the group has what it takes to get to the finals and make an impact.”

The Greens will take on St Albans, Oakleigh Cannons and South Melbourne in their next three NPL games.