Teams often talk about having a ‘family bond’ amongst the squad to help them be successful and for Tuggeranong United it’s very much the case as they aim to pull off a huge upset in the Westfield FFA Cup.
In a true David vs Goliath battle, Tuggeranong’s unfashionable bunch of plumbers, accountants and school kids take on Hyundai A-League giants Melbourne Victory in Tuesday night’s round of 16 clash.
It’s been a huge achievement for this small club from the nation’s capital to get this far but there is plenty of belief they can keep their giant-killing run going.
Hoping to help bring down a powerful Victory side with the likes of Archie Thompson, Besart Berisha and Gui Finkler are two sets of brothers United coach Steve Forshaw may turn to.
Siblings Zac and Ethan Munster, as well as Chris and Tomas Ruiz, are vying for spots in the starting XI for what will be an electric Viking Park.
“Everyone is nervous,” admitted younger brother Tomas Ruiz, who is a first-year apprentice plumber.
“The player scouts will be looking at Melbourne not us but we’ll be right.”
It will be an emotional return to Tuggeranong for the Victory’s Socceroos midfielder Carl Valeri, who was a junior at the club before going on to forge a successful career on the world stage.
United are proud of their record of giving juniors a chance, with a number of the club’s under-18 side called into the Westfield FFA Cup squad.
Edward Coggan, Jonathan Turek, Sebastian Summersby-Mitchell and defender Aiodan Beatman are juggling their studies with football and would relish a crack at Victory.
Beatman, a defender, hesitated when asked if he could handle Victory stalwart Thompson.
“Oh, he’s too good. But I reckon we will do well,” he said.
“Training has been hard and intense. Much harder than what I am used to in the under-18 squad.”
