James Murphy
INTERNATIONAL’S A Grade men’s soccer team enters Round 1 of the Limestone Coast competition hot off a winning Pre-season Cup campaign.
The one-day tournament opened proceedings on April 16 and Inter progressed through its four games undefeated without conceding a goal.
It was a solid start to 2023, which will have the boys in black and blue hungry as ever for the main prize of the year, the premiership cup.
Inter has missed out on the silverware for the past two seasons and there is sure to be plenty of focus on returning to the top spot.
Tony D’Agostino has returned to the head coaching role and is excited to pick up where Vlada Gajic left off last year.
Inter finished runners-up to Gambier Centrals in a penalty-shootout thriller to decide the 2022 title and the two teams will fittingly meet in today’s Anzac Day clash to kick off the premiership season.
D’Agostino said Daniel Young and Sar Hay Moo are the only outs from last year, while a couple of handy recruits should have Inter in good stead.
“Dan Allwright is back and Tom Weedon is a big in after a couple of years off,” D’Agostino said.
“We have picked up Hayden Cutting from Apollo who will be handy for us and Federico Pepa is an Argentinian who is back (at the club) now.”
As such Inter should remain at the pointy end of the competition.
D’Agostino took over the coaching reins from Vlada Gajic and said he hoped to build on what he had put in place last season.
“I am good friends with Vlada and I was pleased with what he was achieving,” D’Agostino said.
“At the end of the day, (he) came in and put his own spin on it and hopefully made it better for the team.
“I am in the same boat – I like what he did and he set up a very good platform.
“What I have got to do is build on it.
“Does that mean I change a few things or change a little bit of the style of play? Yeah it does.
“There is not a lot of change, but we will just continue that project.”
Today’s Anzac Day men’s clash will be held at Casadio Park under lights with kick off scheduled for 6pm.
