The champagne corks popped weeks ago but there is still work to be done for Hoppers Crossing Soccer Club to complete its mission.
The Reds put an exclamation mark on the Football Federation Victoria men’s state league 3 north-west premiership they secured weeks ago with a 5-1 mauling of Upfield on the road in the last round on Saturday but the job is not finished for the champions.
Reds president Steve Lambrakakis told Star Weekly full training mode was in place for his players this week with a state league 3 final to take place this weekend against St Kilda, winner of the south-east division.
The Reds featured in the state league 4 final last season and were blown away 4-2 by the Croydon City Arrows.
Lambrakakis believed his side was not as mentally switched on as it should have been last season but that there will be chance of that happening this time around.
“Last year we played against Croydon and they towelled us up,” he said. “They were, quite obviously, very serious about it and we weren’t.
“It’s good to have a couple of weeks to celebrate this title but now it’s back to normal.”
Lambrakakis paid tribute to Reds coach Steve Iosifidis and his players after winning the north-west title by seven points from second-placed Altona City.
Back-to-back championships and consecutive promotions mean they automatically qualify for state league 2 next season.
It was the club’s third title in the past four seasons.
The Reds secured their past two titles in convincing fashion but the brutal progression did not surprise Lambrakakis, who planned for consecutive promotions all along.
“We built a team last year for this year,” he said. “Last year was what we expected and we had a couple of minor additions this year.
“To say that we’d go through with two games to go and win the league – I would’ve taken that every day of the week.
“Is it surprising? No. I know the quality of not only the team but the people involved.”
The Reds have no intentions of going up to state league 2 and merely making up the numbers.
They have more goals to tick off under Lambrakakis’ leadership but he will put a ceiling on what he feels the club can achieve.
“We worked from the foundations that the previous committee put in place, made a couple of minor changes and set some goals, which I am keeping to myself,” he said.
“I plan on keeping those to myself for a couple of years to come – but we’re very close to one of them.”
