Women’s National Premier League: Bill Mihaloudis returns to Heidelberg United as head coach
Seasoned campaigner Bill Mihaloudis will return to Olympic Village after being named Heidelberg United’s head coach for the coming National Premier League Victoria women’s season.
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Seasoned campaigner Bill Mihaloudis will return to Olympic Village after being named Heidelberg United’s head coach for the coming National Premier League Victoria women’s season.
And, despite being replaced in the same role just two years ago, he bears the Bergers no ill-will.
Instead, he is champing at the bit to get back into things at Catalina St.
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One of the most experienced campaigners in the NPLV ranks, his previous three-year reign at Heidelberg United — which secured silverware in the form of statewide knockout cup in 2016 — ended when replaced by Matildas legend Melissa Barbieri prior to the 2017 campaign.
But, that’s all water under the bridge, the new boss said last week.
“We finished off well, it was all amiable,” he said. “It wasn’t anything bad.
“When you’ve been in the game long enough, you understand how it goes.
“I felt I had a lot of unfinished business. For me it was still a bit premature, I would have liked another year or so.
“But, I love the club and I’m really looking forward to getting back there. There’s no no hard feelings.”
His lengthy resume includes coaching South Melbourne, Altona City and Box Hill United in the former WPL and, more recently, he spent time helping new NPLV franchise Southern United spread its wings in the big league.
“It will be a big club in years to come,” he said of Southern Districts. “But they still have a lot of work to do, and they realise that.”
Over the past two seasons a very young Heidelberg line-up struggled to make inroads against some of the more experienced outfits.
But, late last season, things started to click and Heidelberg recorded a seven-win campaign that promises plenty for the coming season.
“They were probably a bit too young (but) you bring in some experience and it can change overnight,” Mihaloudis said. “We do have our work cut out but I’m excited about what’s ahead.
“We want to make sure we have the right balance, that right mix.
“We are looking at bringing in a few experienced players to surround the quality youth we have at the club.”
The success achieved by Heidelberg’s men over the past two years has become the stuff of club legend.
And Mihaloudis is not shying away from pressure to emulate those results, instead he embraces it.
“That’s the goal,” he said. “That’s the bar I’ve set. It’s unbelievable what (men’s coach) George (Katsakis) and the guys have achieved and we want to equal that.
“And in 12 or 24 months I really believe we can achieve that.”