Tawa v Rovers
Redwood Park, Wgtn
NOTHING COULD possibly be more tragic in sport than signing up a talented player and having him warm the benches.
It scarcely matters how high the profile a team has when a player cannot break the shackles of idleness for invaluable game time.
"It was quite a frustrating period," Bill Robertson says after a stint in the Waitakere United bigger squad during their regional O-League campaign.
With his O-League hopes dashed as the group stages neared conclusion, last week Robertson decided to push for his release so he could assume his mantle of captaincy with the Bluewater Napier City Rovers.
Rovers coach Grant Hastings played the centreback in a defensive midfield role in last Sunday's 4-3 loss to Western Suburbs in Napier.
However, in today's Lotto Central League soccer match kicking off at 2.30pm against Tawa in Wellington, it'll be fair to say Robertson will be back in his favoured centreback position considering incumbent English import Aaron Jones is serving a red-card card suspension for a penalty foul in the much-publicised match last Sunday.
Robertson doesn't want to get into the nitty-gritty details of why he didn't get game time with Waitakere but, suffice it to say, he understands Waitakere coach Paul Marshall had the opportunity to recruit a precautionary 30-man squad and did so.
"I suppose he was loyal to his playing squad."
Robertson doesn't believe missing out on a few Central League games has left him on the back foot.
In fact, he feels it was a timely break from the rigours of the ASB Premiership summer league with Kinetic Electrical Hawke's Bay United and more beneficial to his wellbeing.
"I've been training as normal with the Rovers and also on my own."
Having played in the defensive midfield position towards the end of last winter, Robertson has no qualms about fitting in anywhere Hastings wants him to but the centreback position is where he's found his niche.
"That's my strongest position and where I'm most comfortable so I can play in the midfield in the Central League but not in the New Zealand league [summer premiership] because the standards there are much higher."
With two defeats, a draw and a win to their credit, the Rovers have stuck to the script as traditional slow starters in defending their Central League crown.
With nine changes to the squad that task will be harder.
"It means we need to work on our shape and defensive side of things.
"It's been a challenging four games so far but there's a lot of football to come."
Midfielder Cole Peverley is unavailable for family reasons today at a grassy Redwood Park.
Rudi Bauerfeind is serving a match suspension after last Sunday's red card and brother Reiner is out with injury.
In comes ComputerCare Pacific Premiership player Sam Lawson on the left wing with Josh Stevenson moving to leftback and Danny Wilson joining teenager Fane Morgan up front.
Harley Rodeka moves to centre midfield with Patrick Pilz.
Premiership player Oli Chapman comes on to the bench.
The Rovers should be favourites as Tawa have yet to register a win, with their only point coming from a stalemate away against Wairarapa United in the opening round.
Last weekend they were on the receiving end of a 7-1 thumping to Petone.
"We've struggled in the past few weeks and a couple of injuries haven't helped us but we've played some tough sides and didn't adapt too well," says coach Daniel Wood of a predominantly young brigade who see every game as a challenge.
"We try to play an up-tempo style to rush the opposition into closing us down and moving the ball quickly," Wood says, mindful Rovers gave them a "good beating" last year.
However, he says the Steve Romijn-captained Tawa are confident if they can get things right today they can post their first win.
"It's just a matter of switching on and doing what we can control," Wood says.