“I’m looking forward to it”

HUGO Labaredas, pictured, says he has “big boots to fill” as the new ACE Junior Director of Coaching – but is “looking forward to it”.

He replaces Joe Amaraddio, who had been in a senior coaching director role for ACE for 14 years. Joe will still be coaching at ACE next season.

“Joe did a great, great job for the club. It will be a big task for me,” said Hugo. “The club has been very successful. Last year was a great year for ACE.

“I hope I can keep doing the same great job and maybe add a few things to try and reach the next level. I will do my best to do a good job.

“I’m looking forward to it. I feel I am experienced and I love soccer.

“I was originally from Portugal. I was born playing football. I have been dreaming about working in football and this is a great opportunity.

“Kids are the priority. The younger ages are the ones where we should work hardest for and try to give them all the conditions to develop quicker and better.”

Hugo, who has a C Licence and will enrole for the B Licence next month, ran a Futsal school in Townsville for three years with players from kindy to seniors.

He also coached the Northern Fury Under 13 Girls when the club was in the NPL and last season coached the ACE Under 18 Division 2 and Under 13 Division One sides.

“Both made the finals, both lost in the semi-finals, both after extra time in penalty shootouts, unfortunately,” said Hugo.

The new Junior DOC also did high performance football coaching in Portugal last season which involved time with former Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho.

“I learned a lot,” Hugo said of the course which coordinated by Jose Mourinho, the former Manchester United coach.

“We had one full day with Jose Mourinho. It was great. He was tired, but so good to deal with.

“His lecture was about how he prepared for a semi-final against Ajax in the Europa League. He explained everything, the whole week before the game. Very detailed.

“That gave me more knowledge of the game and hopefully I can do something perhaps with some of those studies here with ACE.”