 Coach
Super Coach Reflects On Career Having been lured to Australia from England, playing for profile English clubs Hull City and Hereford some 20 years ago, Green Gully coach Ian Dobson has never looked back in calling Australia home. Ian Dobson has enjoyed the highs and lows both as a player and a coach. From professional English clubs, Ian starred for NSL clubs Preston Lions and the Melbourne Knights. With this experience, it came as no surprise Ian eventually took a coach's position. His first, as player-coach of VPL club Croydon in 1990. In 1993, Ian took over the reigns at Preston Lions and in that very year, Preston won the Dockerty Cup. 1994 was beginning of the famous Altona Magic glory years. "When I arrived, the club was second from bottom and faced relegation." Ian Dobson remembers. The next season, Ian Dobson's hard work had paid off. Altona Magic would go on to win three consecutive Victorian Premier League Championships. It wasn't long before Ian Dobson returned to the NSL. This time taking control of the Melbourne Knights, without the services of gun striker Mark Viduka, who had just been persuaded to transfer to Croatia Zagreb by the president of Croatia. But Ian gave rise to another youngster during his time at the club. Arriving as an 18 year old from the AIS was a midfielder/defender with some potential. Stuck with a depleted squad due to Olyroo selections of Knights players, Ian Dobson gave the youngster his debut as sweeper. "He was the most talented player I had worked with, and just filled the gap I had at the time in that position". That player was Joe Simunic, who Ian Dobson regrets did not play for Australia, and predicts will feature in Croatia's world cup plans in Korea and Japan. The Melbourne Knights won both the Dockerty Cup and the NSL Championship in 1996 under Ian Dobson. Honours which NSL coaches Krncevic and former Green Gully coach Marth have yet to achieve. In fact, honours which our own national coach Frank Farina would be proud. Ian is quick to offer advice to our national coach. "The most devastating moment of my life was the match against Iran at the MCG. Under Terry Venables, Frank Farina and Raul Blanco at the Olympic Games, Australia has played a flat back four. A sweeper gives options to a team going forward and especially to pick up the slack at the back. I believe a sweeper would have prevented the goals against Iran aswell as preventing the first conceded by the Socceroos away to Uruguay." Playing under Ian Dobson during his time at the Melbourne Knights were current Green Gully players Zoran Markovski and Dragi Nastevski. Before returning briefly to Altona Magic, Ian made the decision to join Melbourne's largest junior club, Green Gully. Gully, desperate for success and not having won a title for 16 years, found glory under Ian Dobson, in 2000, winning back to back Victorian Premier League Championships. In 2002, Green Gully are top of the table after 6 rounds and are due to play 2nd from top, Bentleigh Greens. Methodically, Ian acknowledges the significance of the top of the table clash, yet claims the match as "Just another game of football." © Copyright www.greengully.com |
