<Bz12>BERMUDA Hogges went back to the drawing board this week hoping to put things right after their season-opening losses in the United Soccer League's Second Division to Harrisburg City Islanders last weekend.
“We’re well aware now that we need to be stronger, I think our general fitness is good and we matched them in that department,” said Goater who came on as a substitute in both the Harrisburg matches.
If the team didn’t know much about the quality of their opponents beforehand, the opening fixtures should be an indication of what to expect.
Welcome to the professional ranks, is probably the most appropriate message for the Hogges players who found it difficult at times adjusting to their more physical and better drilled opponents. “All the running and stuff that we have been doing at the end of the (domestic) season has increased our fitness, and even though we have had them doing weights for three weeks we realise now that we need to be stronger,’ said Goater.
“They realise now that when we go in the gym at 6.30 in the morning that we’re not doing it because we like looking at each other.”
The team is due to view the tapes of the two matches today as they analyse their performances further and look ahead to the visit of the Kings. Despite failing to score in their first time home matches, Goater is confident improvements can be made once there is a full squad to choose from.
“What was disappointing was our touches which let us down, being able to control it and pass and that would have increased our ball possession,” the former England professional said.
“Once we have more ball possession we can then give the ball to the guys who you want to cause the damage. Whenever we won it and got to control it we gave it away and that was disappointing. It then became frustrating for the forwards and the midfielders.”
Goal-scoring chances were rare for the Hogges, suggesting much work needs to be done in defence and midfield where team captain Kwame Steede was a big miss.
“After the next game we don’t have a game for three weeks and that will allow Kwame sufficient time to get himself on the recovery with a few fixtures (practice matches) for him to run around,” said Goater of the injured Steede.
“He’s the sort of player whose touch won’t desert him.”
It is inevitable that the players will face a learning curve in their first season as professionals. They have already found it to be a big difference between amateur and professional football.
Said Goater: “From the coaching staff we felt a lot better after the second game. What we saw in the second half of that game was our players got a bit more aggressive and started to put in challenge we didn’t think were fouls that we were getting called on. That was a plus to see.
“Jared (Peniston), in particular, got stronger and was able to break up a few challenges, win the ball and drive forward. We were quite impressed with Jared’s physical performance.
“In this league some teams will bombard us with aerial balls and have six-foot-three guys flicking it on and keeping the ball in your final third. It may not look pretty but it is effective and, as our players realise, that is money lost through win bonuses.”
A win will enable the team to gain in confidence and get the crowd behind them when playing at home.
“The more you win the more belief you have and the more you are able to settle down and play,” Goater said, speaking from experience of almost 20 years as a pro in England.
“When you get a win under your belt it will allow us to gain momentum and then we will start to play. They are not going to allow us to play from the very first game especially when they don’t know anything about us.
“They actually gave a typical English game . . . a physical, aerial game. When they had a chance to do a quick freekick they did and when they had a chance to slow it up when they were winning they slowed it up. And that was all about being professional. We allowed them time to take a quick freekick when we had the ball by giving it to them.
“When we look at our tape and analyse it on Friday we will be able to stop the tape and see exactly what we did wrong and what they did right so we can not only learn from our mistakes but also from their qualities, too. That way it will speed up our process of learning.”
Goater also singled out goalkeeper Timmy Figureido whose two man-of-the match performances prevented the visitors from winning by a much bigger margin than the two 1-0 victories.
“He made some great vital saves that kept us in the game,” Goater said of one of the team’s senior players.
“Because of Timmy’s experience he takes up good positions. Timmy made saves, some we expected and some we didn’t. That’s Timmy, and we were pleased with that side of his game. He knew that at times some of his distribution could have been better. Timmy was one of four who was having okay to good games. He was one of the better players.”
