If the Matildas job was up for grabs, it is hard to see how Jeff Hopkins or Ante Juric could be left off the shortlist.
The pair cut their Australian football teeth in the NSL – ex-Socceroo Juric as a celebrated player with Sydney Olympic, while ex-Wales and Fulham defender Hopkins transitioned from player to coach at Gippsland Falcons.
Now, they are top-line coaches with an almost unparalleled understanding of the women’s game, having been involved since the W-League was born in 2008 – Hopkins as coach of Brisbane Roar, Juric as Sydney FC assistant.
On Sunday, they face off in a tantalising Liberty A-League Women’s Grand Final, that has the ingredients of a classic, with in-form and evenly matched teams and coaches locking horns.
Juric is the first coach to take a team to five consecutive Grand Finals. Hopkins, who won the inaugural W-League title, is also coaching in his fifth decider.
Hopkins has won three Coach of the Year awards en route to three titles. Juric, extraordinarily is yet to win the coach’s gong, despite five top three finishes and a fifth successive grand final appearance plus a title.
Possessing contrasting coaching styles, both are humble men who have shown an ability to extract the best of the players individually and collectively.
VICTORY’S HOPKINS-LED REBUILD
Hopkins arrived at Victory in 2016, with the women’s program in disarray.
Victory was wooden spooner – seven points from 12 games and 29 points behind newcomers Melbourne City, who’d raided Victory’s 2014 title-winning squad, headlined by coach Joe Montemurro, captain Steph Catley, and ex-Matildas Lisa De Vanna and Bri Davey.
It was a slow, humbling start. A debut season wooden spoon – the first of Hopkins’ career – but gradually improved from there.
Lia Privitelli arrived at Victory at the same time and her evolution has mirrored Victory’s, moving from fringe player to key player and leader, wearing the armband in the absence of Kayla Morrison.
“I signed my first contract when he (arrived). Jeff has been there as long as I’ve been there. I guess having that consistency with staff really allowed the women’s program to progress the way it has at Victory,” Privtelli said.
“Jeff is amazing. Personally, I’ve developed so much not only as a player but as a person under his guidance.
“I don’t have a negative thing to say about the man. He is honestly such a huge role model in my life – and I don’t think it’s just me; speak to any player in our squad.”
A respectable and competitive Victory finished seventh in his second season. Thereafter it’s been nothing short of stunning – starting with a sensational and unexpected Premier’s Plate in 2018-19, which ended with a semi-final loss to Perth Glory.
While last season was Hopkins’ first Victory title, it could be trumped on Sunday if his team can muster up one more Herculean effort in a challenging COVID and injury-ravaged season.
In the A-League Women’s, big-name losses in-season tend to leave gaping holes. While Angela Beard’s off-season exit was accounted for with Courtney Nevin’s signing, Morrison and Melina Ayres went down this campaign.
Morrison tore her anterior cruciate ligament in Round 1 while Ayres, last season’s top scorer, was unsighted until the final round. With goals in each finals win, against Adelaide United and City, Ayres’ return has been impeccably timed.
Despite the hectic schedule, including seven games in 21 days, Victory has come into the finals and Grand Final with gusto.
Defender Brooke Hendrix has made an impact since signing, while exciting midfielder Alex Chidiac has taken her game to new heights, akin to Hopkins getting the best out of Emily Gielnik during her 2018-19 stint.
“He’s a great coach because he genuinely cares about his players as people. He gets to know you off the field as much as on the field, so really learns how to coach you in a specific way,” Morrison said.
“He’s very passionate and is willing to put in all the extra time to make sure he has done all he can do before game day.
“He makes you feel extremely prepared for whatever team your facing. And because he’s such a great guy you want to win for him and play your best for him.”
While most people who meet Hopkins speak of a mild-mannered man, Victory insiders have revealed that he can deliver a bake.
Privitelli said he was a great communicator.
“It’s the way he gets his message across, the way he delivers feedback, how he inspires us. Sometimes his talks do go for a little too long – but that only comes through passion and his love of the game, and wanting us to do well,” Privitelli said.
“He cares about this squad so, so much. We want to play for him, and I think that’s one of the reasons that over the past couple of years we’ve been getting ourselves into finals, because we’ve got that motivation to win trophies, but we also want to make the coach proud as well.”
JURIC IS A WINNER
Canberra-raised Juric was an elegant albeit courageous player, whose courage and will-to-win was underrated, famously playing in the 2002 NSL title win with a dislocated elbow, whilst becoming a key pillar of that dominant Sydney Olympic side.
Off the field, Juric is laid back, amenable and – in contrast to Hopkins – appears to have a slightly more distant approach with the players.
Juric joined in 2017/18, making a sudden impact after replacing Daniel Barrett, losing to Melbourne City in the grand final after finishing second.
Differing styles, but a similar amount of respect from the players, for there is no way coaches could last as long in the role.
That appetite for success is evident amongst the Sky Blues, with Matildas striker Remy Siemsen admitting his influence has bee critical to her and the team.
“Ante is a coach with an insatiable winning attitude and truly wants the best for his players. He genuinely wants us all to succeed on and off the pitch,” Siemsen said.
Juric juggles the Sydney FC job with the senior men’s job at NPL club Sydney Olympic, and the director of sport role at Matraville Sports High School.
His focus has remained resolute, barely putting a foot wrong this season en route to the Premiers Plate, losing just once (to Melbourne City) in 14 games.
“Having a coach like Ante helps (build a strong culture). He brought a young side together last year and it just grew and grew,” Vine said.
“We’ve come to rely on each other and that’s helped to breed the culture we have. Every player wants to play for Sydney FC because of that culture that Ante has helped to build.
“The fact so many players were here last year has helped to breed consistency, and that’s been a big part of why we’ve done well again this year.”
People who aren’t at coalface of Australian women’s football sport need to appreciate the knowledge of players and local scene.
Hopkins and Juric’s influence and styles will have their players giving it their all this afternoon at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
