Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Sam Attwood

It’s been a turbulent past week for Sunshine Coast FC but according to interim coach Ashley Kingdon the squad's response is cause for optimism.

Sunshine Coast FC confirmed their squad this week for the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues campaign and are banking on a host of new additions from local clubs and their own youth system to deliver an improvement on last year’s lacklustre performance.

Kingdon will take charge of the squad for their opening game against Western Pride in Ipswich before newly appointed Head Coach Sam Saif formally takes the reins next week.

Kingdon, who is Fire’s Goalkeeping Coach, said he believes the response from the playing group has been positive in recent days and their performance will not be negatively affected in the early rounds.

“We had Paul (Arnison) leave obviously and that created a little bit of unrest in the camp, but we said what we needed to in an open meeting with the staff, the owner and the players,” Kindgon explained.

“They got all their worries off their chest and they are happy to carry on with us going forward. They want to stick together and we have to get the smiles back on their faces and get them going into the season now.”

Despite the raft of changes from last year’s squad, several fan favourites return including newly announced captain Grant de Chastel (pictured), Tim Hollingworth and Brady Cronk.

They are joined by several stand-outs recruited from local clubs, including Sam Nickolls and Christopher Jancevski from Noosa Lions, Kyle Townsend from Beerwah Glasshouse Mountains and striker Jeremy Stewart from Kawana SC.

Kingdon said it was a positive sign for the club’s future that local players recognise the value of being part of the national second tier.

“We spent a lot of time in pre-season identifying these players and identified the ones we wanted who were leaders in their own right at their clubs.”

“By recruiting these players it makes a big statement to others and we want all players in the area to be considering playing in the NPL with the Fire.”

“We have a big catchment area and there are other players out there that are good enough to play with us and we want to push on and hopefully encourage a few more to join.”

“These players are now in the second tier of the national comp and they are now in the eyeline of scouts and coaches and they have an opportunity to push on to bigger things yet.”

Also in the squad are two highly regarded visa players in English fullback Connor Hancock and Japanese midfielder Shoichi Kishimizu, who will fill the vacated visa spot of Glody Ntumba as he recovers from injury.

While a host of young players from Fire’s pathway teams also make the step up as fully fledged members of the top team this year including attacking trio Kobe Fuller, Cameron Nairn and Jordan Lloyd.

Kingdon said the combinations these players established in PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Under 18 Boys competition could only benefit the senior set-up this season.

However, he acknowledged the club had struggled to transition from Queensland State League powerhouse to the more competitive setting of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues.

“With every great team there is always a transitions of players that move on through going higher or retiring and I’m aware that’s what happened from the QSL days.”

“We had to start again and we have to build something and there is a good feeling this year that the players can be a new nucleus of championship winners over the next three or five years.”

“We have local experience, young players coming through, players that are very fit and players with creativity. As a group they are all in it together – there are no cliques and everybody’s on the same wavelength,” he concluded.

Sunshine Coast FC 2016 Squad – PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues

Sam Nickolls, Tim Hollingworth, Giacomo Mellino, Christopher Jancevski, Kyle Townsend, Connor Hancock, Cameron Nairn, Grant De Chastel, Brady Cronk, Kobe Fuller, Jeremy Stewart, Jordan Lloyd, Joshua Wall, James Verdin, Lucas Lewis, Abram Reeves, Oliver Blackmore, Jordan Irwin, Shoichi Kishimizu, Jez Lofthouse