Report by Tommy Doleman

Rockingham went down to Bayswater 1-0 last week, their fifth straight loss. Photo by Conor Lowe

Rockingham City will be looking to close the six-point gap on second-bottom Cockburn City when they play their Round Six catch-up game on Saturday.

Rockingham’s clash with Sorrento at SafeRad Stadium is one of five NPLWA – Men’s matches which were postponed in April due to Covid-19.

Only Cockburn’s 2-0 loss at league leaders Floreat Athena beat the lockdown. But if Goran Stajic’s side are to reel in Cockburn, they really need to start winning games. So far they have collected just four points from their opening 11 matches – and lost their last five.

“I set up the team each week to win and this will be no different whatsoever,” Stajic said.

“There’s obviously a gap increasing at the bottom and we need to stay within touching distance. We’re certainly playing a great brand of football and are approaching the game as if we have an opportunity to win, but unfortunately, we haven’t had that killer instinct up top.

“We’ve got a style of play which we’ve tried to introduce and the boys have enjoyed bringing that to life. But while it’s nice the neutrals can see we’re playing good football, it’s all about the results where we’re at.

“The region deserves an NPL team and I’ll be doing my best to keep them in there, because those supporters and players deserve it.”

Aside from working to maintain Rockingham’s NPL WA status, Stajic has been assistant coach with the Australia men’s Paralympics team, the Pararoos, since 2015. It is a position which is close to his heart.

“Not a lot of people know but I have a daughter with a rare genetic disease, which part of it entails the components that make you eligible to be a Paralympian footballer. So when the coaching position came up locally many years ago, I got involved and have never looked back,” Stajic said.

“When I look at the players, I guess it makes it a little bit easier for me because I can understand it from a parental point of view as well as a coaching one.

“I wouldn’t say I don’t get sentimental or emotional, but I also understand the challenges my daughter has faced and still faces where they want to be accepted and treated absolutely as professionally as my NPL players at Rockingham, or previously at Balcatta and Glory. So, I just go there to try and enforce that mentality.”

The Pararoos are currently ranked 10th in the world, up nine places from when Stajic joined the National Team set-up six years ago. It is an achievement he’s proud to be part of, and the honour of representing his country is something he never underestimates.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has affected Paralympic football plans over the past 12 months with competitions in Spain and Italy and qualifiers due to take place last year. The challenges of the pandemic have also meant an adjustment to coaching methods has been required.

“We’ve been in touch with all the players with continuous workshops and individual programs where they are reporting to us as. I’m doing the programs as well where we’re reporting every day on what’s happening between the ears and physically too,” Stajic said.

“It’s important and unfortunately some states have been more affected more than others. But being part of this team has shown another angle of how strong and resilient is, and I’m looking forward to the next camp and fixtures.

“It’s phenomenal to be involved with Football Australia who recognises the National Team (Pararoos) on a par with the Socceroos, Matildas, Olyroos and Joeys. We get a lot of information from the National Team coaches and have even had the privilege of being invited by (former Socceroos head coach) Ange Postecoglu himself to a camp when the Socceroos were based in Melbourne.

“We got that perspective of seeing him and his staff operate, work and absorb as much as we could for several days. (Current Socceroos head coach) Graham Arnold is also very supportive of our program and we’ve been invited to coaching workshops, as well as working with Football Australia to develop a stronger national competition, ID camps and hopefully there’s some fixtures within Australia soon too.

“To sing the national anthem, to represent Australia against the Brazils, Argentinas and Russias, and to travel to places like Iran to play against them, which was one of those trips of a lifetime. But more importantly, it’s reassured me what football is all about, it doesn’t care about discrimination, it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of and it balances me out.

Elsewhere on Saturday, second-place Perth SC will look to close the 11-point gap on leaders Floreat when they host a Gwelup Croatia side who have drawn six of 11 league games at Dorrien Gardens.

Defending champions ECU Joondalup, winless in four, travel to Balcatta who will hope to hit back after last week’s heavy home loss to Athena.

Inglewood United travel to Bayswater City, while Perth Glory head to Armadale.

Fixtures

Saturday (3pm)

Armadale v Perth Glory
Balcatta v ECU Joondalup
Bayswater City v Inglewood United
Perth SC v Gwelup Croatia
Rockingham City v Sorrento