New Whittlesea Ranges coach Gianfranco Impellizzeri believes it will take a few weeks to get a better indication of the real Ranges in National Premier League 2 west .
With a new coach and massive changes to the playing group, Impellizzeri knows it will take some time for the side to gel on the field.
The Ranges kicked off their season on Saturday against St Albans and suffered a 2-0 defeat.
“Unfortunately the start didn’t go the right way, but we picked up some positives and negatives,” Impellizzeri said.
“The negative was that we didn’t get the three points, but the positives are we got something from the game and know where we can improve.
“Long term, I think we can definitely improve, we are a quite competitive team. We have a lot of new players and it will easily take a month before we get it all together in games.”
In Saturday’s game, a 10 minute period in which the Saints scored twice to take control of the game made all the difference.
Impellizzeri said the game could have easily gone either way.
“With St Albans coming back from NPL we knew their squad was a strong squad … I knew it would be a physical game.
“We had a few chances in the first half to score some goals and we didn’t take our chances.
“It could have gone either way. St Albans got the first goal and then the penalty in 10 minutes and we couldn’t come back from there.”
Impellizzeri said he was happy with the performances of some of the new recruits, headlined by former Socceroo Simon Colosimo.
Colosimo played under Impellizzeri at Dandenong Thunder and followed him across during the off season.
Saul Halpin, Jose Ramirez, Nicholas Kostadinoski, Greg Lombardo, Anthony Colosimo and Majok Piok are among other recruits.
The Ranges squad also has plenty of youth, with nearly 10 players in the senior squad aged 19 and below.
Impellizzeri said the aim this season was to be competitive and hopefully push for promotion.
He said it was about helping the club become more powerful in Melbourne’s north.
“I come from a winning competition, my understanding for this year is to be competitive and try and win again, but not at any cost.
“I want to start a new era for Whittlesea Ranges.”
The NPL top grade season will begin this weekend, with Hume City facing Kingston City on Monday night.
Meanwhile, in the opening round of FFA Cup qualifying, Bundoora United won through to round one of the Victorian stage.
United defeated East Kew 2-0.
Meadow Park lost to Old Trinity Grammarians, while Campbellfield Lions lost to Waverley Wanderers.
The draw for the next round was expected to be released on Monday.
