Docherty Endorses All-Stars Concept
Words: Matt Dorman
Image: Football Queensland
An upbeat Martin Docherty hopes to see the PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland Under 23 All-Stars initiative continue to grow following Saturday’s debut against Brisbane Roar.
Despite growing into the game after half-time, the inexperienced squad were ultimately outclassed 8-0 by their Hyundai A-League opponents.
Docherty, who coached the team alongside Palm Beach SC’s Grae Piddick, believes the opportunity provided to young players means the model has a future.
“The good thing about it is now we’ve got a starting point and I’m sure everyone will learn from this,” Docherty said.
“The whole idea, the concept, Football Queensland have to be congratulated."
“The result for me from day one was irrelevant anyway. It was just a brilliant experience for everybody.”
The All-Stars, drawn from eight PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland clubs, trained twice together at Meakin Park in the lead-up to the match in a bid for familiarity.
Docherty believes a few tweaks to the concept in future will help ensure improved competitiveness against the likes of Roar.
“I’d love to spend two weeks with them. I wouldn’t say the outcome would have been different but I do think it would have been a lot better,” the FNQ Heat boss said.
“There was a lot of guys there that were really nervous, you could sense that before the game."
“But we grew into it, we mentioned a few things at half-time and they took that on board. They came out in the second half, pressed them a lot higher and put them under a little bit of pressure.”
Each PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Under 23 All-Stars squad member had the opportunity to keep their Soccer World-sponsored jersey after the match as a memento for their inaugural participation.
Docherty expects all 17 players will take plenty from being involved.
“There’s loads of little things, just the little training sessions and the equipment they get, the experience of shaking hands with these guys they watch on the television week in, week out,” he said.
“Fingers crossed it moves on for next year,” he concluded.
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