Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Chris Hey has a daunting task at Clarence Zebras

Photo:  Clarence Zebras coach, Chris Hey. [PlessPix] 

Chris Hey has one of the most difficult jobs in the NPL Tasmania competition.

He is coach of Clarence Zebras, who have lost all eight of their league games and have scored just 2 goals.

They were also knocked out of the Lakoseljac Cup by ultimate finalist, second-tier club South East United.

Photo:  Chris Hey (left) with Brendan and Bradley Lakoseljac. [PlessPix] 

I spoke to Hey about his predicament.

Walter Pless:  You've got 13 games to get out of the current situation. Are you confident you can?

Chris Hey:  From our last 9 games, including the South East United game, there has been 1 blowout, that being South Hobart, who we conceded 6 goals from set pieces.  I can only describe that game as a complete disaster in respect to defending set pieces. In all other games, we have performed admirably for the first 45 minutes but then been opened up by poor decisions, leading to conceding multiple goals in our second halves.  We don't have a strong squad list when compared to the top 5 teams in the competition but we knew this going into the season.  I believe, as the players do, we are improving in regarding to understanding our playing style, building and maintaining better possession and our movement off the ball is better.  So, yes, I believe we can turn things around in the next two rounds but it will be a slow burn, especially at this moment we have significant injury numbers, and we lack experienced depth in our NPL squad.

If you exclude our 2 remaining imports from our current 22 squad, we have seven players who have played NPL football in the past 3 years.  Two of those players have played little or none of the season, due to long rehab or season ending injury, so our experience at NPL level is low.  In addition to this, a further 2 of those 7 players have not played in the past 4 games due to injury and will remain sidelined for several more weeks.

Photo:  Chris Hey on coaching duty. [PlessPix]

WP:  What seems to be the main problem with the team and how do you intend addressing this?

CH:  There are two main issues.

1.Our low number of scoring opportunities and in that our inability to finish and conceding 3+ goals per game. In our first 3 league games, we were extremely limited in scoring opportunities but I put that down to the system we were playing with only one striker, who was isolated.  That was down to me attempting to tighten us defensively, based on pre season results.  I then changed our system to try and provide better support going forward and statistically, we have improved greatly on scoring opportunities but still struggling to put the ball away.  We have hit the woodwork numerous times in the past 4 games, but 2 goals in 8 league games is simply not good enough.

2.  Defensively early days, we were overcommitting, leading to penalties. This has changed, whereby we are being more patient when closing down opposition players.  There have been far too many lapses in concentration and poor decision making and we continue to work hard on this part of our game.  Our last game versus Kingborough, for me, probably highlights our season to date.  First 45 we played some good quality football and again had some good scoring opportunities.  Then to concede 4 second half goals, all of which were preventable was gut wrenching for the whole squad.

WP:  Were you thrown in the deep end when the club parted ways with Mark Astley

CH:  When I came on board in a mentoring role with Mark Astley, I had no personal desire to again coach at NPL level and felt comfortable in the role I was playing for the club, so I could have simply walked away, once Mark departed.  Jayden [Hey] had left the club, so I was in conflict with watching and supporting him and supporting Clarence Zebras by taking over the NPL coaching role, whether on a temporary or long term basis for 2025.

My decision to stay was simply due to having worked with a motivated and committed squad of players in both the NPL and NPL21s in pre season.

Every coach has different perspectives on the game and how that should be played.  When I came on board, I needed to put into place my views on the style and structure of how I want us to play so it was completely different for the players.  This becomes a slow burn in terms of players starting from scratch and having to learn and understand collectively and individually, so I was honest in my opinion to the player group on our progression through the season, broken down into the three rounds.

Photo:  Chris Hey in the technical area. [PlessPix] 

WP:  What are the positive things about your team

CH:  Attitude and commitment.  People can bag-out our current situation when looking at scorelines but those watching recent games, have commented on our improvement.  These players hurt when we lose, so they care deeply.  They are doing their very best out on the park and I must share a huge chunk of the blame for our results to date but I can guarantee you one thing, this group want to win every game and things are improving.

WP:  Do you have the support of club fans?

CH:  I would say yes to that question.  There is a positive vibe around the club and a massive amount of work being done at Board/Committee level for the future.  I feel supporters can see the improvement and hopefully we can continue that progress moving forward.  For me, the most important thing is, do the players see improvement.  We have weekly group meetings where all matters are discussed openly and I feel the playing group has bought into the process.

WP:  Are there plans to strengthen the squad with imports?

CH:  It is common knowledge that we released two of our imports who did not meet the standards of coaching staff and the Board.  If those options should arrive, then yes, the club will ensure due diligence  is done with researching to ensure previous mistakes are not repeated.  I am of the view, we need to strengthen our squad, as at this time, we have a large injury list, some of which look like season ending injuries, so come the transfer period, there should be a different looking list to the current.  That may include mid-season local transfers and Import players, but that is an unknown as of today.

Photo:  Chris Hey as captain of Tasmania for the game against The Australian Institute of Sport.  FIFA referee Jack Johnston (right) was in charge. [PlessPix]  

WP:  Can you get the better of teams like Riverside Olympic and Launceston United

CH:  Time will tell, Walter.  Looking at our scorelines, I will most likely get a hammering from all the keyboard warriors however I answer the question. What I will say is this. In general play, with every team we have played other than South Hobart, we have improved steadily in our game understanding, cohesion, which has led to an increased competitive edge in our games.  Do we do this for long enough?  No.  So that is the challenge for us moving forward.

WP:  The game against Devonport was a huge improvement.  What did you do differently in that game?

CH:  To be honest, nothing different to what had been in place for several weeks. We had obviously spent time on defending set pieces after the South Hobart game.  I felt in that game, and even the South East game, the players' understanding of our system of play both offensively and defensively improved. Players worked hard for one another and it was disappointing to see a penalty given in the dying seconds of the game to make that scoreline 2-0.  When you're down, you're down, and at times I have felt we can't take a trick with some of the on-field decisions, but it's natural to feel like this when you are so desperate for a result.

WP:  Are you, as the coach, going to go the distance?

CH:   I will certainly go the distance for 2025, if the club decides that is the correct course.  If they tap me on the shoulder to bring someone else in, then so be it, but for the time being, I believe I have full support from the club as a whole and the player group.

Photo:  Chris Hey as Hobart Zebras coach. [PlessPix] 

WP:  Does the fact there is no promotion or relegation ease the situation?

CH:  Administratively, yes.  Everyone talks about the NPL in Tasmania being dead and wishes to return to respective North and South competitions of old. This is like a dull broken record to me.  We need NPL because without that, Tasmanian clubs winning the League and Lakoseljac Cup will not have future ability to play in these respective National Cup competition.  It's that simple. Promotion and relegation?

I personally believe 8 teams is the best-balanced model for Tasmania.   I will make no further comments on that, as there are so many intricate details that would need to be considered.

Getting back to your question from a personal perspective.  I want Clarence Zebras to start winning games, that is my pressure as the coach.  

The club is working extremely hard on structuring the future and putting into place what needs to be done to bring Clarence Zebras back into not only being a competitive club holistically but also a successful club in the future and staying in the top tier of men’s football in Tasmania.

WP:  Are there any young talents waiting in the wings?

CH:   There certainly are and a couple have already experienced some time in NPL. Hopefully, as we progress, we will be in a position to provide others with that same opportunity as part of their personal development.

 

Photo:  Chris Hey at a press conference with an image of James Sherman seemingly breathing down his neck while waiting in the wings. [PlessPix]

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Total Respect for Chris but believe Clarence Zebras need a different and new and different direction in 2026 !

With him in a mentoring role best way forward.

Anonymous said...

Bit harsh, the club are in the position they are in because they keep changing coaches. Give Chris time and he’ll turn the ship around

Anonymous said...

Great work Chris, keep at it and results will come.

Anonymous said...

If we go 9 or so years back, he took Zebras to 2nd, and had a fantastic group of young talented kids coming through that he believed in, and they sacked him, and that was the start of where they are now!

Anonymous said...

They were 2nd but it was not a young talented group

Anonymous said...

Talented young group… Hey brought in mature aged players from other clubs and imports. To finish 2nd.

Anonymous said...

The U18 zebras team that year was the bulk of the NDC at the time, Brad Lakoseljac was just one of them, Chris was invested in those boys, the club sacked him, they all left