Matt Campbell to set the bar high in second stint as Albury United coach

Campbell and Dave Smith coached the Greens to the league title in 2015, but there's been no senior men's silverware since.

He spoke with The Border Mail about his second stint in the top job.

BEAU GREENWAY: Will you set the bar high in 2021?

MATT CAMPBELL: The view I carried for 20 years when I played and when coaching the three years before, if you've got a really strong, talented, committed squad, you should be trying to win the competition. I've swapped messages with five or six of the first graders and they want a strong squad around them and want to be challenging for the title.

BG: The Greens have been a strong defensively but lacked firepower at times up front, will you need recruit?

MC: We'll look to bring in some guys and obviously give some of the younger guys at the club a chance to step into the senior team.

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BG: Frenchmen Thomas Romero and Gauthier Robin certainly added some flair to the side, will they be back?

MC: Thomas went back to France and we won't be chasing him. There's a lot going on in Europe at the moment and he's probably safest to stay with his family. 'Gucci' (Robin) is still in Australia and we'll definitely be having a conversation with him about where he's up to and what his level of commitment is. Gucci has been a really strong player and an important player for United, so we obviously want to lock him in if we can.

BG: Josh Fluss has joined the coaching setup for next year, are you excited to work closely with him?

MC: He's a super experienced player and goalkeeper and went to the AIS. He coached first grade at Melrose for three or four years and he's coached juniors and ladies. It's great to have him there to work with the senior group.

BG: Jelbart Park is looking quite different to when you last coached the Greens in 2017, particularly with the installation of new lights. Does that excite you as a coach?

MC: The lights are a major step forward. If the association was ever going to mix up the draw and throw in some night games, the lighting situation has vastly improved and they could do that with confidence knowing they're up to standard.

BG: Some clubs have started getting back for a kick once a week, is that something you might consider given the longer break?

MC: Certainly pre-season proper will kick-off in January. If you're not playing until mid-March, you're basically training for four months. That's a long stretch, even in the big leagues. A 10 to 12-week pre-season, if it's planned well, is probably enough.