Canberra United midfielder Emma Stanbury has signed with Capital Football club Tuggeranong United for the remainder of the 2020 NPLW season.
A former Newcastle Jet, Stanbury moved to Canberra United in 2019 to play under her previous mentor Heather Garriock. Stanbury first played under Garriock at Sydney University, winning the NSW NPLW treble with them in 2016.
She initially kicked off the 2020 NPLW season with NSW NPLW top tier side Bankstown City, despite staying in Canberra since season 12 of the W-League ended earlier this year.
“There were a few COVID-19 hotspots around [the Bankstown area] and with the short season I didn’t want to risk bringing it back to Canberra. I spoke to my work, and also felt it would be best to ask for a release [from Bankstown City].
“So I reached out to Heather Garriock and she asked me what I wanted out of football. Having played for twenty plus years and won championships, I wanted a new challenge and to help nuture and grow a club, and I’ve also always enjoyed coaching. Heather suggested Tuggeranong, saying they are a massive community based club who look after their players, and there would likely be opportunities to pursue a future coaching role as well as being a bit of a mentor, helping the girls learn what it takes to become a winning side, and working alongside head coach Michael [Aldred] and with the programmes in place.”
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Coaching is something that Stanbury will be looking at once her playing career comes to an end.
“I’ve had quite a lot of opportunities over the years. I used to be assistant coach to [former Matildas coach] Hesterine de Reus out at International Football School [now called Central Coast Sports College], and I have worked with multiple W-League coaches, helping them out … I don’t have certificates yet, but that’s something I hope to attain this year and next.”
The addition of Stanbury to the team opens up some tactical possibilities for Aldred, but not everything can rest on Stanbury’s shoulders.
“Without putting too much pressure on Emma, Emma can’t be the difference. Emma’s got to be the icing on the cake, the other ten players have to step up and support her and each other; she can’t do it on her own.”
Stanbury’s first game with her new club this Sunday is against table-topping Gungahlin United. Aldred feels that based on the first five NPLW rounds, the gap between the top sides and the bottom sides may be narrowing.
“Gungahlin are an excellent side, they are well coached, but on our day we can give most teams in the competition a game. What we need to do is do that on a consistent basis.”
Aldred is naturally delighted to have Stanbury joining the club. He spoke about the leadership qualities she will bring, as well as being that calm voice on the pitch in providing advice to her team-mates.
“I’ve only met Emma this week but she’s a breath of fresh air, she’s keen, she never stops talking, and I think she will bring a certain level of enthusiasm which will hopefully rub off on everyone else.
“Looking holistically, it’s great that we can attract players of that calibre to the competition. A strong competition is going to help everyone get to the next stage.
“We’re a club where any quality player we can attract is going to add to what we’ve got, and from an individual perspective the girls will have someone to look up to, to learn from, and to see that there’s a journey there, if they want to put the hard work in, to take that journey themselves.”
Following the completion of the NPLW season in the next couple of months, Stanbury has her mind firmly on a position in new Canberra United coach Vicki Linton‘s squad. She has been training with the Tuggeranong United men’s team and will continue to do so even during the NPLW season, to supplement her training with the NPLW1 team.
“I know this [W-League] season is going to be very different to every other season. I don’t think there will be as many international players, and a lot of the Matildas have gone overseas. I hope that the girls who may not have had much of a chance before can really show what they’ve got to Australia and to the Matildas [coaching team]; with the internationals out, it gives them a chance of a starting spot.”
When Stanbury first arrived in 2019 she “didn’t know how to feel about Canberra, and now I’m in love and never want to leave.”
Stanbury similarly told the Canberra Times that “I don’t really want to play for another W-League club, I’ve fallen in love with Canberra United and the fans.”
Tuggeranong United play Gungahlin United this Sunday at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval, kickoff 3pm. The game will be streamed by BarTV Sports on the Capital Football Youtube channel.
