Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser
Photo Courtesy of Mike Buytas |
Coach Mike Anhaeuser has been with the Charleston Battery since 1994. First as a player, then as the Assistant Coach under two different coaches and now he takes the reigns as the Head Coach for the Battery. With the responsibility of putting the Battery back at the top of Division 1, Auggie, as he is know, is already a favorite with the fans and hopefully still will be at the end of the 2005 season.
You've been with the Battery now for 11 years with your experience do you feel you're ready for the head job?
You always feel prepared being with the same club and I feel prepared being with the Charleston Battery. I don't have the head coaching experience obviously but with my preparation with Alan Dicks and Chris Ramsey, looking at their resumes and their careers where they've been I've in a good situation and I've been fortunate that those types of coaches around here. I've learned a lot from them and even my past from college having Jerry Yeagley, I've been around a lot of good coaches and gained a lot of experience from seeing and maturing and what happens in certain situations. Now how that affects me, we'll have to wait and see. I feel confident but it's a matter of now stepping over the line. Its like getting on the field, you've got to do it and you've got to produce.
With all your experience in the USL, you've got to feel that gives you a little advantage over other coaches that might not have as much time in the league and having been with the same club for so long you already know the Dynamics within the organization its not like your jumping into something unknown, do you feel that gives you an advantage.
I think that it has an advantage for me personally, being around players in the league, playing against players in the league, knowing what type of players are in the league. I definitely feel that is a big advantage. Just like being in a job that you're been around for awhile it makes it easier about making decisions about this or that and what works well in certain situations,. That I feel very comfortable with. Now with the league changing and going with a single table it makes it a little different. We've never had this type of situation in the past. It makes it little different where every game is going to mean so much. You'll still have the play offs obviously but it's a little different, you're not just battling your conference your battle 12 teams where you haven't had to do that in the past. But it's great for the players and the organization because there is more on the line.
I feel, one, definitely the experience being around the league should help me, by allowing me to know the coaches, organizations, and styles of play. And two with the league and how they have changed and it looks like it should solidify and be in this type of setup, now its a matter not just how I can adjust but how the other coaches, players and organizations to adjust to changes and I think it's a great thing
So you feel the changes are good thing?
For the coaches, you're out to play your game. Your players want to play. Now you're competing against every team and I get to see the players out on the west coast. We don't see those teams every year.
Do you feel the quality of games is going to go up?
It should. Going to 12 teams, if you look at the quality of the organization still in the league, they are very good organization. When you lose teams, the better players are going to be the ones picked up. Even the players we are looking at. You're not going to pick up the guys who are not play you're going to pick up the guys who were starting and were quality players on those teams. So yeah the quality of play should pick up. The set up of the league with the single table having go to the west coast for three games over four days or two times to the west coast. That brings up your away schedule. It's not like your traveling a couple hours to play against a local rival. Now you have to travel across country, win; prepare differently its going to add so much more which is how it should be. It going to be different because getting a point is going to be more crucial that it has been in the past.
This is probably a question better fielded by the GM but do you feel it will help with sponsorships because it will be recognized as a national league versus a regional.
Yeah the league will be more national and will create more exposure. It does put a lot of good pressure on the organizations and the league and should create opportunities and I think that is what the leagues goal is with Division 1.
Had you thought about head coaching a while ago?
My situation when I was playing I was injured. Fortunately a position opened when I was playing. I had to make a decision do I play or is this something I want to do long term? At that time I was coaching youth and all that. I did want to. I remember a TV crew came out when I accepted the player/assistant role and they asked me that very question "Is this something you'd like to do and one day be the head coach?" The Question made me think is this something I want to and one day when it comes, do while I do it?" Now I've been fortunate
It's all fallen together
You're still pretty young.
Yeah I'm only 35 but I don't think I'm the youngest coach I think Lee Colishaw is about six months younger than me
He looks a lot older than you (laughter).
What type of style do you want to play this upcoming season?
Style of play, I want to create a style that is more attacking. I'm a defensive type person but I do enjoy attacking I like to see me backs attacking. Right now its hard to answer with the players that we have and the ones we are getting, I'm trying to formulate a good core of players so I could tell you were playing four or three in the back But I know I'm going to want by backs to attack I want them to push up on the attack but Being around a bit I know that we need a good defense. A core of defenders to really solidify the nucleus of the team. I think any coach would say that. I would love to have 11 forwards. Hopefully getting forward from the outside and getting the quality forwards who put it in the back of the net. Now obviously that's going to be dictated by who we can sign and whose available and that the pressing problem for fans and the organization.
So how are the trials going so far?
We have about 20 players plus a few from the College of Charleston and a few of our players, which helps give you a level to see where some of the players are. The first day you usually are able to pick out players that skill and talent to take it to the next level or at least give them a chance to come in March. I would say it's always successful for us. We have a Nigerian here now that we probably never see anywhere else and he is a very solid player. It gives us the opportunity to look at players from afar as well as some of the local college guys and ask them to do things certain things and maybe some things a little differently. It's a matter of fitting in and doing the little things that are asked of you.
There are some talented players and there are some that are a little over their heads. But on that side it's a great experience for them. That's why we offer it too. It's not just to find players but also to gain experience because many players don't understand the level and where it is. When they see it here and only the top tier are making it and they aren't at the level of those who make it, it gives them a better appreciation for the league and organization as well as giving them a goal to aim to. Looking at the list of player here at the list of weight and body fat, I do that to tell them that our players are between 6 and 12 (% Body Fat). There are only three players on this list that are under 12. That's not to say they are great fitness shape but it also to show them, he these are the demands even guys that are really good players. But its not fitness where looking for right now were looking for players that can do something in certain situations. Fitness will come. You're not going to loss your skill or ball control.
Any plans for a second annual Carolina Challenge Cup?
Yeah it's in the works. We've had contact with MLS teams already. There is interest with them and obviously interest with us. Now it's just a matter of solidifying dates which we are looking around the same time as last years. Right now it definitely something we are working on and working to get done as soon as possible from a marketing stand point, but we need to make sure the teams are on board and all the pieces fall into place. The puzzles being put together and hopefully we'll have some thing soon.
The Sunderland exhibition was great last year any plans for something similar this year?
Yeah The clubs feelings is to have the exhibition for the fans but its also good for the organization; the fans, the club, the team and also for the other teams to come over and see our set up. It's a plus for every one. I know Nigel (Cooper, GM) is talking to a few English teams right now and I've talked to Andrew (Bell, PR) about having another Mexican team in. It something we look at and have done in the past and has been successful and hopefully will continue to grow.
Do you think their was an overwhelming reason for the results last year, is their anything you look back on and wish you could have done differently.
We could sit here and talk about things and say this and that. Injuries obvious played a little part when you have key players out your continuity is effected. We had a difficult time scoring and you're not going to win game if you don't score. Those are kind of safety routes for me but even looking past the year before you win 1-0 and maybe we didn't deserve to win and this year we lost 1-0 and probably should have won. Last year their haven't been the game where you know your going to win. It's usually a battle. It really hard to say that it was anything specific. But obviously it did hurt early in the season when you're trying to get things going and we had some injuries to players. Once you start losing 1-0 it seems to keep going until you get that win or two.
Thanks for the Time Coach is their anything you'd like to add.
Hope to see you out their this season!
