Launceston City coach Lino Sciulli is finding his feet back at his old club, not shy to admit the interrupted start to the season has been a "blessing in disguise" to best prepare his new NPL side.
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The club's favourite son returned to the job he last held in 2016 following coach Peter Sawdon's resignation just five months after his appointment and six days before City's scheduled opener.
But Football Tasmania's heat policy that postponed three games over a 39-degree day in Hobart and the withdrawal of Northern Rangers from a 10-team competition leading to a necessitated bye bought Sciulli extra time.
The lifeline was extended from six to 24 days to mould a side into his style after he initially accepted a development role at the club.
"I had just three or four weeks assisting Sawdy, but I had one week preparing a team how I liked it," he said.
"So it was a real blessing in disguise to be honest."
That fixture against Kingborough has been postponed as the focus for City's new opener switches to Wednesday evening's home clash against Devonport City.
It is one of four games in 10 days for most NPL clubs to ensure the expanded season can fit in an extra six rounds this year.
Sciulli is nonplussed by the tough assignment, adamant that fresher legs will not give City any distinct advantage.
"Everyone seems to have to do it, but playing four games in two weeks is going to stretch our depth," he said.
"Devonport have had the only game against Olympia.
"Obviously it would have been a pretty tough game, but they'll be fairly refreshed where they didn't have such a huge preseason like us."
Sciulli utilised the time off to watch Riverside Olympic and Glenorchy Knights start their campaigns on Saturday.
City's next two matches are against both newcomers.
But Sciulli is really more enthused about playing the competition benchmark to set the season standard.
"It doesn't get tougher than Devonport in the league first," he said.
"The other side of that is the teams you're meant to beat - and I am not saying they're good or bad - but those are teams during the course of the year that you put down to get points in.
"Sometimes you play them too early when everyone is on an even playing field.
"A lot of them play at the very top of their game then, so I'd rather play the better teams early like Devonport."
Sciulli has played down City's chances of threatening for the title after shocking the competition most of last year.
The Devils held a six-point lead at the halfway mark of the season before fading late to drop down to fourth.
That was driven off the back of North American stars Tyler Fischer upfront and Niko Giantsopoulos in goal.
But no-one was more instrumental than captain Daniel Syson, who has since returned to the Strikers after his brief flirtation at City.
Sciulli, who was in charge of Northern Rangers last year, said there has been no talk of Syson in the changerooms.
Wednesday evening's game kicks off at Prospect at 6.30pm.