Self-belief key for Rams
Rekindling self-belief and removing bad habits through discipline and strategy is at the heart of Sam Anson’s approach to coaching Natimuk United this year.
The first-year leader, 26, back with the Rams after rubbing shoulders with footballing talent in Eastern and Hampden leagues, said strengthening club culture and fostering junior talent were also high on his agenda.
“I’m not interested in coaching superstars,” he said.
“All I want is to coach blokes who want to have crack and learn. If they listen and have a go, I can’t ask for more than that.”
Natimuk United finished bottom of Horsham district league’s ladder last season after a couple of years of promise.
Leaders are desperate for a change in fortunes.
Anson, who cut his teeth playing with the Rams as a junior, returns to his home club with experience with Vermont in Melbourne suburban football and before that Port Fairy on the south-west coast.
Considering his passion for the job and delight in the response he has received from the Rams, his appointment might just be what the doctor ordered.
“The club has a good junior base coming through and I’m really wanting to push that forward as much as I can,” Anson said.
“I’ve also been keen to get some new ‘local’ faces at the club and avoid trying to get blokes in from too far away who end up being ring-ins.
“I also want to develop a strong club culture. Most successful clubs have a good culture base – everyone wants to hang around. If we can manage that, it will go a long way to getting where we need to be.” Anson confirmed he had enjoyed rare success in pursuing players he had gone after to join the club.
“I have Callum Cameron as an assistant coach who was obviously at the club last year, but Ash Pekin has also returned as an assistant coach and midfielder Jack Ford, who used to live in Natimuk, is coming back from Queensland,” he said.
He said others including Nathan Koenig, Craig Britten, Max English and Andrew Watson from Taylors Lake had signed with the club, and Jono Lovel and Bryce Hateley were back in action this year.
“We appear to have kept most of the local boys from last year as well,” he said.
“It’s all going really well and I’m getting quite good feedback about pre-season coaching. Hopefully that drags a few more onto the track.
“With extra players coming on board it puts pressure on spots in the team. It means everyone is pushing for a place and everyone wants to be there.”
Anson said his desire, as part of a two-year coaching deal, was to make sure players gained something new from the season.
“If I can help create an environment where players can get something better out of themselves then we might be able to get a few wins on the board,” he said.
“My first year is about laying the foundations and taking it from there. There is a real good mood around the place and a lot of blokes are coming out of the woodwork.”
Natimuk United will play practice matches against Westerns and Bordertown clubs and organise an intra-club game during its pre-season build-up.
Anson is also planning a training camp.
The Rams are training at 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Natimuk.