Lynchy gets one wrong - FFA are ahead of you on this one!

Michael Lynch - a man who's family is from the far end of the Curragh (Irish Racecourse) we're just a bit closer, but further away. Got it?

Lynchy is a much respected Aussie footy writer - but on his player development focus written in the Age I reckon he has a couple of points wrong or at least is unaware of what is coming.


Mick writes in The Age:


http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/lets-take-our-thrashings-as-a-reality-check-20110812-1iqwb.html

There is a strong argument that the Institute of Sport system should be scrapped.

I don't think there is much of an argument, and if there is let's hear it - especially now the players are coming in at 15 in preparation for the U17 Aussie team ie much younger than in Viduka's day.

Herding the elite youngsters onto a campus in Canberra may help with their nutrition and ensure they all attend tactical lectures, but it doesn't give them the tough grounding they need to succeed in this the most cutthroat of global sports.

Again - it worked for Mark Viduka, Kevin Muscat, Craig Moore, Brett Emerton, Vinny Grella, Marco Bresciano, Carl Valeri, Brett Holman and a whole heap more

Scrap the National Youth League and get all the A-League teams to field youth teams in their elite state competitions. For 18-year-olds playing week in and week out against seasoned semi professionals - men earning up to $1000 a week and more - in the Victorian Premier League would be far more beneficial than playing against their own age group.

Again there are no 18 year olds at the AIS - they are now taken in at 15/16 so not sure where Mick is heading with this one - it's a different intake to Viduka's day.

Think the proposal is that AIS play in ACT Premier League AND A-League Youth league and all A-League Youth sides play in their local State Premier League - Viduka could do it at 17 - he was an exception the current mob are 15/16 and could meet Kevin Muscat!

History teaches us that the most successful Socceroos are the ones who are good enough to play first-team football early in life. Mark Viduka was an NSL star at 17. Harry Kewell was playing in the premiership at 18. Brett Emerton was a big-name NSL star as a teenager … the list of those who, even as boys, were better than the men they played against, goes on.

Yes but Mick - Matt Mckay and Tim Cahill are also very successful and in Cahill's case close to the two above. So history tells us a lot but not everything.

FFA increasing the games for the A-League Youth teams and AIS is the priority for player development for these age groups - I reckon the FFA are doing it.

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What A-League youth team policy would mean for Canberra?

Canberra Club members may have an opportunity to assist Australian player development. If history in the local clubland is anything to go by, there is no guarantee they'll do it -at least not without a fight!

Along time ago I was good enough to take on Mark Viduka and Craig Moore in football. No not in the Old Firm derby or even for Ireland v Australia.

Canberra Olympic v AIS.

The lads were 17 playing for the AIS in the Canberra Premier League - I was a slightly built ageing forward playing with Canberra Olympic.

Of course Viduka - who was a physically imposing man even then and the wily Craig Moore learnt their trade playing against me. In fact without the three games in which we clashed I doubt Moore particularly would never have gone on to higher things. Viduka - as forwards we may have been on the same pitch but there was only one guy playing football, even if he was a mere babe. He ws magnificent.

So with the FFA aiming to put all A-League teams into their State Leagues to ensure player development starts to reach a reasonable level, I presume and have heard the idea that the AIS would play in the Canberra Premer League.

A good move for the AIS - perhaps although the intake is mmuch younger than in Viduka's day - would they be up to playing the men of Canberra this time around?

Lot's of permutations and things to be discussed but I'd imagine the local clubs would be concerned about this possibility - they always seem to be when Rep teams of any level enter any league in Canberra.

For me, as a player - I got to play against Mark Viduka and Craig Moore - there were probably others. We even beat them at least once. The AIS won the league - I didn't care - they deserved it. But some clubs won't feel the same way.

For the good of the game our elite young players simply need more football so the next time a local club member sits down to watch the Socceroos and bemoans the technical development, or lack thereof of our players we should ask ourselves - are we assisting player development?

And, of course a local lad, a young lad can compare himself to the best players running around in Australia, or close to it. And this will tell the kid exactly how far behind he is - or alternatively the AIS Coach may see a young guy on the other team so good he invites him in for a trial.

Most unlikely - but would be a nice measurement tool for all in the local youth game wouldn't it?

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Why Teeboy should have stayed home

FIFA rules say that boys u17 can only play at one World Cup.

Teeboy Kamara is 15 and could go to the next World Cup. He's that young. And at this World Cup he's been played for 15 minutes so far and then got injured.

He looked talented but raw raw raw and surely his development would be better if he'd got to play three games when he was more developed in two years time.

And of course another player has missed out by taking Teeboy.

You have to wonder if Aussie development is on the right track or as looks to be the case we are still lacking sufficient numbers of creative and attacking forward players from midfield.

Which begs the question: When was the last time the AIS produced a wonderful forward?

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AIS: When did Australia last create a player with flair?

No AIS creative player since Zelic!!!

Aussie media have been whinging for months about the Socceroos style of play...and I'm from the school that it's not all about the Coach.

If you don't have the tools it's hard to paint a picture.

But, until recently, our so-called best of the best came through the AIS, and therefore it's worth noting who is our most creative player to come through such an organisation...and indeed are we creating enough?

I'm no expert on AIS history but I do know that the Socceroos 2006 side contained many wonderful AIS products.

Lucas Neill, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Vinny Grella to name a few.

But when did we produce a midfield player or wide player with real top class flair?

And I can't remember one, not since Ned Zelic!!

A forward player who can get you out of your seat, a midfielder with an eye for a pass in the final third.

Go on. Name one!

Harry Kewell didn't go to the AIS. Nicky Carle didn't and if he did he has hardly reached the top anyway. Marco Bresciano...hmmn not really, not consistently, Brett Holman, the list isn't great is it?

So who?

All those years of training on the cold winter fields of Canberra since Zelic left and what do we have to show. Nicky Rizzo threatened early, Kaz Patafta promised...but now no-one will even play him, not even in the worst A-League team!

So while the AIS produces wonderful defenders, and defensive midfielders, where is the organisation that creates that something extra. A forward or midfielder with flair.

Does the AIS knock it out of them? Or does the AIS just refuse to select them. Too small, too skilful, too many touches? I have no answer.

Will the A-League Youth Structure enable more "eccentricity" in our play. More Ronaldo's. Do our Coaches encourage step-overs, hogging the ball?

Did Ronaldo get where he is by passing the ball in his younger years?

For now we've stuck with what we have, and creativity, and flair aren't there.

Robbie Kruse, Mitch Nicholls, Nathan Burns show or in Kruse's case showed potential. Nikita Rukavystya, Bruce Djite have also caught the eye and may go on to better things. Is James Troisi top notch? Doesn't feel like it to me.

Michael Zullo, Taj Minnicon, great for the A-League but they aren't Ryan Giggs are they.

We need 10 Patafta's strutting their stuff, maybe another 10 Nathan Burns and from that group we may get a Riquelme, or Giggs, or Ribery, or even one day a Ronaldo.

For now I'd settle for another young Kewell, Zelic or Viduka.

We need to plunder our best athletes. The AFL boys. If we can nick another from Melbourne, another Viduka or even a Kennedy this may be our best chance. They'll have the athletism but the skill factor is something else. Something you can't teach I guess.

Is the AIS just a conservative player production mill? Good enough, but not nearly exciting enough, not risky enough.

Can you think of a player with flare we've produced? One who gets you out of your seat, one who can thread that pass, Nakumura style, or who can dribble away like a young Ryan Giggs?

And is there even a threat of one on the horizon?

The Dutch in recent years have produced a Van Persie, a Robben so there is hope. And of course Cruyff, Van Basten and the rest before them.

They are a small nation with I daresay a similar player base to us, but they have produced many many quality players.

Maybe we'll be saved by the Dutch...maybe?

But how long before we should expect the products to start to shine...with an oranje glow?

I'm impatient.

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AIS beat Canberra's best...

The AIS have been playing the local Premier League teams recently.

With oldest AIS player now born in 1992, that makes the oldest player just 17.

They've already beaten Canberra FC, ANU and O'Connor Knights. Belconnen did beat them but the AIS had a player sent-off in the 15th minute so maybe that influenced the result.

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AIS: To take in younger boys

The AIS farewelled Sydney FC bound Sam Munro today. You can hear Sam on the Nearpost tonight.

And Jan Versleijen, AIS Coach, outlines his plans for the future of the football programme at the AIS.

As the players are snapped up by the A-League Youth teams the current Under 20 squad becomes a camp based programme similar to European national youth sides. This is a significant change to the previous model which produced Mark Viduka, Craig Moore and Carl Valeri.

And the AIS will be bringing in younger players, 16-18 year olds in future as the game in Australia expands and develops.

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More Youth football planned

Zambia and Bulgaria Under 20's will join the AIS to take part in a 3-way tournament to be played at Deakin Stadium from Sat 6th-Wed 10th. And the ACT Rockets and Canberra FC will also play friendlies against each of the overseas teams. Details to be confirmed.

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AIS lose to Fawkner

Neil Zimmerman sent this report through from a rain-swept Melbourne

A dogged performance by Fawkner saw them run out 1-0 winners over the AIS at a rain soaked CB Smith Reserve on Sunday afternoon.

The sun broke through just after the commencement of play making the conditions a little more bearable for those out on a pitch that had been heavily affected by overnight and early morning rain.

The balance of play was fairly even throughout the early stages of the match although both teams were struggling to string a series of passes together and most of the play took place in the sodden midfield.

With just over twenty minutes on the clock, the visitors created the first real moment of danger as Richard Greer hit the upright after getting on the end of a well weighted Kofi Danning cross.

Fawkner struggled to clear the resulting loose ball and the AIS' Bonel Obradovic drove the ball back into the area only to see it deflected out for a corner. The visitors made vehement claims for a penalty as the ball appeared to strike the arm of a Fawkner player. Unfortunately for the visitors the referee waved their claims away.

Just when it looked like the team from the Institute were starting to get on top, Fawkner captain Joseph Youssef rose the highest to head home from a Ricky Chilico corner to put the home side ahead.

Play was evenly balanced for the remained of the half as both teams created little in the way of goal scoring opportunities.

On the stroke of half time the home side thought they had doubled their lead as Chris Greechan found the back of the net after getting on the end of another Chilico cross, only to see the linesman's flag raised for offside.

After a fairly stagnant start to the beginning of the second half the AIS started to impose themselves on the game and created a number of chances with Obradovic, Danning and Daniel Taylor all spurning excellent opportunities to level the scores.

With just over ten minutes remaining Youssef almost got his second goal of the match as he dispossessed Rhyan Grant in his own penalty area. Thankfully for the visitors, their captain Dane Milovanovic was there to save the day as he slid in to deflect Youssef's low drive away for a corner.

At this stage the AIS were starting to show their frustration at not being able to find the back of the net as they pushed for an equaliser.

Again late on Obradovic and Taylor both spurned golden opportunities to equalise as a determined Fawkner held on for an unlikely three points.

Next week Fawkner pay a visit to BT Connor Reserve to take on a resurgent Preston whilst the AIS will host title contenders Altona Magic in Canberra.

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Gold Coast want Kofi Danning.

Former Majura junior and current AIS Scholarship holder Kofi Danning is being chased by the new Gold Coast club. Miron Blieberg has been watching recent AIS games.

But then again Miron every A-League Club is after this player, a young player with who it is hoped will go on to bigger things.

One AIS insider said, "Kofi could play English Premier League or European Champions League. We think he has such potential." And I've rarely heard the AIS talk any player up over the years.

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Has Craig Foster gone soft!

Come back Craig we loved you as a critic:)

SBS Commentator Craig Foster has written a piece in the SMH, see full article below, on the Dutchification of Aussie football.

In general it's fine but there are a few glaring mis-placed passes.

While the Socceroos' performances against Iraq raise concerns about their ability against stronger opposition, Verbeek has answered every question put to him, and his management of the logistical challenges of Asia has been perfect.

Oh yeah Fozzie, Pim answered every questions put to him. Really? China away, Iraq at home, Iraq away. Very convincing answers...I think not. He got the results, but as you ALWAYS say it's about style not results, and these performancs had no style.

The Dutch blueprint is a dominant, tactically flexible, attacking style of football. For now, it suits us perfectly.

Tactically, flexible and attacking.

Well against China, the poorest international side playing at home in years, our Dutch master had no tactical flexibility against China. And excuse me, but where was the attacking flexible style away to Iraq.

And the new Dutch guy at the AIS might be fantastic, but Fozzie, have you ever heard of him? Or is it good enough just to take any old Dutch guy these days. And I mean old!

Come on Fozzie we're delighted we're through, we're happy to see improved methodology and coaching strategies from the FFA. But cart blanche approval of Verbeek and some unknown Dutch coach, surely we want a more critical football culture than that!

And the Dutch lost overnight..to Hiddink admittedly, is it time to employ Turks?


Fozzie writes:

It was a stellar week for Australia. Events in the Middle East and at Euro 2008 in the last seven days have reinforced the wisdom of applying the Dutch model to the development of the game here.

In Austria and Switzerland, the quality and verve of the Netherlands under Marco van Basten has been matched only by the speed and precision of Guus Hiddink's young Russians. In Qatar, the Socceroos progressed to the next stage of World Cup qualifying under the tutelage of Pim Verbeek.

If you add Zenit St Petersburg's recent UEFA Cup win under "dirty Dick" Advocaat, you have three examples - from very different footballing cultures - of teams being well managed by Dutch coaches.

While the Socceroos' performances against Iraq raise concerns about their ability against stronger opposition, Verbeek has answered every question put to him, and his management of the logistical challenges of Asia has been perfect.

The trick is to now leverage this progress into future development, and here it can get tricky. The natives will get restless if the trickle of Dutch coaches making their way to Oz turns into a flood. Just last week Jan Versleijen was flagged as the likely head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport's football program. But I hope the gates are opened even further.

The next step is to replace Rob Baan as national technical director when his contract expires at the end of the year. We must import a highly qualified Dutch technician with an even stronger CV in youth development. His job will be to expedite change at junior and elite levels, and to tie up a deal with the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) to import their coaching licence system - clearly among the world's finest.

But for all the progress at national level, the states' football appointments are as political as ever. So I say quicken the pace of Dutch imports - temporarily. During a five-year window, we must absorb as much knowledge as we can from these coaches. For every Dutch appointment, there must be national - not state - appointments of at least one, preferably two, Australian assistants. Then we adapt and improve.

There is a feeling that we have replaced a British footballing "mafia" with a Dutch one. But unlike the British influence, which set us back decades, the Dutch infiltration is strategic, short-term and based on specific gaps in our football education.

We need a clear direction for a limited period of time. After that, we can adapt those Dutch methods to our own circumstances and culture, and create an attractive, attacking - and winning - Australian style of football.It was a stellar week for Australia. Events in the Middle East and at Euro 2008 in the last seven days have reinforced the wisdom of applying the Dutch model to the development of the game here.

In Austria and Switzerland, the quality and verve of the Netherlands under Marco van Basten has been matched only by the speed and precision of Guus Hiddink's young Russians. In Qatar, the Socceroos progressed to the next stage of World Cup qualifying under the tutelage of Pim Verbeek.

If you add Zenit St Petersburg's recent UEFA Cup win under "dirty Dick" Advocaat, you have three examples - from very different footballing cultures - of teams being well managed by Dutch coaches.

While the Socceroos' performances against Iraq raise concerns about their ability against stronger opposition, Verbeek has answered every question put to him, and his management of the logistical challenges of Asia has been perfect.

The trick is to now leverage this progress into future development, and here it can get tricky. The natives will get restless if the trickle of Dutch coaches making their way to Oz turns into a flood. Just last week Jan Versleijen was flagged as the likely head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport's football program. But I hope the gates are opened even further.

The next step is to replace Rob Baan as national technical director when his contract expires at the end of the year. We must import a highly qualified Dutch technician with an even stronger CV in youth development. His job will be to expedite change at junior and elite levels, and to tie up a deal with the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) to import their coaching licence system - clearly among the world's finest.

But for all the progress at national level, the states' football appointments are as political as ever. So I say quicken the pace of Dutch imports - temporarily. During a five-year window, we must absorb as much knowledge as we can from these coaches. For every Dutch appointment, there must be national - not state - appointments of at least one, preferably two, Australian assistants. Then we adapt and improve.

There is a feeling that we have replaced a British footballing "mafia" with a Dutch one. But unlike the British influence, which set us back decades, the Dutch infiltration is strategic, short-term and based on specific gaps in our football education.

We need a clear direction for a limited period of time. After that, we can adapt those Dutch methods to our own circumstances and culture, and create an attractive, attacking - and winning - Australian style of football.

To understand how crucial the uniformity of approach is, witness Qatar's ill-fated approach to their development program. Qatar appointed a French coach in every academy at the under-13s level, a Dutchman at the under-15s level and an Italian at the under-17s. But they discovered that each coach preached a method suited to his individual culture. Of course, they failed to divine a cohesive method from the chaos.

The Dutch blueprint is a dominant, tactically flexible, attacking style of football. For now, it suits us perfectly.



The Dutch blueprint is a dominant, tactically flexible, attacking style of football. For now, it suits us perfectly.

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The Weekender: Should the AIS stay in the VPL?

The Weekender: Where else can the players from the AIS play?

Paul Mavroudis is a passionate South Melbourne fan and football blogger. and Paul is making the journey to Canberra this weekend for his sides Sunday VPL clash with the AIS.

Paul writes the Weekender this week:On Saturday, I and 30 odd other South Melbourne fans will be making the trip up to Canberra by bus.....

On Saturday, I and 30 odd other South Melbourne fans will be making the trip up to Canberra by bus, to watch our team play the AIS in a Victorian Premier League clash. If you predicted this scenario a few years back, you'd have been locked in the crazy house, and rightly so. But it's true, and here we are now, two sides with very different goals and cultures, yet aiming for the moment at least for the same prize.


The inclusion of the AIS in the VPL has not been one universally welcomed by the league's regular clubs. They bring no crowds, exacerbating a problem which already hurts the VPL enormously.

The regular clubs require expensive trips up north for which the expenses allocated for it come up short. The AIS pays no transfers and no wages. It does not need to maintain the costly standards that other clubs are required to do, of press boxes, lighting and everything else that comes with running a club.


Worse still, there was the feeling that last year at least, the AIS mixed and matched its squads too frequently, as part of its quest to develop players rather than win championships.

Of course, this ended up producing quite varied results and performances, where teams would be blown off the park one day, and then come up with an easy win. And further adding to the uncertainty they create is the possibility of them leaving the competition, or even perhaps getting relegated.


The former scenario means that especially if they leave their decision to leave until late, a relegated club who may receive a stay of execution for a year due to that decision may have already lost several players to other clubs.

If as in the latter scenario the AIS do get relegated - which is highly unlikely this year, but was a possibility last season – no one in their right mind would have them playing amongst the clubs in Victoria's State League 1 competition, therefore meaning that a club that finished higher on the table may get relegated. Not an ideal situation.


There are good and bad rationales for them being in the VPL in the first place. The good is that they get to play regularly against sides looking for wins, in what is probably Australia's best 2nd tier competition, against bigger and more experienced bodies, and indeed against players with NSL or A-League experience.

One complaint that comes up about junior players is that because they spend too much time playing against each other, they are then unable to make the step up to senior competition.


The bad is that for perhaps similar reasons to those mentioned earlier, Football NSW doesn't want them, where their inclusion would make more economic sense, and many people down here in Victoria believe that their inclusion in the VPL is not only detrimental to the league and its clubs, but was made as part of a solution to the messy problem of who would get relegated in 2006, a situation many see the FFV as largely responsible for.


And yet, where else can the players from the AIS play? Participating in the National Youth League, as they used to do in the NSL days seems like the obvious solution, and it'd give Canberra some default if not ideal national representation.

But if the costs are near prohibitive for travelling to Victoria every 2nd week, how would they cope with travelling to Perth and Adelaide on multiple occasions? In the NSL days, the AIS played against predominantly NSW based opposition, but that is not an option in these times.

With the deal with the Wellington Phoenix seemingly falling through, the kids need to play somewhere - and even in the NYL, 18 games a year would probably not cut it - but it appears until there's a sudden injection of funding to make that possibility a reality, the AIS are here to stay in the VPL, bringing with them all their anomalies.

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AIS Coach wants a house in Sydney?

Rumours abound. I want a house in Sydney, and so does the prospective new Dutch AIS Coach.

The AIS look set to appoint an overseas coach, if you believe the pitchside talk, yes he's Dutch. No surprise there.

Previous AIS Coach Steve O'Connor was on somewhere around $100,000. The new position was advertised at $200,000.

"The new Dutch man" is holding out. Apparently more than $250,000 is required to seal the deal, plus a house in Canberra...oh and an apartment in Sydney.

So with Tech Director Rob Baan leaving, we will presumably have another Dutch mate popping in. A 57 year old by all accounts.

Two years in Sydney tops I reckon, and he might pop down to Canberra..... occasionally.

Where do you get a two year retirement fund like that?

Football Federation Australia.

Gary Van Egmond, even Steve Van Connor would have been much cheaper!

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Football fans travelling to Canberra.

A busload of South Melbourne fans are heading to Canberra for the AIS v South Melbourne clash on June 22nd. Great to see their dedication.

How many fans would come from Melbourne or Sydney for A-League clashes if we had a Canberra team? Sorry, just wishful thinking.

This weekend the AIS take on Heidelberg United. Watch out for young Canberra flyer Kofi Danning. Big things, big things expected of the young lad, this from an AIS team that NEVER, and I mean NEVER in my knowledge, talk up any players.

Will he play EPL or Champions League, that's the rumour....assuming every thing else goes to plan, watch him while you can!

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Where now for the AIS Football program?

The Weekender is an article written by anyone with an interest in any level of football. It's aim is to ensure Canberrans can wake up to some coverage of Australian/Canberra football on their weekend.

This weeks is written by myself.
Where now for the Australian Institute of Sport Football program?

When Ange Postecoglou fronted SBS The World Game after the perceived failure by the Australian Under 17 side at the last World Cup, football commentator Craig Foster asked Postecoglou if he was going to resign.



The pressure on Australian Coaches is increasing as the football public and media demand more success.

This is what the current job description for the AIS Head Coaching position states:
The AIS/National Men’s Under 20 program has the dual aims of; (1) qualifying for the World Youth Cup through AFC and a minimum of a top 8 finish at the Youth World Cup; and (2) fast track the individual development of athletes to Olyroos (Under 23) and Socceroos (Open) selection.

But with the changing face of Australian Youth development can we really expect the Australian Under 20 side to finish at in the top 8 at the World Cup, and if so what will be done to assist him?

History

In years gone by the AIS developed players for the Young Socceroos (Under 20), to school them and prepare them for professional football, and hopefully see them make the step up to the National team later in their careers.

In the good old days previous coaches, Ron Smith or Steve O’Connor, had the players 24/7 for two years preparing them for Oceania and World Cup tournaments.

It is easier, surely, to shape a side if you control the players’ diet, fitness, coaching, and match performance day in day out.

And it is no coincidence that most of our World Cup squad of 2006 were schooled at the AIS. The 2006 World Cup team included Mark Viduka, Marco Bresciano, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Josip Skoko, Craig Moore, Luke Wilkshire and Jason Culina to name a few who were graduates of the AIS.

But today many players are gone long before their two year apprenticeship is up.

Youth structural change

The growth of the A-League and now the Youth league is great for Australian football fans, but is it any good for player development?

“’Have you got a fast player,’ that’s all the A-League Coaches ask me,” said former AIS Coach Steve O’Connor recently.

The A-League has already taken James Holland, Sebastian Ryall, James Hoffman, Andrew Redmayne and Matthew Mullen from the AIS.

Jason Naidovski’s signing for the Newcastle Jets is expected to be followed by the rest of the current squad being whisked to A-League Youth clubs come the middle of May.

So where does leave the AIS program, our Young Socceroos squad and indeed its hopes.
The current depleted squad play in the Foxtel Cup in the Victorian league each week. And they are being sent to Hong Kong to play in a five-a-side tournament on large fields in May. How will that assist player and tactical development?

The New Coach

Over 100 applications have been received for the $200,000 position.
But how will the new Coach, arriving in August, prepare for a November Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, when all of his players are playing across the country? An Asian Cup, take note, which acts as World Cup Qualifiers.
Will players be withdrawn for games and international travel?

Will a few weekly camps, where/if players are released by their A-League clubs, be enough to match the efforts of previous Under 20 teams?

AIS Scholarships

The new Coach will, of course, have the next Scholarship holders to train.
The current Scholarship group all come from the same year. In terms of player physical development this makes sense.

But the new Scholarship holders will now span two years. The AIS will take 12 boys born in 1991 and 15 born in 1992. So a future Young Socceroos side will be built around many boys who will be 19 not 20 come World Cup time.

Anyone who has worked in Young player development will know that one or two exceptional talents can step up, but ten or more is unlikely.

The changing face of Youth development in Australia is a great thing, but the future of the AIS needs to be outlined.

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Monday wrap:

AIS, Matildas, Paul Okon, SBS telly talk, Tony Antonis, Kanga Cup, Harry Kewell, Sydney FC and more.

Paul Okon, David Zdrillic, Michael Valkanis, Carl Veart and Steve Corica are in Canberra this week. They are all currently undertaking their B Licence Coaching certificate.

Fourteen year old Sydney boy Terry Antonis is off to Everton in England. Fozzie says it's the most crucial issue facing Australia. Young player development.

Kanga Cup ad! Kanga Cup ad on SBS. Nearly fell off me seat!

Four Canberrans in the AIS team that lost 2-1 to Melbourne Knights in Ballaret on the Anzac Day.

Dane Milovanovic, Sam Munro, Ivan Pavlak and Kofi Danning all started. And Matthew Grbesa was on the Knights side. Any Youth League places for these players?

Matildas Big game today against USA, a side Australia has never beaten. A sold out crowd in North Carolina here's hoping the Aussies get a win.

Paul Okon will be on the Nearpost radio this week.

Harry Kewell to be called up for Ghana game. SBS reported this afternoon

Sydney FC aiming for 10,000 members. SBS highlighted the work Sydney are doing, finally, in developing relationships with junior clubs. Great work Sydney.

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Should we go Dutch?

Former AIS Head Coach Steve O'Connor is gone, to Sydney FC. And despite offering to take the Young Socceroos to the Asia Cup in October, it seems the FFA have other plans.

Should we go Dutch?
Should we employ one of the 200 Englishmen who are sure to apply.
Should we stay Aussie. And is it not a tad late to get someone in place for preparations for the October tournament given the process and getting someone in will probably take three months.

Go and apply here, if you are Dutch:)

Under 20 Socceroos Coach

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AIS crash 3-0

AIS suffered their third loss in a row when they went down to Green Gully 3-0 yesterday.

Read Neil Zimmerman's match report below:

Green Gully racked up their fourth consecutive win with a 3-0 victory over the AIS at a sun drenched Green Gully Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

A brace to second half substitute, Campbell Banks saw the home team run out comfortable winners over an AIS side that failed to make its amount of possession count on the scoreboard.

The match started off in a very cagey manner with the majority of play taking place in the midfield with both teams guilty of wasting their final ball.

The match finally sprang to life in the 19th minute when a heavy challenge by Green Gully's Joel Nikolic on Matthew Theodore saw the AIS player sprawled on the turf and his team mates incensed.

Nikolic received a yellow card for his trouble and the young AIS playmaker had to be helped from the field for treatment. Not long after Jason Naidovski produced the first shot on goal for the match, which was easily saved by the Cavaliers 'keeper Steve Tilovski. This chance proved to be the best opportunity for the half although in the dying moments of the half, the visitors had a series of corners but failed to make any headway.

Having dominated possession and taken control of the midfield, the AIS would have left the field at the break a little disappointed not to taken more from the half.

The second half saw a rejuvenated home side as Green Gully coach, Ian Dobson replaced an ineffective Joel Nikolic with Matthew Sanders.

The AIS almost took the lead ten minutes into the second half as Cavaliers' midfielder, Andy Vargas got his head to a free kick from the AIS' Richard Greer.

Fortunately the home side, the ball hit the top of the crossbar and out for a corner after looping over the head of Tilovski in the Green Gully goal.

Not long after, the home side took the lead as Koce Delev broke his scoring drought for the Cavaliers after rifling home a shot from close range after the AIS failed to clear the ball from their area.

AIS coach, Ray Junna responded quickly to the goal with the substitution of Matthew Theodore, who wasn't his usual influential self after that earlier clash, which had seen him leave the field of play. Coming on as his replacement was Peter Cvetanovski.

Looking to get back on equal terms the visitors kept the Cavaliers in their own half for a number of minutes and created a number of chances for themselves. The best of these were long range effort from Richard Greer which was tipped over the bar, and a deflected shot from AIS captain, Luke DeVere, which was cleared off the line via the head of Steve Burton.

The home side soon doubled their advantage as Campbell Banks, who had recently replaced goalscorer, Delev, deflected a long range effort from Emanuel Muscat past a despairing Birghitti in the AIS goal.

Four minutes later Banks, put the game beyond doubt as he scored his second goal and the Cavaliers' third after calmly slotting the ball past an onrushing AIS 'keeper after being put through on goal via a pinpoint pass from Matthew Sanders.

After the game Cavaliers' coach, Ian Dobson admitted that he thought in the first half the Cavaliers' midfield was being overrun and the forwards weren't working hard enough but after making some changes at half time it was pleasing to see the team come out in the second half and play a lot better.

He also commended his back line whom he thought defended very well for the entirety of the match, keeping the AIS attacking threats in check.

After three weeks on the road, next week the AIS will host fellow top six contenders, the Melbourne Knights, whilst Green Gully will be at home for the second week in a row as they play host to the Preston Lions.

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AIS 0 Western Suburbs 1

Read Neil Zimmerman's match report below. And you can hear Neil Zimmerman's report on Nearpost radio tomorrow

The AIS suffered their second loss in as many weeks as Western Suburbs picked up a 1-0 victory thanks to a 54th minute strike from Tomi Razov at Ralph Reserve on Sunday afternoon.

The win was only their second for the season for Western Suburbs and their first under newly appointed coach, Ken Murphy.

Murphy, who replaced Kon Pappas late in the week, would have been pleased with the early endeavour shown by his charges and they obviously looked to impress their new boss.

Western Suburbs had the most of the early play but failed to make any impression on the scoresheet. Both Suburbs' captain Terry Antoniadis and Vasili Kalogeracos spurned chances early to give the home side the lead.

Almost at every opportunity the home side were looking to press the AIS defence and force them out of the comfort zone of passing the ball out of the back half.

The visitors' first real opportunity to score didn't arrive until around the twenty minute mark as a Jason Hoffman was easily dealt with by the Western Suburbs' 'keeper. Only moments later, Antoniadis had another opportunity to put the team in front with the AIS' 'keeper caught out of position.

The first half drew to a close without either team troubling the scoresheet and only creating a few half chances.

Nine minutes into the second half, after a period of dominance and good build-up play, the home side were rewarded with a goal from Tomi Razov. Razov beat Mark Birghitti in the AIS goal with a well taken shot after being set up by Kalogeracos.

The competition's leading goal scorer, Jason Naidovski almost had a chance to the level the scores only minutes later, but his header from a Matthew Theodore cross sailed well over the bar without troubling Stejpan Gal in the Suburbs goal.

Early in the play there had been some brilliant lead up play by AIS winger, Kofi Danning as his burst of speed left the defenders in his wake.

After going a goal down the AIS were now looking to apply the pressure on a Western Suburbs team that had gone into its shell.

AIS Coach, Ray Junna, saw this as a perfect opportunity to bring on Sam Munro for Richard Greer. Only moments after being on the field of play, Munro picked up his team's only yellow card for the day after a heavy challenge on goal scorer, Razov.

With only fifteen minutes to go in the match, Suburbs' keeper Gal kept his team in the game with two excellent saves from the boot of Alexander Sunasky in rapid succession.

It would be a one of the moments, which the AIS coach noted after the game where the AIS failed to take their chances.

In the dying moments of the match, Danning, who was proving to extremely elusive, had an opportunity to level the scores for the visitors but his shot was straight at the 'keeper after he was cleverly put through by Naidovski.

After the game, Western Suburbs coach, Ken Murphy was reluctant to put the win down to "new coach" syndrome but was pleased with the overall effort of his new charges.

"They did everything that I asked of them and maybe were unlucky not to win 2-0, which would have been a fair result", he noted, although qualifying his statement by stating that they rode their luck late in the game.

Both AIS coach, Ray Junna and his captain, Luke Devere both stated after the game that on the day, the team failed to take the chances that were presented to them and this ultimately cost them any chance of taking any points away from Ralph Reserve.

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Two keepers, one aim.

AIS Keeper Matthew Birighitti is enjoying playing in the VPL.



Former ACTAS and current O'Connor Knights keeper Codey Larkin



Matthew Birighitti (WA) and Codey Larkin (Canberra) are two goalkeepers following in a rich Aussie tradition.



Matthew Birighitti is the current AIS keeper, and has helped steer the young side to third place in the Victorian Premier League.

"It's a tough league. I'm from Western Australia and there's a few good teams and then a gap. In the VPL even the bottom team is a good side, plays good football," said the young keeper who took time out before training at the AIS for a quick chat.

With Central Coast Mariners and AIS keeper Andrew Redmayne injured Matthew is grabbing his opportunity.

Birighitti has an injured ankle himself but is still keen to play on the weekend against Western Suburbs

"I'm enjoying it, I'm loving it, it's great."

"I'd like to get in the Under 20 side, maybe have another year at the AIS. There are few good young keepers around."

You can get Neil Zimmerman's report on the AIS/Western Suburbs game this weekend here on the blog.

Goalkeeper Number 2. Codey Larkin left ACTAS last year after the Academy's trip to China.

"I'm playing with O'Connor Knights. We're in the Fed Cup Semi-Final this weekend against White Eagles. I think we'll win," said Larkin.

Larkin is following the Wellington Phoenix Canberra based Youth team proposal with interest. He is well aware of the possibilities ahead.

"I'm excited about the Youth League, all the young players around Canberra are talking about it. I just hope it comes off.

"I've rang the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle. I'll move if I get a chance to play. I really want to give my football a go."

Larkin is exactly the sort of player who could benefit from the new Youth League. Particularly if there is a team based in Canberra.

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Why is Steve O'Connor so happy!

"Smile Steve, you're off to Sydney FC," said the photographer and at that point Rocky as he's known in football circles, lifted his head and gave the biggest smile ever!

Steve was a great guest, wit, football stories and insight, a radio hosts dream. Pity we only had an hour.

He told us how Mark Viduka drove everyone mad in the Residences at the AIS bouncing the ball against his dorm wall with his head.

How Vinnie Grella demanded to be taught how to hit long balls into space, how to control the ball in tight situations, how Lucas Neill, Mark Viduka, Josip Skoko, Joe Simunic, and Craig Moore all played in the same AIS team at one point.

Has there ever been such an intake?

And he told us how he's off to Sydney FC. A challenge, a big challenge with lots of uncertainty but one that needs to be done and done well.

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