Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Getty Images

FNQ Heat coach Tim Campbell admits his first season in the national second tier will be a learning experience but is confident his side will be finals contenders in 2016.

FNQ Heat confirmed their squad for the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues campaign this week with plenty of familiar faces returning for the Cairns-based club despite an overhaul of the coaching set-up and club administration in the off-season.

Campbell, who previously coached Heat’s Under 16 academy side, admits he may be as green as the club’s home-strip in his new role - but that may just be a blessing in disguise.

“I’m pretty realistic and a I realise that my network and information is not going to be the same as other coaches,” Campbell explained.

“That is something we will certainly have to make up for in other areas because regarding knowing about the other teams I will be behind the eight-ball a little bit.”

“But that will make me focus on what our team are going to do rather than those other teams and that could well prove useful to us.”

Aiding Campbell’s internal focus is a raft of established players including Jamie Gosling, Shaun Owens, Cameron Nucifora, Tamas Maffey-Stumpe, Crios O’Hare, Charlie Beverley and Joshua Pin.

Heat have parted ways with all-time leading goalscorer Alex Smith, promising talent Ethan Docherty, who joined Scottish club Patrick Thistle’s youth program at the end of last season, and teenage goalkeeper Nicholas Mooney, who has joined Olympic FC in Brisbane.

However, they have also targeted some key recruits from their PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues rivals – including defender Ari Isman from Northern Fury, and midfielder duo Bronson Koppen from Brisbane City and Luke Paron from SWQ Thunder.

Heat also welcome back foundation fullback Darcy McCormack, who departed in 2013 to join Sydney FC Youth and spent last season with local outfit Innisfail United.

Another recruit is English striker Keiran Sanders, who last played for unheralded eighth tier English club North Leigh FC, but has demonstrated an uncanny knack for scoring goals in pre-season.

Campbell said he has high expectations of the playing group he has assembled and sees no reason why Heat can’t be a force in the title race as they were in 2014, when they finished second in the league.

“We would like to think that we are challenging for a finals positions. We think we have the squad together to do that but we will reassess that in the middle of the year,” he explained.

“We need to bed in the new people we have managed to attract. We’ve got a pretty good goal scorer to replace Alex Smith and the other boys we’ve added have been welcome additions to the squad as well.”

Smith departed for Malaysia in the off-season but Campbell says his side won’t suffer for goals in 2016 as was demonstrated in an impressive pre-season that saw the club rack up two big scores against league rivals Northern Fury.

“We’re hoping that Jamie Carroll steps up this year and Keiran Sanders – they are looking pretty active in pre-season and we’re hoping they cover his loss.”

Carroll, who has been with the Heat since their foundation, will also wear the captain’s armband this season and Campbell says he looks forward to seeing how the Mareeba product responds to the added responsibility.

“Jamie has been in conversation with me. It’s time for Jamie to step up and become a leader and we are relying on Jamie to take a big leadership role with us this year,” he concluded.

FNQ FC Heat 2016 Squad – PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues

Kevin Ward, Shaun Owens, Shimon Watanabe, Charlie Beverley, Ari Isman, Jamie Gosling, Joshua Pin, Crios O’Hare, Jamie Carroll, Keiran Sanders, Darcy McCormack, Cameron Nucifora, Mqondisi Nkiwane, Tamas Maffey-Stumpe, Matthew Filip, Bronson Koppen, Cameron Morrison, Luke Paron, Josh Wilson, Luke MacDonald