Following stages of senior advancement and consolidation, Olympic FC’s future rests with high quality junior development according to President Peter Ioannidis.

The Yeronga club won both the inaugural NPL Queensland premiership and Grand Final in 2013, but it's the base level at which Olympic is concentrating resources.

“We have invested in our junior development, that's what we needed to do,” Ioannidis said.

“I became President in 2003 so from then to 2007 our main goal was promotion to the Brisbane Premier League. That was our first goal and it took us four years but we did it.

“Our second goal was consolidation. Now, it’s building.”

With a combined number of footballers at Olympic FC nearing 1,000, the production of home-grown talent through improved coaching has become a key goal for Ioannidis.

“We have spent a lot of money on getting the right people here, the right coaches,” he said.

“The likes of [Technical Director] Gabor Ganczer, [Skill Acquisition Director of Coaching] Jamie Dixon and a few other people are either full-time or part-time coaches and they’re here now essentially to grow the development of our players, so we’re moving towards that professional level.

“We’ve done a really good job and spent a lot of money on our small-sided games footballers and we’re going to keep pushing that because we want our kids to fill the majority of our NPL teams.

“They are proving they can easily match it against clubs from our affiliated areas and other regions.”

While the recruitment of top-end talent such as former Brisbane Roar players Tim Smits and Matt Mundy fired the Club’s senior men to last year’s silverware double, the long-serving President recognises juniors will ensure success is sustained and the likes of recent Roar debutant Jai Ingham – Olympic’s 2013 ‘Most Improved’ player – are produced.

“The next 5-10 years is about concentrating on junior development because in that time we want to be able to say the majority of the first team are our products,” Ioannidis said.

“That’s the aim we’ve asked of the senior coaches. In five years we would like at least 40% of our first team to be our own players.

“In ten years, hey, let’s make it 70%-80% if we can. I know we’re doing the right thing because our small-sided football numbers are expanding year after year.”

The newly-launched FFA Cup, a nationwide competition involving clubs from amateur status to A-League, could be where Olympic’s finest showcase their talent.

Ioannidis spoke of his excitement at the Club taking on both professional opponents and interstate rivals, which it tasted in last season’s NPL Finals Series.

“The most important thing is, if we go as far as we can, we will be better off for the exposure,” he said.

“It will continually put our name on the map as a forward-thinking club. We’re ambitious and we want to play against the best, which will attract more players to our club as well.

“If we managed to get a game on TV it would be great for our sponsors too. They’re excited about it. The round of 32 would be fantastic if we can get there.”

 

Words: Matt Dorman (Olympic FC)
Image: Keith Eigeland