Football: Auckland City aiming for unique quadruple, ahead of National League grand final

City's Ivan Vicelich and head coach Albert Riera. Photo / Photosport

Auckland City coach Albert Riera will give his players some time off from Monday – but first he hopes they can peak once more.

After a gruelling season, Auckland City have the chance to claim an unprecedented quadruple tomorrow.

Having already banked three trophies this season, the Sandringham club face Wellington Olympic in the National League championship grand final at Mt Smart Stadium (2pm).

This year has been an endurance test for the Auckland squad, who have played 42 matches, along with five pre-season games.

They started training in early November last year – preparing for a trip to the Fifa Club World Cup which was ultimately canned – and are still going more than a year later.

Across that period they have claimed the Northern League, the Chatham Cup and the Oceania Champions League, while along the way finishing top of the National League championship table.

“It’s been a long season but very exciting and enjoyable,” Reira told the Herald on Sunday. “They’ve been enjoying the football they have been practising and the numbers speak for themselves.”

Reira’s first season in charge has been remarkable, as the team have only dropped two matches (both to Auckland United) along with two draws.

The former Wellington Phoenix midfielder credits an outstanding work ethic and dedication as key, with three to four training sessions a week.

“We demand a lot,” said Reira. “They have to be there at 5:30 for video then training at 6:15. Players are driving across town after work and sometimes we have to wait for them.

“There are plenty of talented players in New Zealand but it is about finding the characters that want to go through it. You have to be fully committed.

“You are not going to do that if you don’t have passion for it. Through the season you go through some hard times and you have to earn the right to win on a daily basis.”

So far, the commitment has paid off handsomely, though it hasn’t all been plain sailing.

The Chatham Cup final was tight – edging Eastern Suburbs 1-0 – while Bay Olympic pushed hard in the fourth round (2-1).

The National League has also been a good test, with three victories by a single goal along with a 3-2 loss to Auckland United and a 2-2 draw with Birkenhead United.

Wellington Olympic have been the benchmark in the central region.

They dropped only one game in the regular season and reached the Chatham Cup semifinals, stopped 3-1 by Auckland City.

They seemed to find another gear in the national league championship, finishing level with Auckland City on points and with a superior goal difference (22 to 11) though Auckland claimed the title due to their head-to-head record, after a 2-1 win in Wellington in round one.

“They are very aggressive with the ball and without it,” said Riera. “They find a lot of joy exploiting space in behind the opposition. They have a lot of mobility up front, their strikers are very proactive and they are going to be confident after the way they finished the season.”

Riera, who celebrated the birth of his son two weeks ago, says managing the transitional game and keeping a clear focus will be key for his team.

“We have played a lot of big matches this season and it doesn’t help when you are overexcited,” said Riera. “You need to find the right balance between being motivated and staying calm. We don’t want to fall into the trap of being overexcited and making the game too transitional, especially if we lose the ball in the higher areas”

“It’s a final so there is an added element of being nervous, where any mistake can be costly. That’s the reality; in any final you see different faces of the teams because of the pressure kicking in but we will have more chances to win the game if we are ourselves.”