Queanbeyan City will be looking to continue the form that saw them crowned Premiers and Champions of the Capital Premier League in 2024 as they join the National Premier League. The NSW side secured promotion with a round to spare against eventual runners up ANU FC last season.
Ever dominant in the CPL, Queanbeyan were on the cusp of promotion for the better part of a decade, finishing in the top three in their last five seasons in the second division. The promotion success is the culmination of years of hard work from the club, with Head Coach Goran Josifovski praising all parties involved.
“As a coach you’re only as good as your players and the people who work at the club. Without those moving in the same direction, I don’t think you can achieve much” Josifovski said.
With Queanbeyan City celebrating their 60th anniversary next year, maintaining a place in the NPL is their number one priority in 2025.
“We’re a historic club that has not been at the top table for a number of years and obviously with the 60th year anniversary being a very proud, momentous achievement, it’s nice story to tell.” Josifovski said.
Josifovski is looking to build on the foundations and benchmarks he set for the club when named Head Coach in 2022, once again working off another three-year plan that ultimately brought his side promotion success.
“We had a target that within three years we wanna make the NPL. We achieved that target thankfully. Expectations obviously changed, but again, we’re entering a three-year phase where we’re hoping to achieve top four status” Josifovski said.
Queanbeyan used the offseason to build upon a backline that only conceded 14 goals last season. Shot stopper Nic Middleton returns to the club off an outstanding 2024, while additions of Bernard Rene (sabbatical), Jack Leverett (Tuggeranong) and Kristian Tokic, (O’Connor Knights) sure up an impressive defensive line.
The attacking threat will be spearheaded by last season’s CPL top scorer Nicolás Abot, who will be playing in his fourth season for Queanbeyan. Abot boasts an impressive resume in the NPL from his time with the Canberra Tigers, scoring 42 goals in only 49 appearances.
For many teams, the jump up divisions can be daunting, but the fiery Macedonian outfit and their diehard fanbase is not lowering their expectations for 2025.
“There was definitely pressure to win every game we played last year” Josifovski admitted, “whereas this year I believe our ambition is to win every game”.
You can watch all of Queanbeyan City’s NPL and Australia Cup season live and free on Capital Football’s YouTube channel.
Words: James Whybrow
