The success and advancement of any football club doesn’t come without its staff behind the scenes making that possible. From the youth coaches, the physios, and the video analysts, all the way up to the management staff and the players, each person involved in a football club are cogs which work hand-in-hand with one another to create the success that we see from the outside. With Spirit’s ongoing improvement in all age groups, it would be an understatement to say that the cogs that make Spirit turn have helped in this process.
Dimitri [Dimi] Tomaras, one of the many servants to Spirit’s success, carries a weight of experience, knowledge, and understanding that makes him unique to many others in similar positions. A love child of the iconic “Football Manager,” and the beautiful game itself, Dimi’s passion for football and everything about it makes him one of the most valuable assets in Spirit’s arsenal. In his role as Head of Performance, Dimi provides close mentoring and support to our youth teams, enabling the coaches to extend the NWSF DNA into bespoke styles of play that enhance individual and team performance. However, Dimi’s role within the club extends further. From working as the assistant coach of Spirit’s First Grade Women’s Team, to working with individual players in additional sessions such as early morning free-kick training, Dimi plays an essential part in the progression of Spirit and NWSF as a whole.
Like players, Spirit FC encourages coaches to develop their own personal style within the wider NWSF DNA framework. Personally, Dimi sets his teams up with high-attacking, and high-pressing tactics, with an emphasis on allowing players to be creative and inventive. While many other coaches in the youth system stick to a rigid and unyielding playing style, Dimi often looks to the flexibility and volatility of Arsenal head coach, Mikel Arteta, with particular strengths in adjusting to opposition strategies and making tweaks to enhance his players key attributes. Despite being a keen supporter of Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, Dimi tends to stay away from the “old-fashioned” style of management which allows very little room for change in an in-game scenario basis. Using his experience of playing semi-professional football in the likes of Greece, Croatia, and the USA, Dimi’s knowledge of not only the managerial side of the game, but also the game from a players’ perspective assists him in dealing with players and staff alike.
Dimi’s modern approach to coaching is something that he hopes can carry him further into the game, with Dimi hoping to progress into a full-time management position later down the line. Yet, his job currently lies in helping develop and nurture the next generation of young footballers at Spirit FC, paving the way for a brighter future.
By Renesh Krishnan
Renesh Krishnan is an aspiring football journalist at NWSF who currently studies a Bachelor of Media and Communications at Macquarie University. Playing for NWSF club, West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Lions FC, since under 5’s, Renesh and his family have been a part of the NWSF community since 2009. With a passion for creative writing, public speaking, and all things football, Renesh looks to tell the unique stories and journeys of everyone at NWSF, helping bring the community closer together.
