Mitch Langerak doesn't listen to the Nearpost...or else he'd have got their first on the weekend.
John Aloisi, The Cove, Steve O'Connor, Sydney FC Melbourne Heart, Westpac, Tommy Oar, Lucy Zelic, Con Stamocostas, Gold Coast United, Wellington Phoenix, Terry McFlynn, Graham Arnold and Terry Henry..it's all here.
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The Mariners are coming to look at Canberra's Youth, but they face a fight from former AIS Coach and now Sydney FC Youth Coach, Steve O'Connor.
O'Connor is rumoured to be on the hunt for a number of Canberrans currently at the AIS and playing in Canberra.
We know Kofi Danning has already been asked, but there could be a few more Canberra lads.
So who will win the fight. Sydney FC or the Central Coast Mariners? Watch this space.
Steve O'Connor and John Kosmina have identified 40 Sydney players for a Sydney FC Youth team trial. I expect Sydney FC to win the Youth League. After all who would have O'Connor's knowledge of the talent spread across the country in the last five years?
SYDNEY FC STARTS NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE TRIALS WITH 40 LOCAL SYDNEY PLAYERS TONIGHT
The next generation of Sydney FC stars will begin trials for the Sydney FC National Youth League team tonight (Monday) with 40 talented young players from all over Sydney invited to attend the four-week trials.
The players have been identified over the last two months by former Head of the AIS football program and Sydney FC Youth Team Coach Steve O’Connor, Head Coach John Kosmina and Sydney FC midfielder Steve Corica.
O’Connor, Kosmina and Corica spent time watching NSW Premier League matches, spoke with all of the coaches in the NSW Premier League and looked at hundreds of resumes and videos from hopeful junior players.
The end result is 40 players who will be out to impress for one of 11 places in the inaugural Sydney FC National Youth League team.
The players will spend the next four Monday night’s at Sydney FC’s training ground at the Macquarie University Sporting Fields under the watchful eye of O’Connor and Corica, who will be an Assistant Coach for the Sydney FC National Youth League side as well as continuing his playing career in 2008/09.
“We have identified a talented group of about 40 local players who we’ve asked to come in for a targeted trial over the next month,” O’Connor said. “Sydney has a lot of very good young players and we want to fill our team with local players.
“Sydney FC is a team for the people of Sydney and the Youth League side should be looked upon as a crucial step for young Sydney players looking to become professional footballers.
“Traditionally Sydney and NSW have had a strong representation in Australian junior teams and we want to give young players a clear development pathway through Sydney FC’s youth structure to the A-League and beyond.
“We believe we have fantastic facilities, on and off the field, at our training ground at Macquarie University and these young players will be able to utilize them in a professional environment as they develop as players.”
Sydney FC has also worked closely with Football NSW and the NSW Premier League clubs to make sure the selection process does not interfere with the State League at what is a crucial time.
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.
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
Speaking on Total Football tonight Sydney FC Coach John Kosmina was asked, "where is Mark Milligan?"
"I don't know," said Kossie.
Well Kossie he's been in Canberra, with your new Sydney FC Coach Steve O'Connor, at the AIS for the last few days, doing some rehab training with the Under 20's.
Does Kossie really not know?.....hmmmmn....me thinks not.
"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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Wellington Phoenix CEO Tony Pignata on the Youth proposal for Canberra.
Asian Champions League
AIS Coach and soon to be Sydney FC Youth Coach Steve O'Connor
Ashleigh and Nicola Sykes Matildas tryouts from Dubbo, NSW.
In the local show:
Capital Football CEO Heather Reid gives a response to the Phoenix proposal.
Canberra FC Alex Castro
Weston Creek's Luisa Marzotto
Steve O'Connor talks Sydney FC, AIS players, his standout memories.
Kaz Patafta, Shaun Ontong, Ben Williams, Steve O'Connor, AIS, Youth League lots of Canberra football news here.
Kaz Patafta meets Les Murray Sunday 5pm. Canberra and Melbourne Victory's Kaz Patafta will be on SBS The World Game on Sunday around 5pm. Sir Les will interview Kaz.
Kaz Patafta and Shaun Ontong. Mates in Asia.
In the week when Nikolai Topor-Stanley is named in his first Socceroos squad, Kaz Patafta and Shaun Ontong were playing in Australia's most successful Asian Champions League night..ever.
Kaz came on for Victory in their 2-0 win over Chunnam (Korean Cup winners) and Shaun was on the bench in Pohang City, Korea as Adelaide United won 2-0.
The lads who used to do extra training together running up Black Mountain are reaping the rewards now.
Referee Ben Williams
What did you do on Wednesday. Get stuck on The Tuggers Parkway, struggle to park in Civic, bunked school, late home from the office.
Ben Williams was in Iran refereeing Sepahan in their 2-0 defeat to Syrian side Al Ittihad
Steve O'Connor
How fast do you have to be to play International Football. Well Steve say's 3.25 seconds over 20 metres is to slow. Test yourself today!!
Brett Emerton was around 2.7 secs at age 15. The Gympie flyer James Downey at Perth Glory is similarly quick.
Australian Institute of Sport
It's beeen along time since we've had four players in an AIS side from Canberra. Kofi Danning, Sam Munro, Dane Milovanovic and Ivan Pavlak are all playing in an AIS side that is joint top of the VPL after 3 games.
And you can imagine they have had to take a bit of physical stuff over the last couple of years from other teams not used to losing to kids.
"It's been so bad, sometimes I want to get my kit on and get out there. But the lads have learnt and this year they are starting to give it back just a little. They are looking after themselves better. In one game last year we had three guys off with blood injuries at the same time," said AIS Coach Steve O'Connor
Youth League..first ray of light for Canberra football?
The FFA are interested in Canberra making up the 8th team in the Youth League next year. In conjunction with the Wellington Phoenix or as a stand alone team it's too early to say.
Finances would be the only thing stopping us. Time to get our thinking hats on Canberrans.
With the Youth League offering $5,000 a season the four Canberrans in the current AIS squad would probably prefer to stay in a Canberra Youth side then head off to one of the other seven Australian Youth teams.
With the Youth League expected to be announced today, suddenly clubs have a real opportunity to develop and improve their young players.
And one day maybe make a fortune by selling them overseas. At worst we should have a steady stream of improved young players coming through to the A-
League if things are done right.
Sydney FC are hot off the mark if the rumours are to be believed. AIS Head Coach Steve O'Connor is rumoured to be heading to Sydney FC as Technical Director, Assistant Coach and Youth Coach.
Steve will join up with friends from the old Sydney City days John Kosmina and Andrew Kemeny if the rumour is true.
It would be a big loss for the AIS, but maybe with a Youth League we won't need an AIS in it's current form.
Football in Asia just never stops!
Release from the FFA
Australia’s next generation of stars will play their first international matches later this week when the Qantas Young Socceroos compete in the 2007 Weifang Cup in China against some of Asia’s heavyweights.
The six-team tournament will see Australia pitted against host-nation China, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan and top Chinese club Shandong Luneng during the eight-day tournament which commences on Friday.
The long road towards the 2009 FIFA World Youth Cup will commence in October with the first stage of qualifying to be followed next year by the AFC U-19 Championship.
“The experience the players will gain will be invaluable in regards the playing conditions and also in facing a variety of opponents,” said Qantas Young Socceroos Coach Steve O’Connor.
“The tournament will be quite challenging given the conditions and also the quality of opposition and there will be little time to acclimatise before the matches.”
“This will be the start of a long road ahead for the team and it will be a chance for players to impress and stamp their mark ahead of the first stage of qualifying.”
The 20-strong squad features mainly players based at the Australian Institute of Sports though three are currently contracted to Hyundai A-League clubs in Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, Adelaide United midfielder Matthew Mullen and Queensland Roar striker Tahj Minniecon. Striker and Newcastle Jets trainee Jason Hoffman is also included in the squad.
The Qantas Young Socceroos squad to compete in the Weifang Cup, July 27 – August 4, is:
Luke DeVere, Dane Milovanovic, James Holland, Ante Cicak, Daniel Mullen, James Brown, Richard Greer, Tahj Minniecon (AIS/Queensland Roar), Jerrad Tyson, Bonel Obradovic, Milos Lujic, Sebastian Ryall, Andrew Redmayne (AIS/Central Coast Mariners), Matthew Mullen (AIS/Adelaide United), Alex Sunasky, Matthew Theodore, Isaka Cernak-Okanya, Matthew Jurman, Matthew Harper, Jason Hoffman (uncontracted)
* All players AIS-based unless stated otherwise
Australia v Uzbekistan
Friday 27 July, 9.30am (11.30am AEST)
Australia v Iran
Sunday 29 July, 4pm (6pm AEST)
Australia v China
Tuesday 31 July, 4pm (6pm AEST)
Australia v Shandong Luneng
Thursday 2 August, 9am (11am AEST)
Australia v South Korea
Saturday 4 August, 9am (11am AEST)
All matches to be played in Weifang
What about Steve O'Connor from the Australian Institute of Sport.Without the preparation of the players from a young age we may never have had the quality to turn Lowy and O Neill's administration skills into Hiddinks final product.
Football in the Capital caught up with Steve O'Connor recently at the AIS, some sixteen years after he first put a young Mark Viduka through his paces.
Who was the most instrumental person in getting Australia to last year’s World Cup in Germany?
Frank Lowy, John O’Neill or Guus Hiddink? Many would put forward one of these names.
Here’s another name. Steve O’Connor.
Who?
Steve O’Connor. Or Rocky as he is affectionately known.
Steve has been Coach at the Australian Institute Sport since 1991, apart from when he went to the NSWIS to coach the likes of Harry Kewell for a year.
Mark Viduka, Craig Moore, Brett Emerton, Vince Grella, Luke Wiltshire, Marco Bresciano, Mile Sterjovski, Josip Skoko and Mark Milligan are just some of squad of 2006 who O’Connor has guided along their football journey.
When O’Connor talks about the players, the young men he has taught, his eyes smile.
“None of last years World Cup squad surprised me. They were all very dedicated when they were here and they got their reward. I was just so pleased for them, seeing what they had achieved.”
Viduka and Moore were at the AIS in 1992. They both played in an AIS team which won the local ACT Premier League.
“It’s a long time ago. But even then we talked to the guys about the Holy Grail. We talked about them being the ones that might take us to the World Cup.”
And so it proved. Not only had O’Connor’s dreams and goals for his students come through. The squad went one better than the 1974 side which was the only previous Australian team to qualify. This side went to the next round, before losing to Italy by a disputed Francesco Totti penalty.
The standards have been set.
“Everyone asks when we will produce the next Kewell or Viduka. But they are once in a lifetime players. Even big European clubs with their strong development programmes can’t produce a player to play in the top league, never mind one of the standards of Kewell.”
“In Australia the AFL target every athlete. I had a guy in from the Western Bulldogs the other day looking at our zonal play strategies. He said the AFL would only have missed maybe one or two per cent of the best athletes in this country.”
“In Europe the best athletes all play football. So we’re up against it in Australia.”
“In France and England there are different systems. Clubs get their players and develop them early. In France, academies pick the guy up at 13 and younger. Here we take players at 15. They need to be developed, but we would like to get their skills improved before they come to us. Hopefully the new technical report will address this and the States and clubs will assist us with our aims.”
How are players chosen to come to the AIS?
“We usually invite maybe 40 players into a camp. We give them MRI scans, and test them thoroughly. It’s expensive, but we try and assist the players when they come to us full-time. We are a full-time professional program and we need players to work within that. But we know guys come with very different training histories and their bodies need to adjust. Some need more time than others.”
“Currently the AIS squad is playing in the Victorian Premier League. Normally a side will bring a couple of 17 year olds and nurse them through. We have a whole team of 16 yea r olds and they are meeting some quality ex-National Soccer League players in the VPL. It’s not ideal.”
“Plus the drought has made the pitches very bare, and uneven. It’s hard to play a passing game in such conditions.”
Australian’s football move to Asia has put more pressure on O’Connor and his young men.
“Normally we’d have two years to prepare for the Oceania qualifying tournament. This time we play in October in Malaysia and the Asian countries are putting a lot of money into football. We are well behind on that score.”
At the indoor centre a few of the next generation are hitting balls towards the goal, from thirty metres out. They are supposed to be aiming for a corner, left or right. Some are missing. Canberra’s Dom Giampaolo is among the group.
“Do you think professional footballers can make the ball hit the same spot in the goal time after time?”
Giampoalo nods.
“Sure they can.”
“Can we have another go Steve?”
And they do.
Another class. Maybe another Kewell or Viduka right there. After all these years, for O’Connor the challenge remains.
To produce young men to fulfil their potential, and match the best in the biggest game of all.
