@Rory_Flanagan

Bentleigh Greens captain Wayne Wallace has taken home the Winning Edge NPL player of the month award for Rounds 17-21. The central midfielder turned in a series of influential shifts in the middle of the park as his side has now gone five games unbeaten including an FFA Cup triumph against NPL NSW Mens 1 side Blacktown City. 

The man formerly of Kingston-upon-Hull in England stands an imposing 189cm, and is the engine that the Bentleigh Greens machine has relied on for almost four years. 

While absent from his side's five-nil romp over Port Melbourne, Wallace returns to the starting eleven in tonight's season defining match against the Oakleigh Cannons - a team the Greens have not beaten in over a decade.

Wallace provides a spark in more ways than one and plies his trade as an electrician away from football. Working in Queenscliff, "Wally" as he is affectionately known, stopped to take a call from NPL writer Rory Flanagan. Here's what he had to say: 

RF: Firstly, congratulations on winning the NPL Player of the month award for Rounds 17-21, how does it feel?

WW: Pretty good really, it was a bit of a surprise. The manager (Johnny Anastasiadis) went away and the boys stepped up, but obviously I've got the rewards for it! 

RF: What are your thoughts on the transition and progress the club has made in becoming a top side in Victorian football since you joined at the start of 2011?

WW: Oh it's fantastic to be honest. The year before I got there (2010) they needed a point off the last game to stay up which they got but from there every year we're getting stronger and stronger. There's no playoffs this year but next season we want to push for the title. 

RF: You have led an extremely impressive Westfield FFA Cup campaign, now into the final 16, what has the experience been like?

WW: They don't really do cups over here! But now it's a bit more of an English feel like an FA cup sort of thing. It's good to go interstate and see what the other leagues are all about. We played a really good side in Blacktown and just managed to come away with the result which was brilliant.

RF: The draw is a few hours before your game tonight, who would you like to play against in the cup? 

WW: Anybody! I'm really looking forward to it. I'd like the easy route and play someone else in NPL from the other states but either way it's going to be a great experience. An A-League side at home is fine by me though!

RF: What is Johnny A like as a coach?

WW: I've been with him three and a half years now and we have a pretty good relationship. I get the way his football philosophy works and basically everything he says makes sense to me.

RF: Who are your favourite and least favourite players VPL/NPL players you have played with and against? 

WW: Favourite would be Jack Webster (Bentleigh Greens CB) and least favourite would be the Trifiro brothers Jason & Glen Trifiro (who scored the winner for Central Coast Mariners in their win over South Coast Wolves on Wednesday night).

RF: What are your thoughts on the remainder of the season?

WW: Hopefully we can win our last four games of the season. We've got three at home and hopefully we can carry on next year by the standard we've shown this year. I also want to pay credit to the boys for standing up and making it into the Corner Flag team of the week every week since Johnny went overseas.

RF: You now have your Australian Citizenship, what about having a crack at the A-League as you'll no longer take up a Visa spot?

WW: Maybe too old now at 30! Everyone keeps saying to me 'you should have been in the A-League a long time ago' but I think I like installing lifts too much! 

The Winning Edge Presentations NPL1 Player of the Month is voted for by the match reporters, in the 3-2-1 format. 

Image credit: Graeme Furlong