Jesse Randall of Auckland FC on the ball. Photo / Photosport
In a short space of time, Jesse Randall has gone from largely unknown to almost indispensable at Auckland FC.
That’s been the journey for the Wellington product at the expansion club. At this stage last season, Randall was a fringe player. He got some time off the bench in the first two games, then didn’t even make the squad for the next five matches, stuck well down the pecking order.
Randall eventually got his first start in the 12th game of the season, the 3-0 win over Melbourne City in mid-January, which heralded a run of matches, with a late goal in the 6-1 rout of the Wellington Phoenix and a vital equaliser in Newcastle. But he never felt like a fixture and had just 75 minutes across the last six games of the regular season, with five starts across the campaign.
However, Randall got a chance ahead of the finals – with the injury to Max Mata – and impressed in both games against the Melbourne Victory, particularly the away leg. That felt like the start of something, which then flowed into pre-season, with some sparkling displays in the Australia Cup run and has continued. He had a lively match in the opening round of the season – albeit without being able to take his chances – then grabbed the decisive goal in last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
“He did a lot of work in the offseason,” explained coach Steve Corica when asked about the progress of the 23-year-old. “He strengthened his body up [after] he had a lot of little injuries last season. He looked after himself, worked hard in the offseason, come back extremely fit and it’s paying off for him.”
Randall is by no means the finished product but his belief has increased significantly, shown in everything from his training output to his demeanour around the group.
“I’ve had a season now under my belt in the A-League, which gives you confidence,” said Randall. “Being around the top class professional environment for a year, so just the experience, that’s what I put it down to.”
His progress has also increased expectations after being little more than a wildcard last season but Randall is ready for the spotlight.
“It’s what comes with football, right?” said Randall. “I guess I’ve been used to it but on a smaller scale. Obviously it’s come a bit bigger now but for me it’s just important to focus on the football and not look too much into anything else. Just be present, one training at a time, one game at a time, and that’s what helps.”
Randall is a dark horse for the World Cup squad, which is a massive carrot for every Kiwi professional footballer over the next eight months. There’s a lot of work to do – and plenty of other contenders – but Randall knows that consistent performances for Auckland FC will be the key factor.
“[That’s] what’s going to get me there,” said Randall.
He will be a vital weapon on Saturday, as Auckland FC aim for their first win over Adelaide United – the only A-League club they haven’t beaten – after two memorable draws last season.
Striker Sam Cosgrove will be under the microscope after an underwhelming start to his time here. But the club will be patient. Combinations are still being worked out while there is a sense that Cosgrove has been trying too hard at times, in the effort to make an impact. “It’s about getting the balls in the right areas and for him to be in the right areas to score,” said Corica. “We spoke about that this week.”
Midfielder Felipe Gallegos is back from injury and available for selection while defender Nando Pijnaker will have 45 minutes in the reserves this weekend as he continues his return from a long-term ankle injury. Corica is satisfied with the team’s trajectory – noting the improvement over the first two rounds – but wants more, in what is likely to be a high paced, transitional match.
“Adelaide play some really good football, good one-touch, two-touch football and make dangerous forward runs so we have to defend really well,” said Corica. ”[But] we can cause them problems with our attack, it’s just about being in the right places and probably a little bit more quality on the ball coming into the box.”
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.