For many, running a football club is a task that only those with immense dedication and loyalty to their clubs can manage, and more importantly, those with a significant amount of spare time.
For Canberra Juventus President Michael Sergi, the latter presents more of an issue than his commitment, having spearheaded the club since 2006. While the 51-year-old has held the role for a 17-year period, his own journey there dates back further to 1987.
“When I was 15, most of the players who I’d been together with [at Belnorth FC] had moved onto the next level in Premier League football,” Sergi said.
“The coach said, ‘why don’t you go and trial with Juventus’, I said, ‘OK’, and from that moment onwards I started playing in the U19s, and I have pretty much stayed there ever since as a player still currently playing there today.
“I’ve still been playing for nearly 37 years after I initially rocked up there in 1987.”
Although the club has been a constant presence in Sergi’s life, it wasn’t a name that he personally recognised before the opportunity to play for Juventus came about.
“The club’s been around since 1953, and until I went home and told my parents about it, I didn’t know anything about that particular club,” Sergi admitted. “Dad said, ‘Oh that club, I used to go and watch them in the 70s and 60s’, so that’s when told me a few things about it and how it all started and its history.”
During the period of his playing career at Juve, the club were marked as ineligible to continue playing Premier League football in 2006, forcing Sergi and his teammates to drop into the State League, where the task of running the club was virtually thrust upon the players.
“The board who were there said, ‘We either close the club down, or you guys take over.’” Sergi remarked. “So pretty much from that moment there, the State League players effectively became the committee, and probably 75% of them now, are still the same players as back in 2006.
“Out of that particular group, they all looked at me and said you’d be a good president, so I took it on, and I’ve pretty much been running the show since 2006.” he confessed. “It’s a pretty relaxed committee, we’re all friends and we play together, we all want what’s best for the club.”
His tenure as President, after being casually voted on by a group of State League players, was thrust into one of the more difficult periods in their existence, which he has now played a crucial role in leading them back to the Premier League tiers.
“A few years back we decided that we want to head in a different direction and try to get back into the top leagues again, and that’s where we find ourselves now after a bit of hard work and a lot of effort and a lot of volunteering.”
While Juventus’ return was a welcome one, it has also coincided with an increase in responsibilities for Sergi as the president, whose primary role is looking after the minor details of the club.
“I’ve found it a little bit more challenging,” he said. “This year we’ve stepped up into the Capital Premier League and obviously you need to ensure that there’s a canteen now running, you’ve got an enclosed field, the lines on the fields are marked and the players have the right uniforms on,” he said.
“In addition, this year, I’m actually managing the 23s team, so I make sure that the match cards are done, make sure I bring all the balls, soccer nets to the training sessions, washing the shirts, and things like that.
“I’m there from the first minute and there until the last minute for every home game. It’s only two games but there’s a process before and after the game as well, setting up and cleaning up, stuff like that, so you can see how you can quite easily accumulate many hours a week out of your everyday life.”
Alongside his football-filled itinerary, Sergi works throughout the week as a consultant in the construction industry, leaving for him a very limited window for respite and activities he enjoys.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with my wife now,” he said. “We like to go away for a weekend to Sydney and Melbourne when we can, but it’s obviously a bit difficult when there’s games on a Saturday.
“I love Collingwood in the AFL. I support Manly as a Rugby League side, and as far as football, I don’t support the original Juventus in Europe. I’m an Inter Milan fan, but unfortunately, we don’t have an Inter Milan side in Canberra.
“I do watch European football, as long as it’s on at a decent time. I’m not one of those guys who get up at 3am in the morning to watch a game.”
All things considered, Sergi’s desire to persist as the President of Canberra Juventus, despite its insistence on occupying his weekly routines, is driven by his genuine love for the club, and his desire to see them succeed.
“I actually enjoy watching the guys, I enjoy the history of the club,” he said.” I just enjoy the engagement it creates to the community. The community hasn’t seen something like this since 2006 when the club was quite big and up there winning trophies.”
Words: Sam Watson
