Fabian Miceli is hoping to inspire the next generation of A-League hopefuls at Western Sydney Wanderers next year, in his own journey towards a professional coaching gig.
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The Belconnen United NPL coach is off to WSW to lead their under 16s academy side next season and is hopeful it could lead him into a pro-coaching space.
"I'll see where it goes, hopefully it can. I'm actually taking a year off work and I'm going to dedicate all my time to football next year," he said.
"One of the best things about the Wanderers is the amount of learning that's available, that's what I'm looking forward to the most. And of course, to coach those 16s and hopefully help them get to the higher age groups and live their dreams of playing in the A-League and overseas."
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Miceli began his coaching journey about five years ago, but has been around the world game for many years.
Before moving to Canberra, he lived in Western Sydney and was involved with the Wanderers, including as one of their supporters, through their CEO John Tsatsimas and technical director Ian Crook.
"I was more interested in coaching than I was playing, to be honest. I used to read coaching basics books when I was young and look at how they would set up the midfield, and I was always intrigued by it at all," he said.
"Even though I'm going from first grade to 16s it's actually being part of an elite A-League club and environment where I hope the next few years to be able to grow within the club, more and more.
"My coaching philosophy is pretty much about expressing the beautiful game and getting the beautiful game out of the players. Once we establish that, we implement a style of football, which is pretty much dominating possession by moving the ball very fast. And when we don't have the ball, to press very hard and high to try and win it back, so it's very high tempo football. That's the way I like to play."
Alongside his United NPL side this season, where he honed his player management skills and coached the likes of Dustin Wells and Taylor Beaton, he reminisced on his greatest coaching memories in Canberra.
"The under 23s at Belconnen United, and winning the grand final in 2020 with a great side and fantastic players," he said.
"The 2018 season with the under 16s at Canberra Croatia and winning the premiership with a special group of players, I'll carry those memories with me forever."
He follows player Miguel Goncalves into the Sydney A-League scene from Canberra's soccer community.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
