Nearpost Football

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Beijing Olympics: An Aussie football success.

Arnie speaks the truth

"I take all the responsibility," concluded Arnold of the Beijing Olympics. "I was the coach. I'll tell you honestly, and people might not believe it, but we got the maximum out of that playing group.

Speaking in FourFourTwo Graham Arnold discusses the Beijing Olympics and the disastrous Asian Cup campaign 2007....although compared to Pim Verbeeks 2009 Asian Cup campaign Arnie's looking like a wizard.

Everyone knows Arnie only got the Socceroos job because he was on a three year contract and the FFA had no money after the World Cup.

That said his team in Beijing upset many. Although the performances were good on the whole.

I know I know we all wanted to turn the telly off...but they were good given the team we put out.

Yes Arnie has to live and die by his selections, and leaving Bruce Djite out still confuses me.

The Olympics disappointed many.

Not me.

Look at what Trent McClenahen, Ruben Zadkovich, Archie Thompson, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Neil Kilkenny and co have achieved since the Olympics...look at where the whole squad are now..compared to say Argentina....

And yes Arnie is right we massively over-achieved at the Beijing Olympics.

Arsenal fans more fickle than Canberra?

We are often told how fickle Canberra fans are, Raiders and Brumbies fans...well take a look at Arsenal.

Champions League Home Semi-Final...they couldn't get out quick enough in the second half...I know I know they were 4-0 down on aggregate...but really they're playing Man United, just goes to show these so-called super clubs support their teams when they are down.

Not so passionate after all are they?

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Nearpost Radio

Tom Sermanni talks Matildas..change to advertised topics earlier...next week apparently!
We talk ACL, National Curriculum, and have all review the Mariners defeat..again.

Locally Aaron Walker talks National Curriculum some more and we have all the local scores, opinions and all things football.

National.

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Local Show Download

Canberra Football Clubs Robbed.

Tuggeranong United had phones, keys, camera's stolen at training tonight.

Police say this is the third club to be hit in the last few days. If you're training in Canberra protect your gear.

Barcelona to Sydney?

My headline got changed on The Roar site..personally think mine is way more interesting, and indeed my ending...now it's more mouse than roar.

EPL clubs to play pre-season matches in Australia.

Are you sick of the A-League pre-season cup? Or even AFL and rugby league sides running out against each other as you wait for the real deal? Well, here’s a pre-season to get you jumping out of your skin.

English Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and Mark Schwarzer’s Fulham are confirmed for pre-season games in Australia against Perth Glory, Gold Coast United, Melbourne Victory and North Queensland Fury in July.

Scottish giants Celtic, with their worldwide fan base, are also likely to play the Roar in Brisbane.

And there’s more. Rumours abound that Barcelona are set to take on Sydney FC in August.

Reckon the other codes in Sydney wouldn't be too pleased with that would they?

Monday, 4 May 2009

Nearpost: Matildas Coach interview

Russ Gibbs is injured so Aaron Walker will join myself and Michella to talk football on the radio from 6.30pm
Nationally Matildas Coach gives his assessment of our female players at the National Championships and his view on the shenanigans in Dubbo.

Locally, from 7pm, we'll have a chat with football devotee Peter Funnell, Aaron Walker will take us through all the Men and Women's Premier League news and Div 4 of the Mens League.

Beep, beep...Miron he's fast.

Modern football is about many things, but increasingly you have to be able to run..and fast, and long...make that fast and long at the same time.

To test this endurance the Beep Test is the go.

How fast can you go? Superhero, super Cross Country, freak of nature Socceroo Brett Emerton and our own Carl Valeri can score over 15.
Gold Coast United new signing Stephen Lustica impressed last week with 15.2

And anyone who remembers the Roar's debut season will know Miron likes them to run..and fast!

Sunday, 3 May 2009

Canberra Raiders Attendance 8,800

A beautiful autumn evening in Canberra, early in the season, and a crowd of just 8,800 turned out to watch the Canberra Raiders.

Canberra to host Fulham

Settle down!

Fulham will play the Gold Coast, Melbourne Victory and Perth Glory but they WON'T be playing in the football backwater of Canberra....sorry about that....nor Wolves either come to mention it.

The Junior Coach is vital.

In my view any Coach taking on a junior team is a hero.

That said who you get as a Coach impacts on your learning, development and enjoyment.
Imagine being coached Piano by someone who had never played or learnt a note! And imagine paying for that!

Watching three teams warm up in the Under 9's this weekend was interesting.

Team 1: The Coach did 20 minutes of passing, dribbling and various ball centred drills. Each kid having their own ball.

Team 2: Also did 15 minutes warm-up or so. One ball, all players in a line and each player got to shoot about 5 or 6 times before the game started.

Team 3: Coach was delighted everyone got to the pitch before kick-off and handed out the shirts just before the whistle blew.

Imagine this has been going on with the three teams for the last three years...which players would you expect to have improved, natural ability aside, the most. No brainer innit.

Now when you see how many boys and girls can't pass with the side of their foot (both feet), the most basic football skill, by the age of twelve, you really wonder how it is possible that a child playing football for so long can't perform this simple task.

Well as I watched the warm-up scenarios for the teams above.....I guess I have my answer.

Of course they could all be getting great practice in training....I doubt it.

You also wonder given the lack of skilled coaches across our clubs, and lets face it with 12,000 juniors it is not possible for every team to have a good football coach if there is a better way.

If anyone knows of one being implemented at their club....let me know.

Friday, 1 May 2009

FFA: Skill Revolution Begins

Bring it on!

The FFA has released it's National Curriculum. See media release below.
It talks skills, Aussie psyche and how all elite teams will follow the 4-3-3 model.

Can someone please tell Pim Verbeek!

But three things caught my eye...

1. By 2010 each State/Territory will need to appoint at least one ‘Skill Acquisition Trainer’ whose role will be to ensure that skill development programs for talented players are universally implemented.

2. Football Clubs, schools and academies will be accredited and rated. Adoption of the Curriculum will be a pre-requisite to accreditation and rating.

3. And there are two development streams. “The first is for talented players who aim to play the highest level possible, and the second is for community players who just want to play the game and enjoy the sport..”

-

Great about time we got rid of the shonkies pretending to be an Academy, or even a Football Club.

In my view: Handing a ball out and sending the kids out to play with a parent does not make you a football club, nice to have a social club, a run and kick, but it's not a football club is it...no more than telling them to get in the pool makes you a swimming club.

Han Berger will be on the World Game on Sunday there is a whole chapter on the cost of football...so I'm looking forward to seeing ideas on that.

At a social level, with our community/business leverage...the game should be free for Under 10's

Football Federation Australia (FFA) today announced another new landmark initiative with the unveiling of a new National Football Curriculum (NFC) which has the long term aim of improving the skill level, quality and performance of Australia’s top players and teams.

“The National Football Curriculum is the next important stage of the Talent Identification Development Review and the National Football Development Plan that was announced in November 2007,” said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.

“It sets the blueprint for the quality and style of Australian football for the future and aims to significantly improve our skill levels.

“It is the first time we have had a national curriculum which sets the basis for the development of all young players and coaches, whether at community or elite level.”.

“The key objective is to create a talented player development program that emphasises skill and sustains international success for generations to come, as well as a coach development system that produces quality coaches who are able to implement the curriculum and realise similar goals,” Buckley said.

The NFC has been developed by researching best practice in talent development and identification in football and other sports and tailoring it to football in Australia.

The evidence-based curriculum has been developed by FFA’s National Technical Director, Han Berger, following on from preliminary work by the previous National Technical Director, Rob Baan.

Berger, who started in the role in January, will oversee implementation of the NFC.

“The new national curriculum recognises two streams of development,” Berger said.

“The first is for talented players who aim to play the highest level possible, and the second is for community players who just want to play the game and enjoy the sport..”

Berger said the NFC is for male and female footballers aged between 6-19 years, from those playing Optus Small Sided Football to the 11-a-side competitive environment.

The guiding principles of the NFC are:

- the approach is ‘game-related’ rather that ‘isolated’, which impacts all training and exercises
- an emphasis on skill development
- a proactive style of playing that corresponds with the Australian competitive psyche
- the mandating of the 1-4-3-3 formation for all FFA controlled development teams (eg. Qantas Joeys, Westfield Young Matildas) as the best developmental model, and the best structure for the proactive playing style
- the integration and mutual dependency of physical conditioning with football training so that they are not separated

Berger has consulted with all national coaches, Institute coaches and State Technical Directors as well as Member Federations in developing the curriculum.

Berger said that, as part of the implementation process, a number of actions are required to ensure compliance to the curriculum. These include:

- It will be mandated for national development teams and for programs under FFA (and member Federation) control
- Each State/Territory will appoint a Technical Director, funded under the FFA’s new Member Federation Charter, with the State Technical Director reporting to the National Technical Director
- Coach Education Programs will be reviewed to reflect the NFC
- Specific levels of coaching qualification will be required for all higher level coaching positions (National Team, Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League, National Youth League, Institute and State technical Directors)
- By 2010 each State/Territory will need to appoint at least one ‘Skill Acquisition Trainer’ whose role will be to ensure that skill development programs for talented players are universally implemented.
- Football Clubs, schools and academies will be accredited and rated. Adoption of the Curriculum will be a pre-requisite to accreditation and rating

Additional material will be added to the NFC to assist coaches and clubs with the ongoing implementation.

The NFC will begin an Australia-wide roll out in the coming months.

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Junior Football: It's back

How long before you hear one of these comments:

Loitering, yes we're talking about the lazy striker planted by the other coach.
Small Sided Games...whatderyermean it's good for em, just boot it will ya.
Hey Ref...where's your specks.
Hey Coach..what about my son..oh so I am the Coach now!
Who's got the whistle, any whistle.
That didn't go in, where's the net.
He's offside I'm telling youse. What is offside anyway?
Don't dribble it, pass it (to my kid)
I'll be back, what time does the game finish?

Oh yes Junior Football is back, over 12,000 kids in Canberra will do their best, can't wait....but steel yourself..and not just for the early starts and cold mornings.

May the kid have fun.

And remember the Ref's, the Coach and the Club Volunteers..it's only a game and we need them everyone of them and more.

Canberra boys: Not good enough?

Canberra has produced a number of Socceroos, A-League players and currently has 4 Canberrans in the Joeys squad.

So when they announced the first Under 13 boys Australian team ever....thirty spots mind you..I felt sure with thousands of kids playing football, Coerver Coaching, and various Academy and Clinics around town surely we'd be able to get one or maybe two players into the squad.

Our kids have never had so much coaching....

But not one made the list of 30....oh well, not all is lost, the local lads can always transfer to AFL, League and Union..where the skill set is less demanding.

Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Squad Selected for Training Camp

Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Head Coach, Ante Juric has selected thirty (30) players to participate in a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from 7-10 May 2009.

From this training camp, a final squad of twenty two (22) players, will be selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under 13 Boys – Festival of Football which will be held in Sabah, Malaysia from 24 May to 6 June 2009.

Juric, along with Football Federation Australia (FFA) National Technical Director Han Berger, selected the squad from the recent 2009 FFA National Junior Championships in Canberra.

Juric was impressed by the standard of players and is excited about selecting the final squad of players.

“The players at the National Junior Championships had very good technical ability and game sense, in that they were very aware of the positions they were meant to be in.

“During camp, we will focus on intense game play and formation. It will also be important for the boys to get to know each other, as we will have only a limited of time together before the tournament starts.

“For the final 22 that are selected, the opportunity to play at an overseas tournament, like the AFC Festival of Football, is huge in terms of their development and experience,” concluded Juric.

FFA Technical Director Han Berger was also pleased with the process for selecting Australian Football's youngest ever national team.

"I was positively surprised by the skill level of players at the championships.

"The players in the squad have been selected based on their technical ability and potential and not necessarily their physical development as that will happen in due course anyway.

"This is one example of a new National Curriculum that FFA will be introducing over the coming months in regard to identifying and developing talented players," concluded Berger.

-ends-

Qantas Australian Under 13 Boys Football Team
Training Camp
7-10 May 2009, Australian Institute of Sport, Bruce, ACT

Leo Athanasiou (Cockburn City/ WA), Thomas Beadling (Perth SC/ WA), Richard Blanco (Sutherland Sharks/ NSW), Jordan Brown (Monash City JSC/ VIC), Noah Chianese (Blacktown City Demons/ NSW), Daniel De Silva (Stirling Lions/ WA), Jerome Dunphy (Noarlunga/ SA), Vincent Giannini (Sydney Olympic/ NSW), Pasquale Gioffre (ECU Joondalup/ WA), Thomas Hector (Adelaide City/ SA), Benjamin Hombert (Inglewood/ WA), Adrian Lara (Sydney Olympic/ NSW), Anthony Laus (Melbourne Knights/ VIC), Brandon Lundy (Manly United/ NSW), Kevin Ly (Blacktown City Demons/ NSW), Dimitar Mitkov (South Melbourne JFC/ VIC), Jordan Nadalin (Blacktown City Demons/ NSW), Aiden Naughton (North QLD Football/ QLD), Matthew Ntoumenopoulos (ECU Joondalup/ WA), Conor O'Neill (The Gap/ QLD), Reece Papadimitrios (Newcastle Football/ NNSW), Milos Ridesic (South Melbourne JFC/ VIC), Christopher Skull (Birkalla West Torrance/ SA), Lewis Smirlis (South Melbourne JFC/ VIC), Haralambos Stamboulidis (Essendon Royals JSC/ VIC), Jordan Thurtell (Sunshine Coast Football/ QLD), Okan Nabi Tuna (Richmond SC / VIC), Dylan Vandenberg (Wollongong FC/ NSW), Jaiden Walker (South Lismore/ NNSW) and Benjamin Warland (Campbelltown/ SA).

Football can learn from swimming.

Training once a week is enough for anyteam, particularly a girls team.
Parents don't want to commit more than once a week to sport?

Right, no wrong!

Had a great post from Mr A. Nonymous...so thought I'd give it it's own heading...

We have many thousands of young swimmers in Australia doing a minimum of five training sessions a week between 1 - 2 hours per session. Thousands of them!

And that's the problem with football in this country! we don't do enough enough work at teh individual level to get a lot better.

But before someone suggests that we have never done this in sport - well think again.

We have many thousands of young swimmers in Australia doing a minimum of five training sessions a week between 1 - 2 hours per session. Thousands of them! As they get really good the training effort escalates and that is well before we talk about "State Academy", "AIS scholarships" or making an Australian age team and so on. They were training while the Near Post was being braodcast and will do so early in the mornings when most of us are sound asleep.

The result?

Australia is a leader in world swimming. No one questions it, because hard work in trainig and lots of it over a long time, together with available facilties and good coaching produces very good results.

Sponsorship dollars do not find their way down to talented swimmers at age in the clubs around Australia. It's no different in swimming clubs than it is for most of our football clubs and damn nearly all of our Premier League football clubs in the ACT. We run on the smell of an oily rag.

Now ask yourself why we are nowhere near the top of the tree in football, by comparison to swimming.

I have no doubt that many parents would be horrified if the local club junior coach said that he or she wants to train the Under 11s Red Div team every morning before school. Its hard enough getting them all to two short sessions after school.

The same parents want little Bill and Betty to be cracking good football players - without the sacrfices, without the hard work. That's the reality for many.

Our Captiol Football Academy program, which is shamefully elitest and discrimantory because it imposes a large fee for service (which many cannot afford)and only attends to a select few footballers at age (which leaves out others), doesn't seem to come anywhere near the rate of training effort that swimming clubs require of their swimmers on an ordinary basis - and all year round. As to coaching expertise, well that's another matter for debate (as it sometimes is in swimming clubs).

Of course there are some other differences that are instructive. The are a number of swimming clubs to choose from and they work all the year round. The competitoon never stops, like the training.The key coaching staff are professionals with appropriate qualifications. If you don't like a coach or a club you move to another and the training continues unabated.

There are many football clubs and not all are competing teams at the same levels,nearly all are based in almost every respect on volunteer effort, they run part the year and train part the year - never all the year, their coaches are a patchwork quilt with too many unqualified and poor technical developers, and of course, unpaid.

In other words, the structural arrangements for football do not make it easy to do what swimming has done, but they do provide a basis for development. The only one we have got here in the ACT.
We have an "academy" but it services relatively few players and takes players away from clubs, without helping to build club capacity. Again, it doesn't (of itself) enable football to move to the same committment levels as we see undertaken by dedicated swimmers (at any age). So seem to be are stuck and its not surprise that we have review after review for marginal forward progress!

We further compound the problem by returning Academy players to clubs when they can no longer remain with the academy. Training standards drop at club level. No one trains every day. No wonder swimmers look on bemused at footballers when they talk about how much they train. Footballers with aspirations and a willingness to do more and become better footballers are left high and dry, without the slightest assistance from Capitol Football and no means to do so at cash strapped and volunteer based football clubs.

Swimmers pay fees to train. Its real value for money! Footballers pay are registration fee every season to play. If you want your young players to get first class technical training (with a curriculum and well qualified coaches) then there is only one alternative in the ACT - Ceorver - it costs money, but its hourly rate is very favourable and genuine value for money. They make a difference.But only those with the available disposable income can access this option. It's like any other commodity - if you want it and can afford it and able to purchase it, good luck to you.

The Capitol Football Academy is an arm of the governing body for football in the ACT. It exists (in part) to ensure that football can accessed by all those able and willing to play. But play is different to pay! The Acdemy charge is a lot for the services said to be provided and its a matter of opinion as to whether this constitutes value for money. But is this the model of an academy that will see all our young players move closer to the ordinary training levels undetaken by competiton swimmers (at all ages)? Clearly it is not!

Is it any wonder we are not doing well as we might in football? The technical review that has been spoken of is important, a curriculum is useful, but how do you enable parents to embrace and support the requirement for football training as other parents do in swimming? Until we get closer we will not get better. Review football till you are blue in the face, the example has been with us for generations - swimming.

And what of musicians and dancers and those young Australians that compete for the science olympiad, or the children that form the choral group in my son's school and compete and gvie recitals? You think they get good on one or two training sessions a week? The hell they do! The boys who play football for this school do a good deal less and you know the rest.

Football is every bit as important as the rest. Time Capitol Football saw this problem in a new light and got itself organised to deal with it. That's where the leadership must come from.

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Mark Viduka: You can do it?

He's back, the big fella, but his team is going down.

52,000 Geordies will be crying in their beer if as expected they don't get the points they need in the next four games.

And it will make for great TV....unless you are a Geordie fan.

Must admit watching the last game of the English season is always a hoot, something about watching football fans cying when their team goes down...gets me everytime...

anyway on to the Master...

He's back and playing and judging by his attempts on goal against Portsmouth his touch has deserted him, or more like his luck.

And he's out of contract, but with a World Cup looming where now for the injury prone 33 year old?

He'll want another contract and the A-League is not an option either financially or in terms of World Cup preparation; our season finishes in March....although can you imagine if he did come back...I'll stop there.

The big man has missed most of his two year contract with Newcastle due to injury and he's slowed a lot already, and finds it harder and harder to get back to Premiership form, never mind 90 minutes fitness.

He could go to Croatia. He's has a long attachment to that country of course.

He could stay with Newcastle for one more season....if he scores a couple they'll beg him to stay.

He could stay with the Geordies in the Second division...no I can't see Viduka doing that can you.

More likely a promoted team or lower reach Premiership will offer him a one year deal or some overseas team may entice him with a two year deal.

My thoughts:
His body is gone, he knows it, we know it.
He may make the World Cup, if he gets another contract and is pampered a bit, as a striker off the bench...and he stays fit.

Very big if's, and of course will the Duke settle for a lesser role with any club in England?

Can he really continue in the Premiership?
Will he join his mate Josip Skoko in Croatia?

Is it the end for one of Australia's greatest?

I'd love to see him in the World Cup Squad, but only if he's fit enough to play a decent role.

He was one of our greatest, who my only regret was that he didn't stay with Celtic and form a long lasting partnership with Henrik Larsson.

Football for Viduka is clearly about money, or else if it was about working with the best and achieving something special....

Larsson and Chris Sutton took Europe by storm sending Celtic to their first European Cup Final in thirty years....

What could Larsson and Viduka achieved?

As for Viduka he's never scored a World Cup goal.

Could this tempt the big fella now the work has been done.

If he's fit he'll need to play in June for the Socceroos otherwise I guess that truly is the end for Australia's best ever striker.

Football Kulture: Finnish style

Canberra Rad Trpkovski is taking a group of Woden Valley Under 15 Boys to play in Finland, England, France and Holland in July. See earlier post for podcast of Rad and the trip. No easy task and hats off again to Woden Valley.

But he also mentioned he's arranged for his daughter, who will travel with the group, to play a game in the tournament with a Helsinki local Under 13 side.

"How good is your team," said Rad to the local Finnish Coach
"Mid-table in Divison 1, they go okay."
"How often do they train, my daughter's team does an hour or so a week," said Rad.
"The girls train on grass under a dome four times a week, one and half hours each time," informed the Finnish Coach

Imagine the reaction you'd get from the team and the parents doing that with an Under 13 girls team in Australia.

Stop laughing.

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Welcome home Australians

Welsh...you're joking, Greek..me never, Scottish...not after last weeks results in the World Cup.

Guess who is going to the World Cup in 2010..Australia...and suddenly Rhys Williams (Wales) Dean Bouzanis (Greece) and Brad Inman (Scotland) Shane Lowry (Ireland) have all decided they are AUSTRALIAN.

"Mate always was, just played for (insert other country here) for the craic, to take the michael really, but once Pim rang dinky di...he just said..World Cup and I thought you know I've always been so Australian, in my heart...it just feel right.

Note: At the time of writing Scotland, Wales have little chance of quaifying..wouldn't you know it!

Guess we'll be a better stronger after 2010 after all, with Euro based James Troisi, Bruce Djite, Brett Holman, Nikita Rukvystya, Mile Jedinak, James Holland, Michael Beauchamp, Matt Spiranovic, Carl Valeri all expected to move to the next tier post 2010.

Mariners to Canberra: More competitive football

Looks and sounds like the Mariners will bring two A-League games to Canberra. V Adelaide and Perth Glory.

And if Perth Glory sign Denilson or Alvaro Recoba as rumoured we'll be in for a treat like never before.

These are not pre-season games but regular competitive fixtures.
First the Socceroos now A-League. Good stuff.
The record Socceroos crowd recently in Canberra obviously woke a few people up in football land and local Govt, Business land, to many of us it merely confirmed what our evidence was saying.

But we don't want these games instead of an A-League team, but maybe this is another step on a long but inevitable journey.

And if the local Government can bring a few Sydney Swans AFL to Canberra for a few games this is the least the burgeoning football community deserves....and of course more Socceroos games will be in the mix as well.

Canberra will be the 12th team, or if West Sydney are given the nod as the FFA clearly wish, then the 13th..where else can the A-League go? We'll get there; just hang in.

Nearpost Podcast Ante Juric, Rad Trpkovski

Like to be a Radio Host. The local football half hour is looking for a few presenters to share the load. We'll train you, no problems, and it should be fun. Email flanagan.eamonn@gmail.com

Download.

Nationally we hear from Ante Juric the Australian Under 13 Coach, the first one ever, we talk Mariners and Jets in their ACL tournaments and we have news, opinions and all the latest Aussie football talk.

Locally below we hear from Woden Valley's Rad Trpkovski on the latest, extensive Woden trip to Europe. It's a hugely impressive football tour and Russ wraps the local news and football

Download

Football: Most popular in which State or Territory?

It's Canberra of course..with the highest percentage of registered players. Surely a base to build long-term local football support for an A-League side...

but NSW have 232,000 players whereas Victoria has just 37,000 players. Now we know the Vic's won't allocate pitches to football, away from their beloved AFL but the difference in numbers between the two states is incredible. See numbers below.

The FFA 2008 Annual Report shows the players per state and if you add the NSW & ACT player number you get 58% of Australia’s total player numbers refer to the chart below. http://www.producegroup.com.au/docs/ffa_fact_sheet.pdf

State ......Player No....... % per State..... Aus Pop ........% of pop
NSW ....... 232,897 ............... 55% ...... 6,967,200 ...... 3.34%
QLD ..........65,270 ............... 15% ...... 4,279,411........ 1.53%
ACT ......... 13,147 ................. 3% ........ 344,200 ........3.82%
TAS ......... 13,579 ............... 3% ......... 498,200......... 2.73%
VIC .......... 37,964............... 9% ........5,927,600 ......... 0.64%
WA .......... 32,117 .............. 8% ....... 2,163,200 ..........1.48%
SA ........... 25,365 .............. 6% .......1,601,800 ...........1.58%
NT ..............2,773 ...............1% ........ 219,900 ...........1.26%
Total ........423,112 ...........................22,001,511 .........1.92%

Monday, 27 April 2009

FFA fight for women's rights: Dubbo Dinosaurs re-educated?

Canberra United players Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes maybe be barred from playing in their local Dubbo/Bathurst Under 18 team in the Western District boys league...but the story has reached the FFA....

And the FFA has it seems engaged their Legal Department quicksmart.

Some members of the local association were laughing almost mocking when I rang them recently. Guess who is laughing now?

Reckon there is only one winner in this. So forget the legals and let the girls play..if others deem they are good enough, physical enough blah blah

Isn't that what ANY coach does when picking an Under 18 team? Anything else is purely discriminatory isn't it?

And while we're on it..what a way to thank two players who have by their pure talent done so much to promote the Dubbo Football District.

You'd think that Western District would be doing it's utmost to help any player male or female who has reached or the potential to reach the very top.

Football Administrator's: A rare breed!

We've done it!

No, sadly not Canberra, not yet..but Burton Albion.

I was born in the Brewing Capital of the World, surrounded by Brian Clough League Champs Derby County, European Cup winners Aston Villa, and Notts Forest, and the super Baggies of the 1980's.

Burton is just eight miles from Derby, 21 from Nottingham, 25 from Birmingham, 30 Stoke, 25 Leicester, 25 West Brom, 25 Wolves so plenty of local football around over the years.

It was the local Monks who added the special properties from the local water to make that first pint.

After 100 years or so we made into the Football League proper. In true Burton style we needed a win on the last day or even a draw having thrown a 19 point lead away.....but we lost.

Which is how we like it in Burton. For the record Cambridge United the over-educated U's drew 0-0 so whilst the Brewer's drooped..we're up. Can you believe it!

But check out the Burton Albion Study Centre...not bad for a non-league club is it?

Friday, 24 April 2009

Asia review: Matchday 4. McKinna regains credibility..but not Tobin?

Mariners and Jets both needed wins in matchday 4 and despite some notable performances they both flopped badly to Japanese sides.

Yes that's right the "technically better Japanese sides".

But maybe it's not the technical difference between the players that is so crucial to results against Japanese sides...maybe it's the difference between the Coaches.

First the Mariners.

They flopped badly. Yes that's right because it was basic professional errors that ensured they were narrowly defeated. At this level of football such errors are unforgiveable.

Did the Mariners not listen or watch Adelaide United. Aurelio Vidmar's mantra, "we're going to work on defence," was trotted out daily from January to the start of the Asian Champions League in March last year and they proceded to play at home with one forward..yes at home with one forward..even I saw it!

Of course the Mariners performance was almost a victory compared with their five nil thrashing to Kawasaki in the previous round. This time the 2-1 defeat was heralded as heroic stuff.

If anything this defeat was worse than the previous one.

Lawrie McKinna sent out a team and formation which should have been sent out for the home game, a la Aurelio Vidmar and Pim Verbeek. And consequently we had what we knew we could always have between Aussie and " technically superior Japanese club sides," a close match.

But wait despite employing the energetic Matt Simon upfront and praying for a truckload of continuous rain Kawasaki had to work for their ball, and their chances... but unfortunately not for their goals.

Why couldn't this have been the case at Blue Tongue in the previous game?

An unmarked header, a goalkeeper who spilled it's simple delivery and no defence helping out. Goal one to Kawasaki. Nothing technical about that one.

Having pulled themselves into the game through the amazing Simon, Matty missed easier chances to finish the game..but then set up the winner.

Two Mariners jumping for a header, no-one marking the man who received that Mariners header and of course no-one marking the subsequent delivery. 2-1 A shocking goal to concede. Nothing technical about that Japanese goal either.

And certainly nothing professional about the Mariners defending.

Truth is if you defend to a "normal" professional level this so-called wonderful "technically superior Japanese side" would not have scored.

So the Mariners blew it and finally, thankfully, they are realising the type of player they are recruiting is going to leave them way below the standards of the rest of the league...at least outside the 6...and of course you can forget Asia.

For the Mariners:
Matt Simon done good, Lawrie McKinna did good, Andrew Clark did good for an old fella and generally the team worked better to an effective system...and it nearly prevailed.

but what does Alex Tobin do? Does he take responsibility for the defending, the corners, and the general defensive display? Why are the Mariners so poor at defending? The physical side of their game is supposed to be their strength, and Nigel Booguard and Alex Wilkinson have played enough and are big enough to have sorted it. Alex..just sort it..it's basic and cost you any credibility in Asia..even in Australia.

Newcastle Jets:

Themselves up against a Japanese side, sorry that should be a "technically superior Japanese side," though this one clearly isn't so good or else the Jets wouldn't have drawn with them would they...so all the Japanese apologists in the Aussie media have already labelled Nagoya as, well almost Aussie...yet they are in the J-League so how does that work?

Gary Van Egmond. Different to Lawrie McKinna, and our great coaching hope for the future started with one upfront....at home. Where did he get that idea Lawrie?

No-one criticised Duchy. Indeed it was smart stuff and nearly worked, despite the "technically superior Japanese" running the Aussie's ragged in the second half.

Ljubo Milicevic was sorely missed, Ange Costanzo showed why Adelaide released him after he got skinned alive in the Asian Champions League final. The pace is gone if not the verbal replies.

But Sasho Petrovski did a Berbatov and took a shocking penalty.

The game should have ended 1-1. Somehow a Jets side, without Milicevic and for the most part Fabrio Vignaroli, and a team which included Danny De Groot..is De Groot Dutch for useless I'm wondering.... the Jets should have got, even if they didn't deserve, a draw.

The Jets disappointed in truth.

My favourite player...Kaz Patafta again showed why no-one will play him. He loses the ball, holds it in the wrong places, and sends too many passes to the others. Technical he maybe but, if so, he needs to return to the dazzling displays of the Under 17 world Cup and maybe the same position..but if he distributes the ball like this who would risk him in that position?

Jason Hoffman, Brodie Mooy all worked hard but are very young, inexperienced and/or unfit for this level of football yet.

Ben Kantarvoski is starting to shine but still makes many errors, check out the goal But he's young and playing well in a high level of competition, good to see another Aussie with real class on the field.

Gary Van Egmond was superb. He sent a team out to do a job, a tactical plan and he nearly stole it. He had hugely depleted resources, but he still put up a show and if Petrovski had scored he'd have pulled it off.

And you have to admire the way Van Egmond is getting more from less. Tarek Elrich finds the reserves and nous from somewhere to push on and create overlaps late on. Petrovski penalty aside looks like he wants to play. Van Egmonds influence surely.

In conclusion:
The Mariners were never 5 goals worse than Kashima...McKinna simply ensured they were by sending out the wrong team, with the wrong plan. The second leg proved that.

And I was delighted to see Lawrie and co could produce a plan to be competitive, pity they hadn't practiced defending this year.

Maybe it's not the technically difference between the players that is so crucial to results...maybe it's the difference between the Coaches.

Gold Coast or Hartlepool? You choose

"I think he's selling himself short, but I think it's a lifestyle decision." so says Chris Turner Hartlepool manager talking about Joel Porter's decision to play for the Gold Coast.

No Chris, you blinkered Englishman, it's about the football:
He'll play alongside Champions League player Jason Culina,
He'll play at a Stadium Hartlepool can only dream of,
His first game will be in the Bird Nest Stadium in Beijing, followed by SunCorp in the League.
He has a strong chance of representing his country in coming years,
He has a chance of exploring other countries through the Asian Champions League,
He may get loaned to Beijing, Shandong or elsewhere if he is any good,
He will be able to build a career beyond football, beyond Hartlepool in coming years.
He's joining a growth industry,
He'll be playing a different style of football, less, much less direct,

oh and then there is the lifestyle, and you are probably just a tad jealous Chris...
A year in the Gold Coast, in the Nation's Premier League under Clive Palmer and Paul Okon or another year in Hartlepool.

JOEL Porter's current boss insists the Gold Coast United-bound striker is selling himself short by signing up for the A-League.

Porter has spent the last five-and-half years with English third tier club Hartlepool United and will head for Skilled Park when the English season ends in a fortnight.

He has scored more than 60 goals in that time and Hartlepool are very reluctant to see him go.

However, United boss Chris Turner doesn't believe that Porter has made the best career decision and suggests that the forward is worthy of a higher quality competition than the one he has chosen.

Turner told BBC Tees: "He's been a magnificent servant, his contribution to the club has been enormous.

"I think he's selling himself short, but I think it's a lifestyle decision."

Bahrain to stop Australia: Yeah right.

First it was the wacky Uzbek video now it's Bahrain...can't wait to see the Japanese promotion...guess it will be all about trying to score goals..them not us!

Young Matildas in Camp

Squad details below

SYDNEY
22 April 2009

Head Coach of the Westfield Young Matildas, Alen Stajcic, has selected a 27-player squad for the training camp at Valentine Sports Park in Glenwood, Sydney, from Saturday 25 April through to Monday 27 April.

The camp, another in a series being conducted, forms part of the preparations for the upcoming AFC U-19 Women's Championships 2009 to be held in the Chinese city of Wuhan from 1 to 12 August. The Championships will also double as the qualification process for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup to be held in Germany next year.

"The camps are an invaluable part of our preparations for the Championships in August," said Stajcic.

"Not only is it important to give the players as much opportunity as possible to play together, but it also forms part of our selection process for the final squad that will head to China in August.

"Following the qualifications in Kuala Lumpur last year, the Westfield W-League gave us the opportunity to identify new players and gave them the chance to perform and develop over the 10 round competition.

"We need as much match practice together as possible to prepare us when we come up against the likes of China and Japan in August, two powerhouses of women's football," noted Stajcic.

Australia qualified for the chance to compete in the AFC U-19 Women's Championships late last year in Kuala Lumpur by winning three of their four matches to finish a convincing second in their group. The Championships will see Australia match up against Japan, China and Chinese Taipei in their Group B matches.
For further information on the AFC U-19 Women's Championships 2009, please visit the AFC's website www.the-afc.com.

ENDS

Westfield Young Matildas training camp squad:
Courtney Beutel, Ruth Blackburn, Tameka Butt, Trudy Camilleri, Alesha Clifford, Nikola Deiter (gk), Casey Dumont (gk), Angela Fimmano, Sophie Hogben, Elise Kellond-Knight, Samantha Kerr, Rebecca Kiting, Ella Mastrantonio, Sian McLaren (gk), Linda O'Neill, Teresa Polias, Karina Roweth, Jessica Seaman, Gema Simon, Kyah Simon, Samantha Spackman, Bronwyn Studman, Ashleigh Sykes, Nicole Sykes, Marianna Tabain, Emily van Egmond, Christine Walters.

Miranda Robinson

Dire time for Aussie clubs

Western Force are losing millions each year, Adelaide look unlikely to get a Basketball team in the new league, Port Adelaide with crowds of 20,000 are in dire financial difficulties.

Add in NSWRU, Adelaide United, and Brisbane Roar...not a great few years ahead for any code.

Interesting all codes are looking to expand, teams, number of games etc etc.

Realistically can Australia support 14 A-League teams, 18 AFL teams, 5 Rugby Union teams and a heap of NRL...not to mention a Basketball league etc etc?

Of course not. The Governing Bodies will have to prop up teams or the clubs are gone. Simple as!

Something has to give...Western Force could be the first to be "moved." Anyone for a spot of Rugger in the new stadium in Melbourne?

A-League Canberran confirmed

Stephen Lustica signed for Gold Coast United first-team this week.

What young Canberran wouldn't want to swap places with Canberra's Andrew Baresic and Lustica as they start their first A-League contracts onlongside Jason Culina and the richest team in the league..supposedly.

And Central Coast Mariners are increasingly likely to bring an A-League game to Canberra...if the price is right I guess.

Canberrans in Anzac Day Tribute

Christophe Bush (ACT/AIS), Stephen Domenici (ACT/AIS), Jason Geria (ACT/AIS), Alexander Meibusch (ACT/AIS), are all in Turkey for the Australia/Turkey inaugural Anzac Day football match. This year it's the Under 17's taking part.

CANAKKALE, TURKEY
23 April 2009

The Australia U17 men's football team, the Qantas Joeys, are preparing for the inaugural Australia-Turkey Friendly Football matches to coincide with Anzac Day with two of Australia’s brightest young stars are preparing for the biggest games of their careers.

The game, to be played in Canakkale – near Gallipoli – takes on special significance for Australian strikers Kerem Bulut and Ersin Kaya, both of whom are of Turkish descent.

Both sets of parents were born in Turkey, before emigrating to Australia, where Bulut and Kaya were born and learned to play football.

“It’s the biggest game of my career and it’s pretty emotional,’’ said Melbourne-born Mustafa Animi.

“It’s special, playing the country of my background and it’s exciting for me and my family.’’

With the Qantas Joeys games either side of Anzac Day, the players will attend the Lone Pine commemorative service in Gallipoli on Saturday, while Football Federation Australia CEO, Ben Buckley, and most of the team officials will attend the Dawn Service.

Before departing for Europe, the Joeys visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra where they were given further education about the events which led to the landing on Gallipoli in 1915.

Bulut, who is set to play in attack with Kaya, said it helped the team gain a greater appreciation for Anzac Day.

“We learnt more about the history and what went on between both countries and that’s why this game is so sentimental for us,’’ Sydney-born Bulut said.

“With all the events surrounding the match, it’s exciting for us and it should be a good game and hopefully a lot of the Australians who are coming here for Anzac Day can turn up and support us.

“It’s a good hit out for both teams, because they’re still involved in the European qualifiers so they will be taking the game very seriously.’’

Buckley said that the annual event is important in helping build long term relationships with Turkey.

“But it is also important for us as individuals, whether Australian or Turkish."

Qantas Joeys coach, Jan Versleijen, has told the teams they have a responsibility not only to perform well, but to be the face of Australian football.

“They are representing the country so it’s a good experience for them for when they start playing at a higher level.’’

Almost 10,000 Australians are expected to visit Gallipoli this year.

These historic matches are the first of what will be an annual event, which will see friendly football matches played in either Turkey or Australia in alternating years between designated men's and women's national teams. Australia will host the event in 2010.

The dates for this new annual football event were specifically selected to coincide with Anzac Day (25 April) for Australia and National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (23 April) for Turkey.

The annual football event has the strong support of both the Australian and Turkish governments with Australia 's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith and NSW Premier, Nathan Rees, attending one of the matches.

ENDS

Match Details – Turkey U16 v Qantas Joeys
* Game 1: Friday 24 April 2009
Canakkale Stadium, Canakkale
2.00pm local (9.00pm AEST)

* Game 2: Sunday 26 April 2009
Canakkale Stadium, Canakkale
2.00pm local (9.00pm AEST)

Squad
Marc Warren and Brendan Hamill have been withdrawn from the original 25-man squad. The squad comprises:

Christophe Bush (ACT/AIS), Stephen Domenici (ACT/AIS), Jason Geria (ACT/AIS), Alexander Meibusch (ACT/AIS), Mustafa Amini (NSW/AIS), Kerem Bulut (NSW/AIS), Kevin Davison (NSW/AIS), Patrick Dixon (NSW/AIS), Samuel Gallaway (NSW/AIS), Robert Kolak (NSW/AIS), Aaron Lennox (NSW/AIS), Jared Lum (NSW/AIS), John Martinoski (NSW/AIS), Aaron Peterson (NSW/AIS), Daniel Petkovski (NSW/AIS), Nikola Stanojevic (NSW/AIS), Lawrence Thomas (NSW/AIS), Curtis Good (VIC/AIS), Ersin Kaya (VIC/AIS), Damir Lokvancic (VIC/AIS), Eli Babalj (WA/AIS), Scott Mellish (WA/AIS), Trent Sainsbury (WA/AIS)
Bonita Mersiades

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

Ljubo Milicevic: A star of season 5?

With Melbourne's Kevin Muscat on his last legs, should they have kept Milicevic.

What a player? He's played a couple of A-League games, a couple of Asian Champions League games but I'm desperate to see him sign for the full A-League season

Seeing him controlling the Newcastle back four in recent weeks, playing the ball from the back, surging forward is joyous to watch....and rare in our A-League.

He sets a standard on and off the field it seems. And why he couldn't fit in at Melbourne..well the personality clash was clearly too much.

But if he signs and performs for the Jets this season, with an ageing Melbourne star Kevin Muscat, the Victory will be kicking themselves.

Where you do you get such talent, in Australia, and he's still just 27.

He could be the star of the League next season, even bigger than Jason Culina, certainly more effective than Robbie Fowler.

And he, alone, through his style could bring a whole new dimension, to the Jets and to the league.

A giant of a man, his positional sense is awesome, but it's his ability to play the ball across the park which inspires, and dictates a pattern of play.

The A-League need Ljubo. To stay. To lead.

Fozzie thinks he could play for Australia...well maybe in time, if he remains fit, or gets fit.

He may have lost his ability to play at the International Level but for the A-League he could easily be the player of the year.

If Ljubo stays and remains fit, based on what I've seen he'll be as exciting to watch as Culina, Fowler even Denilson.

More influential than Muscat, Craig Moore, Ned Zelic, Paul Okon or Juninho ever were? Well let's wait and see.

On the field he's pure class and can only get better.

And anyone that can produce on the field and turn a headline off it is exactly what the League needs.

Can't wait to see him take on Muscat. That should pack them in!

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