Riverside Olympic coach Alex Gaetani said the club won't abandon its youthful approach despite a couple of painful reality checks.
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Saturday's 9-0 loss to Hobart Zebras followed a 5-0 defeat at 10-man Olympia but Gaetani said the NPL new boys are having to grow up fast.
Five of the players used by Olympic could still qualify for under-18s and the coaching team is confident the club's buoyant junior numbers will guarantee long-term stability.
"People talk about youth development and pathways but we are doing it," Gaetani said.
"We're trying to do the right thing. Some coaches don't want to do that because they might lose their job but this is not about me, it's about doing the right thing and we will get better."
Regular keeper Jarrod Hill is out for six weeks with a knee injury picked up in the 2-0 defeat against champions Devonport.
In his absence, 15-year-old Reef Murfet will continue to fill in and the games don't get any easier with Ken Morton's perennial title contenders South Hobart next up at Windsor Park.
"It's another huge challenge and another step up," Gaetani said.
"We've got to train better and train harder. And we've got to keep ourselves in games. To be 5-0 down at half-time is too hard. One or two down you can deal with.
"Jarrod is out for six weeks so we're going to be forced not to rely on him which we have been lately."
Gaetani said midfield workhorse Liam Gilmore continues to impress, Mitch Jones came back well against Zebras while Argentine import Luca Vigilante remains a week by week proposition with a niggling foot injury.
South Hobart will be looking to bounce straight back after losing Sunday's top-of-the-table showdown with Devonport 1-0 while Launceston City will be keen to use their visit to cellar dwellers Clarence as a chance to leapfrog their cross-town rivals.
Stars in stripes
The off-key renditions of Born in the USA which echoed across Prospect Park on Saturday were aimed at Launceston City's state-side slant to statewide soccer.
Striker Greg Roller, who opened his account with a stunner in the 2-2 draw at Hobart Zebras, and defender Pat Sullivan, who returned from injury against Olympia, are both adapting to life on this side of the Pacific.
"They are good lads, happy to be part of our environment and we take the mickey out of both of them," said City coach Lino Sciulli.
"Pat was solid at the back against Olympia which is good signs for the next few weeks."
Despite the prospect of a visit to whipping boys Clarence, the wily coach was taking nothing for granted.
"We will approach it the same as any other game. We'll look at footage of them and won't be taking them lightly because we're second bottom.
"We'll go in as hard as we can with the same mongrel we've been showing and hopefully come away with a win."
Fixtures
Saturday 2.30pm: Devonport v Kingborough, Valley Road
Saturday 2.30pm: Riverside Olympic v South Hobart, Windsor Park
Saturday 4pm: Clarence v Launceston City, Wentworth Park
Sunday, 2.30pm: Hobart Zebras v Glenorchy, KGV
Ladder
- Team P W D L GD Pts
- Devonport 6 6 0 0 18 18
- Olympia 7 5 1 1 17 16
- Sth Hobart 6 4 1 2 19 13
- Hbt Zebras 6 3 3 0 21 12
- Glenorchy 7 3 1 3 3 10
- Kingboro' 5 2 0 3 2 6
- Riverside 6 1 0 5 -20 3
- L'ton City 6 0 2 4 -7 2
- Clarence 6 0 0 6 -53 0