Winner. Competitive. Intense.
Think of words to describe Western United midfielder Neil Kilkenny, and those are usually the types of answers you’ll get, painting a picture of the tenacious midfielder who battled for a decade in England’s Football League.
The descriptions come out of the mouth of the man himself, too.
“I am a winner,” he said, chatting to KEEPUP after Western United’s Saturday night win.
“I don’t like losing.”
The 36-year-old was one of the first signings John Aloisi made when he arrived at the club.
Because he wanted a winner.
But after playing a leading hand in steering his side to within a week of an Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final, the veteran’s mind quickly turned elsewhere.
These are the things we don’t see. The emotions. The commitment. The human realities that power a football side.
The thought that stops you talking about a football win. And makes a midfield general pause.
“Personally, it has been a really tough season for me,” he reflected, speaking to KEEPUP after the Elimination Final.
“Everything I’ve gone through in the last 10 months; I have seen my family three weeks out of 10 months.
“For two and a half weeks, I went to the UK to support my partner, with the death of her father.
“That situation has been tough.”
Kilkenny explained: “I’ve got four kids, and I haven’t seen them really grow up.
“My one-year-old, her first steps, her first Christmas, with all the closures in Perth, I haven’t seen her that much. It has been tough.
“People don’t see that, it is really hard on the mental health.”
Thank goodness for FaceTime, although that is only scant consolation.
“Of course, but, it is not the same,” he said.
“You can’t hold them, give them a kiss; I can tell them daddy loves them, but it’s getting tough.”
He added: “When you’re winning and doing well it makes it slightly easier.”
Thankfully, that is exactly the case at Western United, and Kilkenny has been pivotal to that.
Aloisi, who crossed paths with a young Kilkenny in Socceroos camp in 2006, headhunted the veteran, who had worked extensively with Western assistant Hayden Foxe at Perth Glory.
Aloisi explained: “A lot of people talk about him but I knew Neil well, (Hayden) Foxe knew him really well; we knew he would fit in well with what we’re trying to create.”
The key to a successful formula is understanding. That’s how you get the Kilkenny from Perth’s Grand Final squad, or this vintage, who, Aloisi enthused, “controlled the game” on Saturday night.
“The first two seasons at Perth under Hayden Foxe and Tony Popovic they understood my character,” he explained.
He continued: “I had Hayden at Perth when we won the league and lost the grand final.
“So I knew how he worked and I knew and heard John was a great person and good coach.
“Coming in I’ve learnt both of that – they’re fine people, good people and they understand me as a character and a person.
“I can’t speak more highly: John Aloisi, Hayden Foxe, and the other JA (John Anastasiadis).”
With that trust and understanding has come responsibility.
As Wellington probed and prodded and tried to get back into their Elimination Final, it wasn’t just Aloisi or Foxe seen waving their arms, pointing out positions, trying to trigger pressing movements or drive an energy and intensity in periods of lull.
Kilkenny was their lieutenant.
“Go, go, GO,” he could be heard frequently barking at his team-mates, pushing Western higher up the pitch.
“I really, re-iterate what the coaches want, the managers,” he explained.
“When people are tired, that’s when concentration goes. So I try and keep minds switched on.
“Luckily we kept switched on…to keep the clean sheet and Jamie (Young) made a number of really good saves. Fantastic saves, good on him.”
That has set up a mouth watering doubleheader, Tuesday and Saturday night against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
Kilkenny against Popovic, whom he enjoyed so much success with. And for Western’s players, part of a club still in their infancy, the chance to play in front of a crowd their football warrants.
“They are a good team, it’ll be a good crowd. We are looking forward to it,” Kilkenny said.
“Through my career I played in front of some big crowds, with Leeds at Elland Road, it was packed every week, 35,000; I am really looking forward to that. It will be a good atmosphere, hopefully we get the result we need.”
