Talked-down Tigers are simply the best
EDGE Hill United have been the dominant force in the FNQ Premier League for the past two years but, despite the silverware, don’t get the respect they’ve earned or deserve.
When opposition players and coaches are asked about the Tigers, they generally say the same things about the men from Tiger Park.
“They play direct” is the most common, attributed to the Tigers’ tendency to play the ball forward, quickly turning defence into attack and feeding their lethal strikers.
Labelling their game plan as simple, reliant on long and lob balls and criticising the club’s overflowing talent pool are also regular comments.
The Tigers may take a simple approach to football, but it’s obviously been successful.
Edge Hill United have been the standard-bearers in the Premier League over the past two seasons. Since the start of the 2019 campaign, when Crios O’Hare came on board as coach, they’ve lost just one of their 26 games in the Premier League, including finals, and boast a win rate of 84 per cent.
When asked of how other teams perceived Edge Hill United, O’Hare admitted it was frustrating to see the same comments, and said it bordered on disrespecting the FNQ Football heavyweights.
O’Hare stressed that he didn’t want to be seen as having a whinge, but when the Cairns Post asked how he felt about the way his side, who are runaway leaders in this year’s Premier League competition, was perceived, he was open and honest.
“I don’t feel we get the respect we deserve,” he said.
“All we hear is that we play direct and that it’s a simple game plan, and how we're not really that good.
“If it was so easy, why can’t they stop us?”
Edge Hill plays a style of football which caters to players’ natural strengths.
The defenders have size and can strangle rival attacks, the midfielders have plenty of pace and are accurate short and long-range passers, and the strikers can hit the back of the net from anywhere.
Add Kevin Ward’s superb goalkeeping, which has allowed just three goals in six games — easily the best in the league — and the Manunda club boasts a squad which is not only currently the best in North Queensland, but could challenge some NPL clubs.
O’Hare said his side didn’t get hung up on what other teams thought, but it provided players with more motivation.
The champions will start the second half of their title defence at home against a Southside Comets side desperate for a victory to keep them in touch with the top four. its