Western United celebrated another landmark moment in its short history with the beginning of pre-season training for the inaugural Liberty A-League Women team.
Eighteen players took to the pitch at City Vista Pavilion and Sports Field as Head Coach Mark Torcaso put the squad through its paces for the first time.
Overseeing his first session as an A-League Women coach, Torcaso was delighted to see the group together on the pitch.
“The weather put on a great show for us today! It was good to walk out onto the pitch. It was an excellent day, really exciting,” he said.
The players will now undertake a rigorous four-week pre-season ahead of the blockbuster Round 1 clash against Melbourne Victory on November 19.
With a very short amount of time to get prepared, Torcaso said he is already impressed with how the group has gelled together, with the group only meeting for the first-time last week.
“The way they’ve gelled straight away is really exciting,” he said.
“We were very clear and picky with who we wanted to make sure they fit our model, our culture and our structure. They seem perfect and they’ve adjusted perfectly well now.”
Alongside Assistant Coach Helen Winterburn, Torcaso is prioritising the culture and foundations of the group from the beginning as a mix of youth and experience, international and Australian talent comes together.
“Myself as a coach and Helen as well, we’re very much about the culture of the environment. That’s first and foremost for us, getting that right and making sure the balance is right,” he said.
“Most of the time women’s football can take care of itself on the pitch, so if we get the culture and the dressing room right, then we’ll be ok.”
Part of the pre-season campaign will involve friendlies and warm-up matches ahead of Round 1, where Torcaso will hope to implement his style of play and get the players ready for the intensity of the season ahead.
Bringing with him a long list of honours from Calder United, the boss said he will aim to represent the fans in the best and most aspirational way possible.
“We want to be exciting. We want to be an attractive side, and we want to play for the fans and for the West,” he said.
“It’s important for us to put on a show and perform and be competitive. It’s new for a lot of people, but for us it’s going to be exciting. It’s just about representing the West and enjoying that moment.”
The squad will continue it’s pre-season tuning over the next month ahead of the history-making moment in Round 1.
