Canberra Olympic enter the 2024 season with a target on their back, following their swoop of last season’s league title, Grand Final, and more recently, the Charity Shield.
After three years of incredible service at the helm, Nicole Begg has departed the NPLW outfit, and has been replaced by former Olympic men’s coach, Frank Cachia.
Having lost the figurehead for their recent success, a coaching heavyweight was the minimum requirement for filling the void left by Begg at the club, and Cachia is just the man for the job, embodying one of the most successful coaches in the capital within recent times.
While the familiarity of his old stomping ground has allowed him to settle quickly, Cachia’s entry into women’s football management for the first time presents a new challenge.
“I grew up playing at Olympic and then made my name as a coach at the club so it’s always nice to be back there,” he said. “I’m nowhere near as familiar with them as I would be if I was coaching a men’s side, I’m not going into this with the background or the history… but to be honest that was one of the attractions, sort of testing myself in something different with new players, and [in] all that re-establishing myself as a coach.”
One aspect that the new coach has sought to bring into his setup from the beginning is a family-like culture, a characteristic of Cachia’s previous sides, Monaro Panthers and Canberra Olympic, that he credits with producing countless trophies at state level, and a historic semi-final finish in the 2016 Australia Cup with his current employers.
“You’ve got to get a group of people together who are all pulling in the same direction, not just because they’ve got an outcome in mind, but because they’ll go to war for each other,” Cachia said. “I think that’s what I’ve got with these girls, they’re good fun, they really enjoy each other’s company, you can see some of the more senior players will take one of the younger players under their wing, and you can see the benefits of that.”
Turning attention to the squad itself, his side have kept the majority of their 2023 treble-winning side, despite the departure of key contributors Elke Aitolu, Olivia Gurney, and Vanessa Ryan. The retention of the formidable Janet King in goal, top scorer Nicole Jalocha and young talent Madison Cachia points towards another promising season for the defending champions.
Olympic’s additions include a plethora of young talent, headlined by 17-goal Bessie Riethmuller from Belconnen United, as well as Canberra Croatia regulars Sienna Birnie and Nikita Perry. Canberra United Academy star Jaya Bowman arrives off the back of another outstanding campaign, alongside the Charity Shield match winner Ella Brown, from Gungahlin United.
The Head Coach has indicated that although many young players were brought into his side, age was not a consideration in the club’s transfer policy.
“I always pick players who I think will do the best for that club, if they’re 17 great, if they’re 30, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “There was a focus on getting us a little bit more mobile and a little bit quicker around the park, I think we’ve sort of seen that already.”
To start the 2024 season, Cachia has overseen his side claim three wins from his first three in charge, including a Charity Shield trophy, alongside wins against title rivals Gungahlin United and Canberra Croatia.
Having been in the role for a full preseason and start to the 2024 season, the man in charge feels his system has settled within the playing group.
“We’ve pretty much brought 30-odd players into the senior squad,” Cachia said. “We are trying to make sure the players that are either new to senior football or on the fringes…are always getting exposed to first grade experience three times a week during training, so that is settled.
“The players feel like they probably know right now where they are at, whether they’re in mind for selection most weeks in first grade, or they’re pushing for selection every week.
“They’re got a line of sight between where they’re at and where the more established players are, so I think that’s settled, but as far as getting the performances down on the pitch, I think that’ll take a bit of time, so I’m really pleased with the squad.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Cachia’s aims are focused on remaining in title conversations, achieved through completing targeted outcomes as the season progresses.
“I think every coach goes into it trying to get as much silverware as they possibly can, and to improve their players as much as they possibly can,” he said. “I think we all set ourselves benchmarks and what we want to do, and it might sound funny but for me, my first benchmark every year is do not get relegated, and then build up from there.
“If we do not get relegated, can we make top four, if we can make top four can we make top two, if we make top two can we win it?
“You really want to play in those last games every year, you want to play [on] Grand Final day, you want to play on Cup Final day, you want to try and win as much as you possibly can, at the same time that will help each individual, because the collective has worked so well.”
Words: Sam Watson