Edgeworth young gun tipped to fire against Melbourne City

Edgeworth coach Damian Zane has nominated 19 year-old Keanu Moore as a player A-League clubs should have a close look at when his side take on Melbourne City in the FFA Cup at Magic Park, Broadmeadow, tonight.

Keanu Moore

Source: FFA

Zane, the cousin of former Socceroos striker and ex-Newcastle Jets interim coach Clayton Zane, has got Edgeworth leading the Northern NSW NPL competition this season and told The World Game his squad had an optimistic view of its clash with City.

"We're not going to have a higher possession percentage than them, but I think we actually suit a game like this, so we'll see. It just depends on how the guys react to such a big game,” Zane said.

Playing on the break, Moore is the type of player who could expose Melbourne City according to Zane.

"You might hear a bit more about him after this game if he produces what I think he's capable of producing,” Zane said.

"He's a 10, an attacking midfielder, and he's got the quickest feet you've seen.”
Zane said Moore was a handful when he ran the ball into the penalty box.

"He's got a knack of winning penalties because his feet are so quick he gets in the box and breezes past people and they can stick a foot out at the risk of bringing him down.

Edgeworth players are paid to play - mostly in the region of from $100 to $500 per game. They either work or are studying and Zane said their routines haven't changed a lot in the lead-up to this match.

"A few of the boys have taken the day off," he said. "I'd say there were a couple who couldn't, but that's part and parcel of semi-professional football."

Zane had to delay this interview, on Monday night, because he was shopping for the family groceries.

"I'm sure (Melbourne City coach) John van't Schip isn't doing the groceries right now!" Zane laughed.

Asked how he planned for his team to approach the match tactically, Zane said Edgeworth's counter-attacking style would suit the occasion.

"We'll change a bit. I've sorted a few things in defence different to what we normally do," he said. "But we don't want to just sit and wait for the inevitable. We're quite quick on the break, that's how we naturally play, so not a lot changes.

"The standard of the NPL since they brought it in is getting better and better. It provides a chance for guys who possibly miss the boat in the development squads to the elite teams to come in via the back door.

Zane said that dealing with influential players in the Melbourne City side like highly-skilled midfielder Aaron Mooy was a case of not over-committing, more than anything.

"I've talked to the boys and said these are elite players, they will know where you are and if you're going to dive in," he said. "They're good enough to beat you if you give them the chance, so it's about working as a unit defensively.

"We can't afford to let up and we have to cover everyone, so that if they do get around a player we've got someone else backing up. Our goal is to stay in the game for as long as we can and see what happens.

"I was very competitive as a player and the same goes with my coaching. I've said to the boys 'look, there's nothing that says you cannot win'. The odds are stacked against us, but there's always that slight chance of causing an upset.

"If you can frustrate them and get a bit of luck go your way, you never know."

 


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4 min read
Published 4 August 2015 10:57am
Updated 4 August 2015 11:02am
By Greg Prichard

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