One flash Chavez finds his feet

SUPA IGA NSW Mens 2 top scorer for 2013, Golden Boot winner and skipper of the St. George team, Juan Carlos Chavez tasted National Premier Leagues football for the first time last Sunday.

Chavez had every reason to be happy with his and the team’s performance. Chavez’s leadership was well reflected post game though.

“I’m sure the coach would have already said that we feel like it’s two points dropped for us," Chavez said.

“It’s a bit like believing you should have taken all the spoils but have only drawn so you feel a little disappointed, but we’re off the mark and that has to be good for us.”

His understanding with Aleks Jovovic was mesmeric at times and as scorer of both the Saints’ goals he understates the importance of finding the back of the net.

“I got lucky on the second strike and for the first I was just in the right spot at the right time but I suppose that’s where strikers are supposed to be.

"But it’s thanks to my team mates in creating the opportunities for me. I’m happy to score two for the team and just as happy had any of the other lads done it too.”

St George was under the pump for long periods on the weekend against APIA-Leichhardt. They played a blistering 15’ minutes during the second-half that many teams would have struggled to live with though, an undoubted positive for Chavez.

 "We could have let our heads drop when we went behind but we showed our togetherness and team spirit on the pitch," he said.

“It was Manny’s (Manny Spanoudakis) plan for us to absorb the early onslaught and see if they really were better than us and look to hit them on the counter, and we executed that well by taking the lead.

"Sadly we couldn’t maintain that and Dion Shaw helped us late on with his penalty save to keep us all square but we’re disappointed we couldn’t go on and get a winner but first game back we’ll take it.

“We are a young team and know we will be regarded as the underdogs in our fixtures this season but I said to the guys before the game that you don’t win games with one player but with eleven or sixteen and we all have our part to play.

“The lads on the bench need to play their part as well and one day I may find myself on there also so it’s important we all know our role and play it to the best of our ability.

"When Dion made that penalty save the whole team should lift, we went looking for the winner but it wasn’t to be.”

In keeping with the Spanoudakis philosophy, the talented striker echoed his coach’s sentiments when he said: “We are looking to consolidate a spot in the NPL this year and will focus on that job first and foremost but we are not here to just roll over as we will improve from game to game."

In putting team glory before personal glory, Chavez is the model leader and will looking to lead by example in the only way he knows how: goals, goals, goals.

– by Micky Brock