Striker’s itching to tackle champions
HOBART Zebras striker Jakub Sklenar hopes to “do his job” by opening his goalscoring account for his new club in tonight’s NPL Tasmania season opener at North Hobart.
Sklenar will have his work cut out, though, because the Zebras are taking on reigning NPL Tasmania champion South Hobart, which cantered to last season’s title and conceded the equal fewest goals in the process.
Sklenar topped the goalscoring charts in his only season with the Olympia Warriors last year, netting 28 times, but has since switched allegiances and will line up for the Zebras tonight.
The Czech star is excited at the prospect of taking on South in front of a big crowd at North Hobart Oval.
“I want to score goals because that’s my job. Everyone is expecting goals from the strikers and if you don’t score you haven’t done the job properly,” Sklenar said.
The Zebras’ new imports — Churo Charuza (Czech Republic) and Isky Van Doorne (US) — have only recently arrived at the club, and Sklenar hopes the squad can jell quickly.
“We were waiting for our imports for a long time, and they actually came in a couple of weeks ago so we couldn’t train and prepare [with them] as much as we would like to,” he said.
South Hobart coach Ken Morton said a win for his side would send a message to the competition.
“It always lays down the gauntlet, as it were, if you can play strongly and get a good result,” Morton said.
He believes his team should be the favourite for the title this year.
“Probably based on our preseason, but remember you’re only favourites in words and on paper. We’ve got to prove ourselves worthy champions and go back-to-back,” he said.
Last season’s runners-up Olympia Warriors kick off their season against the Northern Rangers at Warrior Park tomorrow.
The Warriors have lost Sklenar and star midfielder Shane Cartwright from last year’s squad, but have picked up Brett Johnson from the US, Zak Eadle from the UK, and Jack Turner from South Hobart.
In the remaining Round 1 matches tomorrow Launceston City hosts the Kingborough Lions at Buckby Land Rover Park and the Devonport Strikers take on Clarence United in Devonport.