Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Keith Eigeland/Football Queensland

Returning Brisbane City coach Glen Volker says he is aiming to restore City as genuine title contenders in the 2015 PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland season.

City confirmed this week that Volker will return for a third season at the City helm after he guided the club to a Grand Final appearance in the competition’s inaugural year and finished last season in mid-table.

Volker explained he was aiming for a top four finish next season as well as striving to qualify for the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32.

“The club is a good club and hopefully we get everything in order and have a real crack at it next year,” Volker said.

“There’s a few things that we need to tweak. Some off the pitch and some on, but we had some fairly major outs in terms of personnel this year.”

“Obviously someone like Antonio (Murray) not being there, well it’s not easy to find 27 goals from elsewhere,” he explained.

While next year’s squad is far from finalised, Volker did confirm that Italian defender Luca Perico will not return following the conclusion of his visa.

However, Volker further added that irrespective of recruitment in the off-season, City will continue to strive for attractive and technical style of play next year.

“We won’t change the philosophy holus-bolus, but you still have to set the system up to accommodate the players that you have.”

“At the club as a whole we are trying to develop players that are technically proficient and can play a good brand of passing football.”

“Obviously the senior side is more about results than the development levels, but you still want to play a good brand of football.”

Volker further explained that many younger players had been blooded in the first team set-up and that a platform was established for a higher finish in 2015.

“If you look at the squad we had this year, we beat Olympic, we beat Strikers, we beat FNQ, we beat Palm Beach and we should’ve beaten Moreton Bay being 3-1 up.”

“We’ve still got a really good group of players and we want to make sure we add that little bit of extra quality and leadership in a few areas of the park to build on what we’ve got.”

Volker also repeated his disappointment at falling to community club Logan Lightning this year in the Football Queensland Cup, which denied City a chance to return to the national stage in the Westfield FFA Cup proper.

“After seeing how Palm Beach have gone and Olympic and Strikers getting through, there is definitely the level of exposure there.”

“I think everyone has seen how good the FFA Cup can be and that will make it more difficult next year because everyone will put more emphasis on it,” he concluded.

City have also confirmed appointments of coaches for the next season’s youth teams.

Darron Helseldon will replace Phil Calabrese in charge of the Youth Men’s team, while Adrian Elmes will take the reins of Under 18 Men’s side.