Gallaghers to have first of many meetings
Chaminade head soccer coach Mike Gallagher. Credit: Photo by Joseph D. Sullivan
When St. John the Baptist visits Chaminade for a boys soccer game Tuesday, it will be brother vs. brother on the sidelines.
SJB's new coach, Nick Gallagher, will be opposing his brother Mike, for whom he had been an assistant for the past two years.
"He's my best friend in the world so I want to beat him up," Nick said of Mike. "It'll be strange being on the other side facing him but we're competitive, both of us. It'll be a hard-fought battle and I'm really looking forward to it."
"It'll be awkward, a little different, looking at the opponent's bench and seeing your brother, that's a difficult thing," Mike added. "I wish him all the luck in the world but when he plays us I only wish him half of that."
Nick admits that it was difficult to leave his brother and Chaminade for another job, but ultimately seized the chance to become a head coach at a competitive program, with the opportunity to face his brother every season.
"One of the things I thought about when I took the job was do I not want to see my brother every day? That's special to work with him every day," Nick said. "But this is a very special job. It's a good soccer job. In order for me to leave [Chaminade], I had to come to a place I love, so facing my brother twice a year and hopefully three times will be interesting."
Perhaps more intriguing than the sibling rivalry in this match is the understanding that both have of each other's coaching style. Mike said that both he and his brother have the same philosophy as far as "stressing a tight organized defense, and trying to play as much possession soccer as possible," but realized that Nick could have the coaching edge in this matchup, given his experience with Chaminade's system.
"[Nick] knows all the little things that we do and it'll be interesting to break down tactically how he puts a team on the field and how he adjusts as a coach ," Mike said. "I'll probably learn more than he will in this game."
Nick expected that kind of a response from his brother, saying that it's not uncommon for Mike to downplay his own strengths and highly value those of his opponents.
"[Mike] thinks I have the upper hand because I know everything he does but that's how he is," Nick said. "I have strong feelings both ways as far as wanting to beat him. They'll be no secrets between us."
